Knowledgebase

Setting Up Email in Mozilla Thunderbird (Firstserv Guide)

This guide explains how to configure your Firstserv email account in Mozilla Thunderbird.

Before You Begin

Make sure you have:

• ✅ Created your email account in cPanel
• ✅ Your email address and password
• ✅ Your mail server details (if needed)

Choosing Your Setup Method

There are two setup options. We recommend Option 1 where possible.

Option 1 (Recommended): Use mail.yourdomain

Example

If your domain is:

example.co.uk

Use:

mail.example.co.uk

for both:

• Incoming (IMAP) server
• Outgoing (SMTP) server

Requirements

• Your domain’s A record points to your Firstserv server
• SSL is enabled (Let’s Encrypt is issued automatically once set up)

Benefits

✅ No need to update settings if you change hosting servers
✅ More reliable and future-proof setup

Option 2: Use Server Hostname

• Uses your hosting server hostname instead
• No prerequisites required

⚠️ If your hosting changes later, you will need to update your email settings across all devices.

Step-by-Step Setup in Thunderbird

Step 1: Open Thunderbird

• Launch Mozilla Thunderbird

If You Already Have Accounts

1. Click the menu icon (☰)
2. Go to Settings / Options → Account Settings
3. Click Account Actions → Add Mail Account

Step 2: Enter Account Details

Fill in:

• Your Name: Display name for outgoing emails
• Email Address: Your full email address
• Password: Your mailbox password

✅ You can choose whether Thunderbird should remember your password

Click Continue

Step 3: Check Configuration

Thunderbird will attempt to detect settings automatically.

⚠️ Always click Manual Config to verify everything is correct.

Step 4: Configure Server Settings

Incoming Mail (IMAP)

• Protocol: IMAP (recommended)
• Server:
  • mail.yourdomain.com (recommended)
  • or your server hostname
• Port: 993
• Security: SSL/TLS
• Authentication: Normal password
• Username: Your full email address

Outgoing Mail (SMTP)

• Server:
  • mail.yourdomain.com (recommended)
  • or your server hostname
• Port: 465 (or 587)
• Security: SSL/TLS
• Authentication: Normal password
• Username: Your full email address

Step 5: Test and Save

1. Click Re-test
2. Once verified, click Done

✅ Your account is now configured and ready to use

Optional: Default Application Settings

When prompted:

• Set as Default: Makes Thunderbird your default email client
• Skip Integration: Leaves system defaults unchanged

✅ This is optional and can be changed later

Why Use IMAP?

• Keeps emails stored on the server
• Syncs across multiple devices
• Reduces risk of data loss

Summary

To set up Thunderbird:

1. Add a new mail account
2. Enter your email details
3. Verify and manually check settings
4. Use IMAP with SSL/TLS
5. Save and sync your mailbox

Need Help?

If you’re unsure about your settings or encounter issues, the Firstserv support team is always happy to assist.