POP3 in Thunderbird

[BobH]

Recently I had a problem with email. I prefer using Mozilla Thunderbird as my email client; however, in going through problem identification and resolution, I deleted all accounts in TB (thinking there was a corrupted profile) then removed and reinstalled a fresh copy of TB. Afterwards, I have been unable to add any account to TB with POP3 mail handling protocol selected. I can add them if I choose IMAP protocol. It appears that in the last step of creating an account in TB, when it attempts to validate username and password, the process fails. It doesn't seem to matter what domain supports the email; I've tried my ISP, gmail, and IONOS; all fail at that final verification step.

I've placed questions on Mozilla Support, but they have not been produced any answers despite my having captured and supplied error console contents after various failures. I've also done countless online searches. I've seen a few reports of problems with TB account set up but none that mimic the ones I've encountered.

Has anyone else experienced a problem like this with Thunderbird? If so, did you resolve it? And, how did you resolve it? I much prefer to have TB download my email and remove it from the domain servers; ergo the choice of POP3 protocol.

[RonH]

Can't answer your query, Bob. However, using IMAP, when at pc I copy/move any emails to my T'bird Local Folders for 'action' (if not already replied to) or delete if 'junk'. Then I delete same from the server.

This gives me the possibility to easily read the mail on any device when 'out & about' prior taking any actions on my pc. However as a long term retiree, my mail volume is relatively low.

[stuck]

...I have been unable to add any account to TB with POP3 mail handling protocol selected. I can add them if I choose IMAP protocol...

In know you've said in other topics that you've had people watch you as you've tried to get this owrking but are you really, really, sure you are using the correct settings when you try use POP3? For my ISP it's not just a case of changing the protocol from IMAP to POP3 or vice versa. I must also change the mailin and mailout server names and the port numbers and the encryption settings.

The only other thing I can think to ask, are you sure the various mail servers you have tried still support POP3?

Ken

[BobH]

Can't answer your query, Bob. However, using IMAP, when at pc I copy/move any emails to my T'bird Local Folders for 'action' (if not already replied to) or delete if 'junk'. Then I delete same from the server.

This gives me the possibility to easily read the mail on any device when 'out & about' prior taking any actions on my pc. However as a long term retiree, my mail volume is relatively low.

Thanks for the suggestion, Ron. I selected the inbox for an email address from the column listing accounts then chose Edit > Select > All from the menus. I then right-clicked with the cursor hovering over the selected mail and chose Copy To then chose the account inbox. Is that the way you do it? I can't tell if the mail actually transferred to my system. There was no screen indication that anything took place as a result of my actions.

How can I be sure they are on my system?

[BobH]

Yes, Ken, I enter the mail server name for both inbound and outbound mail servers at whichever location. I get that information from searching the Internet. I search to confirm that values suggested by Thunderbird are valid. I get and use port numbers (inbound and outbound server ports) the same way. I also get suggested Encryption/Security protocols for each server and use them. I also confirm that my user name is correct. Gmail instructions say to use the complete email address including the Gmail.com domain. I have tried using email addresses with domain names and without them and using the name used for the account at the particular server, all without success. I even went so far as to make a table of the information for each set of servers for each domain so that I can copy and paste the data. More significantly, Thunderbird uses a 2 step process for validating information when adding a new account. The first step sends the server name, port number, encryption/security value to the servers and returns success or failure indication. These pass or you cannot proceed to the second step wherein Thunderbird sends the login credentials for verification by the server. It is this step that always fails despite the fact that I use identical credentials to login for IMAP and for the providers web mail.

I infer that there is something in the exchange for credential validation that is happening affecting the outcome, but the error message is non-specific giving no clue as to what particular value caused the failure.

[Rebel]

How can I be sure they are on my system?

I have no idea what's causing your POP problems Bob, but those emails that you wish to store locally will NOT be on your system unless you have copied or moved them to one of your Local Folders.
You will see "Local Folders" under the Account (inbox, drafts, sent, junk, deleted). If you right click on Local Folders, you will see the option to create "New Folder". I have created several folders under Local Folders - e.g. Amazon Deliveries, Consumer Reports Items, Home Depot Receipts, etc. When you have either copied or moved emails to any of these folders, they ARE now physically stored on your computer. You can now safely delete (from your inbox) any email and they will be gone from your inbox AND from the server. Hope this helps, but as I said, I cannot understand the POP difficulties. Fingers crossed.

[BobH]

Thanks, John. I didn't pick up on the Local Folders as being a specific address thinking instead that all folders on my system are local. Once that sunk in, I was able to download all my mail to folders under Local Folders. I would never have got there without your help.

Thanks, again.

[RonH]

Good explanation, John.

[Rebel]

Thanks, John. I didn't pick up on the Local Folders as being a specific address thinking instead that all folders on my system are local. Once that sunk in, I was able to download all my mail to folders under Local Folders. I would never have got there without your help.

Thanks, again.

Good to hear Bob . In my opinion, IMAP is, hands down, the way to go if you have email accounts on different devices (computer, mobile phone).