How to Test Incoming Mail (POP3) Settings via Telnet

Testing your email’s incoming mail (POP3) settings via Telnet can help verify that your email server is correctly configured. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to check POP3 settings using Command Prompt (CMD) or Terminal, depending on your OS.

Steps to Test POP3 Settings Using Telnet

To connect to your POP3 server through Telnet, follow these steps:

1. Open Command Prompt (for Windows) or Terminal (for macOS/Linux).
2. Type the following command, replacing mail.my-mail-server.com with your actual mail server address:

If the POP3 server is accessible, you should see the following response:

3. Next, enter your email address (replace [email protected] with your actual email):

If the mailbox exists, the server should reply:

4. Finally, enter your email password (replace my-password with your actual password):

If the password is correct, you will see:

You are now logged in, confirming that your POP3 settings are correct. If login fails, follow the troubleshooting steps below.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter issues, make sure:

• The email address is correct and exists in your Email Manager section.
• The password has been recently reset if login issues persist.

How to Open Command Prompt or Terminal

Here’s how to access Command Prompt or Terminal depending on your operating system:

Windows

For Windows XP:

1. Click Start, then choose Run.
2. Type cmd and press Enter.

For Windows Vista and Windows 7:

1. Click Start and type cmd in the search bar.
2. Select the CMD program that appears.

macOS

1. Go to Applications > Utilities.
2. Double-click on Terminal.

Linux

Open the terminal by following the steps based on your Linux distribution (usually found in Applications).

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