---
title: "How to configure your local email client for Nexcess"
source: "https://docs.nexcess.com/hosting/email/nexcess/configure-local-email-client/"
description: "Configure your Nexcess email client with IMAP, POP3, and SMTP settings. Includes port numbers, server hostnames, and SSL/TLS requirements."
vertical: "Hosting"
date: "2026-01-06"
last_modified: "2026-07-02"
---

# How to configure your local email client for Nexcess

## **Prerequisites**

- Login information for the email account associated with your client. If you do not yet have an email account set up for your domain, refer to[ How to create email accounts in SiteWorx](https://docs.nexcess.com/sites-stores/control-panel/interworx/siteworx/email-management/mailboxes/).
- The IMAP and POP3 configuration settings and the Nexcess mail server information provided in your Nexcess Welcome Email. If you cannot locate this information, contact the [Nexcess support team](https://web.archive.org/web/20250419215603/mailto:support@nexcess.net).

## **Basic configuration settings for all clients**

### **Username**

You must use your full email address for your username, not just the section before the “@.” For example, the username for joe@example.net would be joe@example.net.

### **Incoming and outgoing mail server**

If you use a shared or dedicated server, use the server’s hostname; for example, *cloudhost-123456789.us-midwest-1.nxcli.net*, *sip1-123.nexcess.net,* or *obp1-01.nexcess.net*. Do not use any other domain that has a DNS record that points at the mail server or your domain; for example, *mail.example.com*.

If you use a server cluster, Nexcess recommends using the DNS instead of the server’s hostname for the sake of simplicity. If you prefer to use the server’s hostname, contact the [Nexcess Support Team](https://web.archive.org/web/20250419215603/mailto:support@nexcess.net) for assistance.

### **Account type**

Nexcess recommends IMAP protocol over POP3 protocol because IMAP generally possesses all the advantages of POP3 and none of its disadvantages. Refer to [Email protocols IMAP versus POP3](https://www.liquidweb.com/blog/imap-vs-pop3/) for more information.

For IMAP, use port 993.

For POP3, use port 995.

### **SMTP setting**

Use port 587 for the SMTP setting on all email clients.

### **Encryption**

Nexcess servers do not support non-encrypted setups. When specifying the settings for the incoming and outgoing server, select SSL/TLS encryption for incoming and STARTTLS for outgoing.

### **Client-specific information**

Each client has different details about how to set up the account using the above information. Go to the client website for your device to find additional information.