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Email and mailing lists

Questions about mailboxes, mail clients, POP3, IMAP, webmail, mailing lists and website mail delivery.

Questions

How do I create a new email account?

Mail hosting is managed separately from web hosting. This improves security and continuity: a web incident should not automatically affect mail, and mail administration is not exposed through website access.

Mailbox administration uses separate credentials from website administration. Mail hosting must first be enabled for the domain, because some hosted domains use external mail providers.

Once enabled, all2all configures the required DNS records, including MX, SPF and DKIM when applicable.

The mail administration interface allows you to create mailboxes, aliases, forwarders and autoresponders, change passwords, remove accounts and set quotas.

If administration is not active yet, contact support with the domain name and client name.

Which mail software do you recommend?

For desktop computers, we recommend Thunderbird on Linux, macOS and Windows. It is mature, open source, works well with standard IMAP/SMTP accounts and keeps mail configuration under the user’s control.

Apple Mail also works well on macOS and iPhone/iPad when configured with the correct IMAP and SMTP settings. It is already included with Apple devices, so there is no separate download in normal use.

We do not recommend Outlook for all2all mail accounts. Recent Outlook versions may synchronise non-Microsoft accounts, including IMAP mailboxes, through the Microsoft Cloud. This creates extra privacy, GDPR and dependency questions for organisations that deliberately use independent mail hosting. Outlook has also caused recurrent support issues with authentication methods, port settings and account autodetection.

On Android, Thunderbird for Android is recommended. It is also available on Google Play. It can import account settings from Thunderbird Desktop by scanning a QR code, making smartphone setup quick and avoiding manual re-entry of server names, ports and usernames.

There is currently no Thunderbird for iPhone. On iPhone, use Apple Mail. BlueMail can be used if needed, but it is not open source.

How do I configure my email client?

Use the mail server assigned to your domain. It may be for example moses.all2all.org, maximusconfessor.all2all.org, vonmuenchhausen.all2all.org or hermes.all2all.org.

Recommended incoming mail:

  • IMAP: port 143 with STARTTLS
  • IMAPS: port 993 with SSL/TLS

Recommended outgoing mail:

  • SMTP submission: port 587 with STARTTLS and authentication
  • SMTPS: port 465 with SSL/TLS and authentication

POP remains available for legacy setups:

  • POP3: port 110 with STARTTLS
  • POP3S: port 995 with SSL/TLS

Use the mailbox login exactly as shown in Virtualmin, in the “Users” menu, column “Username”. It is not necessarily the full email address. The password is the mailbox password.

Authenticated SMTP is required on ports 587 and 465 and should always be preferred for outgoing mail.

What is the difference between POP3 and IMAP?

POP3 downloads messages to a local device. In traditional use, mail may then be removed from the server and organised mainly on one computer.

IMAP keeps messages on the server and synchronises folders across devices. If you read, move or delete a message on one device, the change appears on the others.

IMAP is recommended for most users because mail is usually accessed from several devices. POP3 remains available for users who deliberately prefer local-only storage.

Attention: never use POP3 and IMAP at the same time on the same mailbox. Strange things can happen, especially with deleted, moved or already-downloaded messages. If you want to use more than one device or mail client on the same mailbox, use IMAP only.

What is the maximum message size accepted by all2all mail servers?

The current maximum accepted message size is 50 MB.

Many remote mail servers use lower limits, often around 25 MB. Attachments also grow during mail transport because of encoding overhead.

For larger files, use SFTP, SCP, web hosting space or shared download links. Email is best for documents, compressed archives and moderate-size attachments.

How do I access webmail?

Use the webmail interface on the server that hosts your mailbox:

Log in with the same mailbox username and password used for IMAP, POP3 and SMTP authentication.

Webmail is useful when you are away from your usual device, need quick access or want to check whether a mail issue comes from the client or the mailbox.

In webmail preferences, verify the sender identity under Preferences → Identity → From. The visible sender address should be your real email address, even if authentication uses a mailbox login name.

How do I switch from POP3 to IMAP?

