Anyone here using IMAP instead of POP for Gmail and Mail synching? Been having problems sending out emails, especially those with attachments (even small ones < 500kb). I'm on Sun Broadband Wireless, using a Gmail account on Mail. I couldn't understand what the problem was so after much tinkering and researching, I found out that we can use IMAP instead of POP for free. I made the switch and everything seems to be working just as it used to be. But what's the difference between IMAP and POP? I found some information on gmailblog, but what else can you share about it in simpler, more practical, everyday terms? Does this mean I have to redo fixing my folders? Or will it use my existing structure and apply this to gmail on the web? Is IMAP really better than POP? Is there anything else I need to know?
If you are using multiple computers, IMAP is better. Example, you are using Mail.App at home then Thunderbird at office. IMAP handles better with this situation. But for POP is quite okay as i am using Microsoft Outlook at the office and Mail.app at home and sync them all using Google Calendar app. The link you indicated above explains well already.
I see now. It didn't show up earlier, but after a while it started to download - all my emails again. and at the very bottom of the sidebar, I noticed all my folders and labels were neatly organized. Very nice. Thanks!
was able to get Gmail IMAP to work on Mail. but after a couple weeks, it started to act up and now i can't download my emails anymore. i keep getting an error message. can someone help? i'm currently using port 993 (SSL) and on Sun Broadband. thanks!
Try using port 995 (I'm on POP btw). Works fine for me now, currently downloading all my emails for backup and the only hiccups is when it stops downloading, I check the last mail download and remove it, which fixes the problem.
POP? What's that? I have a Gmail and a couple of Gmail hosted corporate accounts (http://www.google.com/a). IMAP is the default for all. IMAP is the way to go because your folders (Inbox, Drafts, Sent) are synced. What you see on the web based Gmail is what you see in your Mac and in your iPhone. One good reason to use Gmail, especially for hosted services, is that its SMTP is recognized by almost every ISP in the world.
thanks but even incoming and outgoing are out for me. can't get it to work. weird because i was able to get this going a couple weeks back. now it's just dead. hey elbert, would you mind sharing with me your IMAP settings?
Practically speaking, POP is better when you need to be able to work offline. When you have all your email with you, it's much better to work on the go without constantly needing internet access.
hi, maybe someone would like to read how i set up imap gmail with Mail.app http://www.brighthub.com/computing/mac-platform/articles/29348.aspx
In my opinion, POP is never better. It is archaic and will surely got he way of the floppy disk. POP downloads a copy of new mail in the inbox, that's all it will do. Unlike IMAP. It will not reflect on the server if messages have been read, forwarded or replied to. Just downloaded. I work offline a great deal, and I have all my mail with me. You don't have to be online to access your mailboxes. You just need to be online to sync. Whatever mail you have from your last sync, you will have in your computer when you're offline. HTH.
That's exactly my point. I don't need it to be reflected on the server (or on other computers). I work local and I don't want to sync at all. I never use Gmail over the browser except only when marking spam. It works for other people.
thanks for this, elbert. but i've seen this link before and followed the directions to set it up. my problem now is that it doesn't work the way it used to. odd.
I setup my gmail once again today with mail.app and the automatic setup gave me the IMAP settings already... (last time i did this was early this year and if i remember correctly, it was done with POP) now i dont want mail.app to download my 4000+ emails from the web with the IMAP settings.. how do i stop that? should i go back to POP then? Can anyone gimme the settings please? HELP! TIA!
happy new year. i've set up apple mail for gmail imap. does it really have no inbox? just all mail, starred, etc?
I switched from imap to pop. I was having trouble using 3 devices for one Gmail account. Each device was pulling email off the server such that my other 2 devices could no longer retrieve "already read" mail. To my horror when I deleted some mail in my iPod Touch, it deleted the important mail on the server. That was not I wanted. I did not like this system. I preferred to have my server untouched but accessible.
You can adjust Mail settings to do do certain actions like sorting of mail to user folders. This way you can have several folders for each mail account if you like. I have folders for work, leisure, and bills.
