Knowledgebase

Secure IMAP (IMAPs) allows you to check safely your email even on non-secure networks. This is very important in order to protect your privacy and account security.

Thunderbird offers excellent IMAPs support and the following article describes how to enable it.

First we assume you have configured your email following the instructions on how to set up Thunderbird.

Even if you are using a different webhost the instructions are similar.

The most important thing is to find out which IMAPs server to use. If you are a SiteGround client, depending on your shared hosting plan, you need to do the following:

1. For StartUp and GrowBig plans:

Go to yourdomain.com/cpanel.

You will be redirected to something like https://secureXXX.sgcpanel.com:2083. This means that your IMAPs server issecureXXX.sgcpanel.com.

It is essential to use exactly this server name because our SSL is issued for *.sgcpanel.com. If you connect by IMAPs with any other server name, there will be an SSL warning that the certificate does not match the host. This warning is not fatal but it will pop up you every time you open your email client.

2. For GoGeek plans:

The SSL is issued for *.siteground.biz, so you need to use the server name of the GoGeek server where your account is hosted - XXX.siteground.biz. For example, if you are hosted on m05.siteground.biz, you need to set m05.siteground.biz as your IMAPs server.

Once you have found out your IMAPs server name, open Thunderbird and go to Edit > Account Settings. There find your email account and navigate to Server Settings and follow these steps:

1. Make sure the Server Name is set to the IMAPs server you have just found out.

2. Under Security Settings, check SSL for Use Secure Connection.

3. To apply the changes click 'OK' at the bottom.

From this point on you will be checking your email securely using IMAPs.