Setting up Mozilla Thunderbird email client

Overview

The following details how to configure the Mozilla Thunderbird eMail client, that is availble for download for a number of platforms from

 

The download and installation of Mozilla Thunderbird is outside the scope of this help page, it is assumed that you've installed Mozilla Thunderbird before proceeding to the "Configuration" section below

Configuration

Launch the Mozilla Thunderbird client, then select the following from the drop down menu bar at the top of the Mozilla Thunderbird client

  • File
  • New
  • Existing Mail Account...

to result in the following menu:

Complete the:

  • Your name
  • Email address
  • Password

fields, and make sure the Remember password box is ticked unless you want to have to enter your email password everytime you run Thunderbird.

click the Continue button to take you to the next screen

Thunderbird will fail to correctly detect the settings for your domain, so you will need to adjust the following:

  • Incoming: Server Hostname - Set to mailbox.mgwmail.org
  • Incoming: Port- Set to 993
  • Incoming: SSL - Set to SSL/TLS
  • Outgoing: Server Hostname - Set to postbox.mgwmail.org
  • Outgoing: Port - Set to 587
  • Outgoing: SSL - Set to STARTTLS
  • Username: - Set to your full email address

Now click re-test to verify the settings, which should result in the following:

Finally click on Done to save the settings. Thunderbird should now launch and you should be presented with a view of your email account

Final bit of customisation, depending on what version of Thunderbird you have, this will either be

  • click on Tools, Account Settings
  • click on Edit, Account Settings

Click on Server Settings in the left hand menu, to reveal

Ensure the 'When I delete a message' / 'Move it to folder' is set to "Trash", then click on Copies & Folders in the left hand menu, to reveal

Ensure the 'Sent', 'Archives', 'Drafts' and 'Templates' folders are set, then clock OK. Click on Syncronizaton & Storage in the left hand menu, and set the message syncronisation & disk space options your requrie or leave them to default.


Possible "Error sending eMail"

The password and account details for sending and receiving eMail are the same and Thunderbird should configure the outgoing eMail server automatically, however sometimes it gets it wrong and the first time you send an eMail you'll receive the following message:

enter the password for your account, tick 'Use Password Manager....' (should you not want to have to enter your password each time) and then click OK. The eMail should then be sent successfully.