Configure the same mailbox again in your mail client using IMAP instead of POP3. The credentials remain the same.

With IMAP, messages and folders stay on the server and synchronise across devices.

Attention: do not keep using POP3 and IMAP together on the same mailbox. If the mailbox is used from several devices or mail clients, use IMAP everywhere.

Messages already downloaded into a POP3 account do not automatically move back to the server. If you want older mail available through IMAP, copy or move it manually into the IMAP folders from your mail client.

Check that Sent, Trash and Drafts exist on the server, and verify that sent mail is stored in the server-side Sent folder.

Are incoming emails scanned for spam and viruses?

Yes. Managed all2all mail servers use ClamAV for antivirus scanning and SpamAssassin for spam scoring.

SpamAssassin evaluates message content, sender reputation, DNS-based checks, headers and technical policy tests. Filtering is balanced to reduce false positives: obvious spam may be rejected, while borderline messages may arrive with markings.

No filter blocks all unwanted mail without occasionally risking legitimate mail. Review spam folders regularly.

Publishing email addresses openly on websites increases spam. Use protected contact forms where appropriate.

On self-managed virtual or dedicated servers, filtering policies may differ.

How do I create a mailing list?

Mailing lists are created on request. Contact support with:

  • desired list name
  • domain name
  • expected usage

A list usually has an address such as your-list-name@lists.your-domain.example.

After creation, administrative access is provided through the list management interface. Change the initial administrator password after first login.

Lists must follow opt-in principles: no unsolicited bulk mail, clear subscription purpose and subscribers who knowingly joined.

For larger lists or high-volume use, contact support in advance so the setup can be evaluated.

How do I access the mailing list administration interface?

After list creation, the list server sends the administration URL and initial password by email.

At first login, review subscription policy, moderation rules, sender permissions, reply handling and archive visibility.

Decide explicitly whether archives are public, private or disabled. For internal or confidential lists, private or disabled archives are recommended.

For newsletter-style use, enable moderation, restrict sender permissions and check reply handling.

How do I configure an announce-only newsletter with Mailman?

Mailman can be configured so only authorised senders may post while subscribers only receive messages.

The safest approach is to moderate postings by default:

  • subscribers receive messages
  • approved senders may publish
  • unauthorised messages are held for moderation

Review sender moderation, subscription privacy, archive visibility and reply handling. Replies should not automatically go to the full list unless that is intended.

For larger campaigns, visual templates or statistics, external tools such as Brevo or Mailchimp may be used. The important difference is that Mailman remains hosted within your own infrastructure, while external platforms place mailing activity on third-party systems.

My email stopped working: what should I check first?

First verify whether the problem affects webmail too. If webmail works, the mailbox and password are usually correct and the issue is probably in the mail client settings.

Check these points first:

  • mailbox username exactly as shown in Virtualmin
  • current mailbox password
  • IMAP or POP server hostname
  • SMTP server hostname
  • STARTTLS or SSL/TLS setting
  • quota usage

If webmail also fails, the password, mailbox status or quota may need attention. Contact support with the domain name, mailbox username and the exact error message.

I cannot send mail via SMTP: what should I check?

Use authenticated SMTP submission, not port 25 from a laptop or office network.

Recommended settings:

  • SMTP server: the mail server assigned to the domain
  • port 587 with STARTTLS, recommended
  • port 465 with SSL/TLS, fallback
  • authentication: required
  • authentication method: plain or normal password

The username is the mailbox login shown in Virtualmin. It is not always the full email address. Disable SPA, CRAM-MD5, NTLM and similar automatic methods.

If sending still fails, note the exact error message and the time of the attempt. This helps distinguish a wrong password, a blocked port, a TLS problem or a remote delivery refusal.

Why is my mailbox full?

A full mailbox is usually caused by large IMAP folders, especially Sent, Trash, spam folders or old attachments kept on the server.

Check quota usage in the mail administration interface. Current webmail does not reliably show mailbox quota. Then delete or archive large messages and empty Trash. With IMAP, deleting a message often only moves it to Trash; space is recovered only after Trash is emptied.

