How to Configure an SMTP / IMAP Mailbox in Connect

This guide explains how the web-based Connect Email (SMTP / IMAP) page is configured. It focuses on three things:

• what each field in the Connect form means
• where SMTP / IMAP settings usually come from
• what to check first when the connection fails

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When this page is useful

When you add an email account in Connect, the system usually needs two groups of settings:

• SMTP — used for sending mail
• IMAP — used for receiving mail and reading replies

What to prepare before you start

Before opening the Connect page, it helps to confirm a few basics:

1. Which mailbox account you want to connect
2. Whether that mailbox allows third-party mail clients
3. Whether the provider requires IMAP or SMTP to be enabled first
4. Whether the account uses two-factor authentication
5. Whether you need an app password instead of the normal web login password

What the page actually asks for

The current Email configuration modal in /console/connect is split into two groups of inputs:

• SMTP Settings
  • Host
  • Port
  • Username
  • Password
• IMAP Settings
  • Host
  • Port
  • Username
  • Password
  • Mailbox

Their meaning is:

Where SMTP / IMAP settings usually come from

If these values are not already available, the normal lookup path is:

1. Sign in to the mailbox admin console or mailbox settings page
2. Search for:
   • SMTP
   • IMAP
   • mail client
   • third-party email app
   • app password
3. Confirm two types of information:
   • host names and ports
   • whether IMAP / SMTP must be enabled first
4. If the provider uses two-factor auth, generate an app password instead of using the normal web password

Common lookup patterns:

• Gmail / Google Workspace — enable two-factor auth first, then create an App Password
• Outlook / Microsoft 365 — check admin center / mailbox settings / client access settings
• Business mail / custom domain mail — check provider docs or ask the mail hosting provider directly
• Other enterprise providers — look for client setup, app passwords, or incoming / outgoing server settings

Reasonable defaults to try first

If the provider documentation is unclear, these defaults are common starting points.

Common SMTP defaults

Common IMAP defaults

These are not hard rules. Provider documentation still wins.

How to fill the Connect form

Go to Connect → Add Email and fill the form in this order.

Step 1: SMTP section

SMTP is responsible for sending mail.

• Host: the SMTP server from your provider
• Port: usually 465 or 587
• Username: usually the full email address
• Password: preferably an app password

Step 2: IMAP section

IMAP is responsible for reading inbox content and replies.

• Host: the IMAP server
• Port: usually 993
• Username: usually the same as SMTP
• Password: usually the same as SMTP
• Mailbox: start with INBOX

Step 3: Quick review before saving

Before saving, do a short sanity check:

1. SMTP and IMAP hosts are not swapped
2. The port matches the provider's required security mode
3. The username is the full email address
4. The password is an app password if the provider requires one

Recommended conventions

If you are unsure whether the provider has any special rules, start with these assumptions:

• use the full email address for username
• use an app password for password
• use INBOX for mailbox
• avoid none unless the provider explicitly requires it
• keep SMTP and IMAP credentials aligned when the provider supports the same login for both

Connectivity testing checklist

Recommended sequence:

Test SMTP first

Confirm:

• DNS resolves
• the port is reachable
• the port matches the provider's required security mode
• authentication succeeds

Then test IMAP

Confirm:

• IMAP is enabled at the provider level
• login succeeds
• the mailbox folder name is correct
• the system can read INBOX or the target folder

If SMTP works but IMAP does not, the account may still send mail successfully while failing to ingest replies or update reply-driven automation correctly.

Common problems and what to check

Authentication failed

Check:

1. whether the username is the full email address
2. whether the provider requires an app password
3. whether two-factor auth is enabled on the account
4. whether the provider blocks legacy or third-party client logins

Port connection failed

Check:

1. whether the host name is correct
2. whether the port belongs to POP3 or webmail instead of SMTP / IMAP
3. whether the port does not match the provider's required security mode
4. whether the provider or current network blocks external mail clients

SMTP works but IMAP fails

Check:

1. whether IMAP is actually enabled in the provider settings
2. whether IMAP has its own host / port values that differ from SMTP
3. whether SMTP and IMAP were mistakenly filled with the same server when the provider separates them

IMAP login works but mailbox selection fails

Check:

1. whether imap.mailbox should be INBOX
2. whether the provider uses a custom folder name
3. whether the account has permission to access that folder

A reliable path to get one mailbox working

If the goal is simply to get one account connected with the lowest amount of trial and error, follow this order:

1. Find the provider's official SMTP / IMAP setup page
2. Enable IMAP / SMTP access if needed
3. Generate an app password if the account uses two-factor auth
4. Configure and test SMTP first
5. Configure and test IMAP second
6. Only then adjust mailbox folders or other edge-case settings

That order keeps troubleshooting clean and avoids mixing SMTP and IMAP problems together.