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Xplornet Email using Mozilla Thunderbird (version 78 and newer)

This article details how to set up Mozilla Thunderbird (version 78 and newer) on Windows or macOS with your Xplornet email address as well as how to change your email password. If you only need to check or change your existing settings, then scroll down to the “Changing your Settings” section.

Adding a new email account

  1. Click File, New, Existing Mail Account…
    1. If you don’t see the menu bar across the top in the Windows version, click on the menu button (three horizontal stripes on the top right) and select Customize, Menu Bar
  2. Enter Your name, Email address and your email Password, then click Continue
  3. Leave IMAP selected for Protocol (POP3 is an option but is not recommended) and click Configure manually…
  4. Leave IMAP selected for Incoming Protocol – POP3 is an option but is not recommended
  5. Verify that the Incoming Server Hostname is imap.xplornet.com
  6. Verify that the Outgoing Server Hostname is smtp.xplornet.com
  7. For SSL for both Incoming and Outgoing, change the selections to SSL/TLS
  8. Verify that the Ports are now 993 for Incoming and 465 for Outgoing.
  9. Change the Username for both Incoming and Outgoing to your full email address (do the Incoming one first and it may change the Outgoing one to match)
  10. Click Re-test
  11. Click Done
  12. Click on Inbox below your email address. If it’s still only showing the Inbox folder and no other folders below it, click on the arrow to the left of your email address to collapse the list of folders, and the click it again to expand the list.
  13. Click File, Subscribe
  14. If your email address is not shown next to Account, select it from the drop down list
  15. Verify all the folders are checked and click Subscribe, then click OK
  16. Click Tools, Account Settings
  17. Under your email address, select Server Settings
  18. For “When I delete a message”, ensure it’s set to “Move it to this folder”: Trash on [your email address]
  19. Under your email address, select Copies & Folders
  20. For “When sending messages, automatically”, ensure it’s set to “Place a copy in:” Other: Sent Items on [your email address]
  21. For “Keep draft messages in”, ensure it’s set to “Drafts” Folder on: [your email address]
  22. Under your email address, select Junk Settings
  23. For Destination and Retention, check the box to “Move new junk messages to” and select Other: Spam on [your email address]
  24. Close the Accounts Settings tab

Your email account is now ready for use in Thunderbird.

Changing your Email Password

If you changed your email password in webmail or MyXplornet, you will need to change it in Thunderbird to match the new password.

Thunderbird should prompt you for your new password with “Login to account Failed” (note the server is IMAP – for incoming):

  1. Click Enter New Password
  2. Enter your new password, check the box for “Use Password Manager to remember this password” (unless you wish to enter it every time) and click OK

It should also prompt you when you send a message from Thunderbird with “Login Failed” (note the server is SMTP – for outgoing):

  1. Click Enter New Password
  2. Enter your new password, check the box for “Use Password Manager to remember this password” (unless you wish to enter it every time) and click OK

If Thunderbird doesn’t prompt you for your new password, follow these steps:

  1. Click on Tools, Options (Windows) or Thunderbird, Preferences (Mac)
    1. If you don’t see the menu bar across the top in the Windows version, click on the menu button (three horizontal stripes on the top right) and select Customize, Menu Bar
  2. Go to Privacy & Security
  3. Click Saved Passwords
  4. Click Show Passwords, and enter your computer credentials if prompted
  5. Right click on each of the entries for the imap and smtp Providers with your email address as the Username and click Edit Password (or just double-click on the Password)
  6. Enter the new Password you set in webmail or MyXplornet for each, then click Close
  7. Close the Options tab
  8. Click File, Exit (Windows) or Thunderbird, Quit Thunderbird (Mac), to close Thunderbird, and open it again

Your password is now changed to match what you set it to in webmail or MyXplornet.

Changing your Settings

Thunderbird may prompt you for your password with “Login to account Failed”. If so, click Cancel.

  1. Click Tools, Account Settings
    1. If you don’t see the menu bar across the top in the Windows version, click on the menu button (three horizontal stripes on the top right) and select Customize, Menu Bar
  2. Under your email address, select Server Settings
    1. Verify the following settings, and change them if necessary:
      1. If the Server Type is IMAP
        1. Server Name: imap.xplornet.com
        2. Port: 993
      2. If the Server Type is POP
        1. Server Name: pop.xplornet.com
        2. Port: 995
      3. User Name: your full email address, including the portion after the @ symbol
      4. Connection security: SSL/TLS
  3. At the bottom, select Outgoing Server
    1. Select your email address and click Edit
    2. Verify the following settings, and change them if necessary:
      1. Server Name: smtp.xplornet.com
      2. Port: 465
      3. Connection security: SSL/TLS
      4. User Name: your full email address, including the portion after the @ symbol
    3. Click OK
  4. Close the Accounts Settings tab

If Thunderbird is still prompting you for your password with “Login to account Failed”:

  1. Click on Tools, Options (Windows) or Thunderbird, Preferences (Mac)
  2. Go to Privacy & Security
  3. Click Saved Passwords
  4. Click Show Passwords, and enter your computer credentials if prompted
  5. Verify that your password is correct for each. If you need to update them:
    1. Right click on each of the entries for the imap or pop, and smtp Providers with your email address as the Username and click Edit Password (or just double-click on the Password)
    2. Enter your Password for each
  6. Click Close
  7. Close the Options tab
  8. Click File, Exit (Windows) or Thunderbird, Quit Thunderbird (Mac), to close Thunderbird, and open it again

The settings are also found here.