IMAP
IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol, and is an alternative to the
POP protocol. It is a method of accessing email that is kept on a (possibly shared) mail server. In other words, it permits a "client" email program to access remotely stored messages as if they were local.
For example, email stored on an IMAP server can be manipulated from a desktop computer at home, a workstation at the office, and a notebook computer while traveling, without the need to transfer messages or files back and forth between these computers. All clients/devices will see the same folder structure, messages, and message flags because this information is kept on the server and synchronized when the client logs in.
IMAP setup information
- Incoming server type: IMAP
- Incoming mail server: imap.runbox.com
- For secure, encrypted connections over TLS/SSL, use secure.runbox.com.
- IMAP server port number: 143
- For TLS/SSL, use port 993.
- Outgoing mail server: smtp.runbox.com, port 25, authentication required.
- Use port 26 or 587 if your ISP blocks port 25.
- Username/password: Your Runbox login data.
- For regular Runbox accounts, use only the "username" part of your "username@runbox.com" address.
- For hosted domain accounts with addresses on the format "username@domain.com",
use "username%domain.com" 
(note the percent sign).
- Root folder path/IMAP server directory: INBOX
- Sent Items path: Sent (optional)
- Drafts path: Not yet supported.
We recommend setting your client to check for new email less frequently than every 10 minutes to avoid slow responses from the server. Also, please avoid having your client synchronize all folders and messages every time, or configuring interactive searches.
If you experience connection problems, please see the
Connection Problems page.
Known issues:
- When importing messages from your local mail store or from another IMAP server, the Webmail interface will show the "To" address instead of the "From" address.
- When importing messages with "'" in the subject, the messages will not be correctly parsed and displayed in the Webmail interface.
- When saving sent messages on the server using Thunderbird, the Webmail will not display the message timestamps in folder view.
A new IMAP server without these issues is in its final testing stages and is available on imap.runbox.com port 1143 instead of the default port 143.
Setup guides:
Special considerations:
- Outlook 2000 (and higher): To save sent messages on the IMAP server please see this link:
How to save sent items on an IMAP server in Outlook 2000
- Outlook 2000 (and higher): To delete custom made folders please see this link:
You Cannot Delete Custom Folders Created on IMAP Servers
- Apple Mail.app: This client tends to use excessive resources on the server, potentially affecting all users of the service, and is not a recommended IMAP client. According to this MacInTouch discussion:
The problem can be made less noticeable by going into the Accounts preferences in Mail.app preferences, select your IMAP account, choose the Advanced tab, and set "Keep copies of messages for offline viewing:" to "Only messages I've read".
Troubleshooting
Email clients that support IMAP
These are the most common mail clients on the market today, that feature support for the IMAP protocol:
