Knowledgebase

Setting a Catch-All Email Address (Firstserv Guide)

By default, your Firstserv hosting account will reject emails sent to addresses that don’t exist (i.e. mailboxes or forwarders you haven’t created).

✅ This is the recommended behaviour, as it helps reduce spam and unnecessary email traffic.

What Is a Catch-All Email Address?

A catch-all address receives any email sent to your domain that doesn’t match an existing mailbox.

Example:

• If you set up catchall@yourdomain.com, then:
  • random@yourdomain.com
  • info123@yourdomain.com
  • anything@yourdomain.com

✅ All will be delivered to your catch-all mailbox

Important Warning (Recommended Reading)

⚠️ We strongly recommend not using a catch-all address unless absolutely necessary.

Why?

• Catch-all mailboxes are a major target for spam
• Spammers often send emails to random addresses at a domain
• Your inbox can quickly become overwhelmed
• It becomes harder to filter legitimate messages

✅ Best practice: Only create the specific email addresses you need.

How to Set Up a Catch-All Address

Step 1: Create a Mailbox

1. Log in to cPanel
2. Go to Email → Email Accounts
3. Create a mailbox (e.g. catchall@yourdomain.com)

Step 2: Configure the Catch-All

1. In cPanel, go to Email → Default Address
2. Select your domain from the dropdown
3. Choose:

   Forward to Email Address
   

4. Enter your catch-all email address (e.g. catchall@yourdomain.com)
5. Click Change

✅ All emails sent to non-existent addresses will now be delivered to this mailbox.

Using a Catch-All with Gmail, Outlook, etc.

If you want to access catch-all emails via an external service (e.g. Gmail):

• ✅ Create a local mailbox (as above)
• ✅ Use the external service’s POP3 fetch feature to collect emails

⚠️ Avoid forwarding directly to external accounts—this can cause delivery and spam issues.

Important Notes

• ❌ Avoid forwarding to the system/default mailbox unless absolutely necessary
• ✅ Store emails locally first, then retrieve if needed
• ⚠️ Monitor disk usage—catch-all inboxes can grow quickly

Summary

• By default, unknown emails are rejected (recommended)
• Catch-all addresses collect all unmatched emails but increase spam risk
• Only enable a catch-all if required
• Always use a local mailbox and retrieve emails securely

Need Help?

If you’re unsure whether a catch-all is right for your setup or need help configuring it safely, the Firstserv support team is always happy to assist.