What the incoming mail server is
On a mailbox hosted with your domain, the incoming server is usually mail.yourdomain.com on IMAP port 993 with SSL. Confirm it in cPanel under Email Accounts, then check the domain MX record: the host it points to is the server that receives your mail.
The incoming server is the address your mail app connects to when it collects messages. It is not your email address, and it is not the website address. The username is the full email address, and the password is the mailbox password.
Read the settings in cPanel Email Accounts
Log in to cPanel for the hosting account, not the billing area. The mailbox settings sit behind one button, and they are printed rather than guessed.
- Open cPanel and go to the Email section, then Email Accounts.
- Find the mailbox and click Connect Devices next to it.
- Read the Mail Client Manual Settings box: the IMAP host, port 993 and SSL/TLS are on separate lines. The SMTP host sits below them.
- Copy the IMAP host into the client exactly, with no https:// and no trailing slash.
You know it worked when the client shows the mailbox folders and a new test message appears in webmail within a minute. If the folders appear but mail does not, the incoming host is right and the sending side is the problem.
Confirm it with an MX lookup
The MX record names the server that accepts mail for the domain. Run these two commands on your laptop; they need no login.
| Command | Output to read |
|---|---|
| dig +short MX example.com | 10 mail.example.com. |
| host -t MX example.com | example.com mail is handled by 10 mail.example.com. |
| dig +short mail.example.com | 203.0.113.25 |
The number before the host is the priority. The lowest number wins when several are listed. The address above is a documentation placeholder; your domain will return its own.
Match the MX answer to the right provider
The MX target tells you who runs the mailbox. That decides the incoming host, and it is where most custom-domain setups go wrong.
| MX points to | Incoming host to enter | Port |
|---|---|---|
| mail.yourdomain.com | mail.yourdomain.com | 993 IMAP |
| aspmx.l.google.com | imap.gmail.com | 993 IMAP |
| yourdomain.mail.protection.outlook.com | outlook.office365.com | 993 IMAP |
| mail.yourprovider.com | mail.yourprovider.com | 993 IMAP |
If the MX points at Google, your web host is not the mail host, and mail.yourdomain.com will not work even if the website loads. Use the provider the MX names.
Ports and encryption to enter in the client
The port and the encryption mode are a pair. A secure port with the wrong mode fails even when the host and password are correct.
| Protocol | Secure port | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| IMAP (incoming) | 993 with SSL/TLS | 143 with STARTTLS |
| POP3 (incoming) | 995 with SSL/TLS | 110 with STARTTLS |
| SMTP (outgoing) | 465 with SSL/TLS | 587 with STARTTLS |
Use IMAP unless you have a reason not to. It keeps folders and read state on the server, so phone, laptop and webmail agree. POP3 downloads to one device and is a poor default for a shared business address.
What a wrong incoming server looks like
The error message separates a host problem from a password problem. Read it before changing either.
- Cannot connect to server. The host is misspelled, the port is blocked, or the port and encryption do not match.
- Certificate name mismatch. The client reached a server, but not the one the certificate covers. The hostname is wrong.
- Authentication failed. The server answered, so the host is right. The username must be the full email address, and the password must be the mailbox password.
- Timeout on port 143. Try 993 with SSL/TLS. Some networks block the unencrypted port.
Do not click through a certificate warning to make mail work. A mismatch means the host you typed is not the host holding the mailbox.
Set it on iPhone, Outlook and Thunderbird
Each client keeps the value on a different screen. The field names are close enough that the wrong one gets filled in.
- iPhone: Settings, Mail, Accounts, the account, Account, then Incoming Mail Server and Host Name.
- Outlook for Windows: File, Account Settings, Account Settings, double-click the account, then Server Information.
- Thunderbird: Account Settings, then Server Settings. The host, port and connection security sit together.
If one device already collects mail, copy the host from that device rather than rebuilding it from memory. Finding the database hostname works the same way: read the value from the panel, not from the domain name.
IMAP or POP3 for a business mailbox
Use IMAP. A business address is read from a phone, a laptop and sometimes a shared inbox, and only IMAP keeps the folders and read state in step across all three.
WebJi business mailboxes are set up with IMAP and SMTP in the business email hosting panel, and the same host works in any client. If your mail sits on a cPanel hosting account, the Connect Devices box is the only place you need.
Support is by email at support@webji.services, 24/7 in Hindi and English, with an average first reply under 60 minutes. Include the exact error text and the host you entered; that is enough to find the fault.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find my incoming mail server settings?
For a mailbox on your own domain, open cPanel, then Email Accounts, and click Connect Devices. The panel prints the IMAP host, port and encryption together. If mail is hosted elsewhere, run dig +short MX yourdomain.com and use that provider's incoming host.
What is my IMAP server hostname?
Usually mail.yourdomain.com when the mailbox sits on your hosting account. On Google Workspace it is imap.gmail.com, and on Microsoft 365 it is outlook.office365.com. The MX record tells you which of those applies.
Which ports do IMAP and POP3 use?
IMAP uses 993 with SSL/TLS, or 143 with STARTTLS. POP3 uses 995 with SSL/TLS, or 110 with STARTTLS. Pair the port with the matching encryption setting.
How do I check MX records to find the mail server?
Run dig +short MX yourdomain.com or host -t MX yourdomain.com. The name after the priority number is the server that receives mail. Resolve that name with dig to see its IP address.
IMAP or POP3, which should I use?
Use IMAP. Folders and read state stay on the server, so the phone, laptop and webmail show the same mailbox. POP3 downloads to one device and is a poor default for a shared business address.
Why will my email client not connect to the server?
Check the host spelling first, then the port and encryption pair. A certificate name mismatch means the hostname is wrong. Authentication failed means the server answered, so the username or password is wrong.