If several devices use the same mailbox, avoid local settings that copy every sent message twice. For long-term archiving, move old mail to local folders or request a quota review.

Why do I get an error when sending to many recipients?

Outgoing messages sent through standard all2all mail accounts are limited to 50 recipients per message. This includes all recipients in To, CC and BCC.

Large recipient lists look like bulk mail and may trigger anti-spam protections, remote filtering or temporary refusal by recipient servers. The limit helps preserve reliable delivery and the shared mail reputation of the infrastructure.

For larger distributions, use Mailman or a newsletter platform. Dedicated mailing systems provide better reliability and list management. See also: Outgoing mail recipient limits.

Why do some of my emails arrive in spam?

Modern mail systems evaluate sender reputation and technical authentication.

Important elements include:

  • SPF
  • DKIM
  • DMARC
  • reverse DNS
  • sender consistency

Typical causes are website forms using an incorrect sender address, missing SMTP authentication, misleading From addresses or weak sender reputation.

Website-generated mail should use authenticated SMTP whenever possible. If you need help, contact support with sender address, recipient address and approximate sending time.

How do I configure DNS, SPF, DKIM, DMARC or TXT records for external services?

External services such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Brevo, Mailchimp or verification platforms often ask for DNS records.

Common record types are:

  • MX for mail routing
  • SPF as a TXT record for authorised senders
  • DKIM as TXT or CNAME records for message signing
  • DMARC as a TXT record for policy and reporting
  • TXT records for domain verification

Send support the exact records requested by the external service, including hostname, type and value. Do not merge several unrelated TXT values unless the provider explicitly asks for it.

When all2all hosts mail for the domain, DNS changes must preserve the all2all MX, SPF and DKIM setup unless mail is intentionally moved elsewhere. If mail is moved away from all2all, tell support so local mail handling can be disabled on our side. Otherwise mail generated or routed inside the all2all infrastructure may still try to deliver locally instead of going to the new external provider.

Why can I send email but not receive email?

Sending and receiving use different mechanisms. Receiving depends mainly on MX records, DNS routing and the correct destination mail server.

A domain may send correctly while incoming mail is still directed elsewhere.

If reception stops, verify where the MX records point. If in doubt, contact support with the domain name.

Which SMTP port should I use?

For authenticated outgoing mail, use:

  • port 587 with STARTTLS, recommended
  • port 465 with SSL/TLS, fallback

Port 25 is mainly for server-to-server SMTP/MX traffic and local relays. It should normally not be used from laptops, mobile devices or office networks.

Why does my website contact form not send reliably?

Modern websites should not rely only on basic server mail functions.

Use authenticated SMTP, a proper sender identity and application-level mail plugins, especially for WordPress and similar CMS systems.

If forms behave unpredictably, check the website mail configuration first. Support can help verify whether the message reached the server.

How should website forms be configured to avoid abuse and spam?

The final recipient address must stay fixed in the website configuration. A visitor must never be able to define the recipient through a form field.

Use a real mailbox address from your own domain as the sender. Put visitor input in Reply-To, not in the technical sender address. This keeps SPF, DKIM and DMARC alignment cleaner.

Forms should also include anti-abuse protection such as CAPTCHA, hidden anti-bot fields and submission limits.

For advanced scripts, explicitly define the sender address and, when supported, use the -r option for the envelope sender.

Which authentication method should I select in my mail client?

Use plain password authentication, often shown as PLAIN, PASSWORD or normal password.

This must always be used inside encrypted transport: STARTTLS or SSL/TLS.

Disable SPA, CRAM-MD5, NTLM and similar methods. Automatic detection sometimes chooses the wrong method.

Why does my password work in webmail but not in my mail client?

If webmail works, the password is usually correct. The problem is often a client setting:

  • wrong username
  • wrong incoming or outgoing server
  • wrong authentication method
  • old password stored in the client

Re-enter the password manually and verify all server settings.

If problems persist, contact support with domain name, username and exact error message. For delivery problems, also include sender, recipient and approximate sending time.

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