Email Settings GuideQuick answer: altafiber runs Fuse, ZoomTown and Fioptics email on one pattern. Incoming is imap.[your domain] on 993 for IMAP or pop.[your domain] on 995 for POP3, each over SSL. Sending is smtp.[your domain] on 465 with authentication. For a fuse.net address that means imap.fuse.net and smtp.fuse.net. Sign in with your full address and your altafiber password. altafiber filters incoming mail with BrightMail.
What Changed Recently#
altafiber runs three email brands on one server pattern. Here is the current status and what a Fuse, ZoomTown or Fioptics address needs today.
Worth knowing
Three brands, one pattern. Each of Fuse, ZoomTown and Fioptics uses imap. pop. and smtp. hosts on its own domain.
Worth knowing
Keep SSL on. IMAP is 993 and POP3 is 995 over SSL. Outgoing is 465 with SSL. All three need authentication.
Worth knowing
One login everywhere. The same altafiber password opens webmail and every mail app, so you set it once.
Before You Begin#
Handle these two basics before anything else. Skip them and your email app will reject the connection even when every server value is correct.
1. Create the mailbox
Put imap. pop. or smtp. in front of your own domain. A fuse.net address uses imap.fuse.net, a zoomtown.com address uses imap.zoomtown.com.
Where: Any email app
2. Know your altafiber password
The login is your full address. The password is your altafiber account password, used for webmail and every app.
Where: Find your settings →
About altafiber#
altafiber is the internet and phone provider serving Cincinnati and parts of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Its email addresses end in fuse.net, zoomtown.com or fioptics.com.
altafiber is the current name for Cincinnati Bell, which rebranded in 2022. Fuse, ZoomTown and Fioptics are its internet brands. Each keeps its own email domain. The server names follow one pattern across all three. You put imap. pop. or smtp. in front of your domain, then sign in with your full address and your altafiber password. Reading mail in a browser happens at one place for every brand, altafiber.net.
| Service Name | altafiber Email |
| Email Domains | fuse.net, zoomtown.com, fioptics.com |
| Provider | altafiber (Cincinnati Bell) |
| Host Pattern | imap. / pop. / smtp. |
| Based In | Cincinnati, OH |
| Email Type | fuse.net, zoomtown.com or fioptics.com, such as you@fuse.net |
| Webmail | altafiber.net |
| Ports | 993 / 995 / 465 |
| Protocols Supported | IMAP, POP3, SMTP |
| App Password Needed | No, mailbox password |
| Username | Full email address |
altafiber Webmail Login#
You can always read your mail in a browser. The official altafiber pages are:
Find Your Settings#
altafiber settings follow one pattern for Fuse, ZoomTown and Fioptics. Put imap. pop. or smtp. in front of your own domain, then use the same ports on all three.
- Open your email app and add a new account.
- Choose IMAP or POP3.
- Set incoming to imap. or pop. plus your domain on 993 or 995.
- Set outgoing to smtp. plus your domain on 465 with authentication.
altafiber IMAP Settings#
IMAP keeps an altafiber mailbox in sync. Mail stays on the server, so a laptop and a phone read one shared inbox. The incoming host is imap. plus your domain, imap.fuse.net for Fuse.
| IMAP Server | imap.fuse.net | |
| Port | 993 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address, including @fuse.net | |
| Password | Your mailbox password | |
| Authentication | Required |
altafiber POP3 Settings#
POP3 downloads mail to 1 device. Pick it only if you want a local copy on a single computer. Not sure? See the comparison below.
| POP3 Server | pop.fuse.net | |
| Port | 995 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Your mailbox password |
altafiber SMTP Settings#
SMTP handles outgoing mail. If you can read mail but not send it, the problem is here.
| SMTP Server | smtp.fuse.net | |
| Port (SSL) | 465 | |
| Port (STARTTLS) | 587 | |
| Encryption | SSL or STARTTLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full email address | |
| Password | Same as incoming mail | |
| Authentication | Required. Switch on outgoing server authentication in the client. |
465 with SSL. Many home connections block port 25. altafiber also accepts 587 with STARTTLS if 465 is blocked. Confirm outgoing authentication is on.
Check altafiber Settings Online#
You don't need to download anything to check altafiber settings online. This page is the lookup: every value is verified, current and copyable straight from your browser. Not sure your address is a Fuse, ZoomTown or Fioptics one? Enter it below to check in a moment.
Does my email address use these settings?
Runs in your browser only. Your address is never sent anywhere or stored.
Want to verify the account itself before configuring an app? Sign in at altafiber webmail, which confirms your address and password work. If webmail opens, any email app connects with the tables above.
Look Up IMAP Settings for Any Email Domain#
This page covers altafiber. For every other address, work email on a company domain included, we run a free online lookup database: imapsettings.com.
imapsettings.com
Complete email settings database, by Univik
Enter any email address and get the incoming and outgoing server settings for that domain in 1 step:
Your address is used only to find the settings for that domain. Nothing is stored or shared.
Username and Password#
Both come from your altafiber account. The username is your whole address and the password is your altafiber account password. The same password opens webmail at altafiber.net.
Username is the full address
Type you@fuse.net in full, with the part after the at sign. altafiber turns down a bare mailbox name.
Put that same address on both incoming and outgoing.
Password is the mailbox one
This is your altafiber account password, the same one that opens webmail at altafiber.net. Reset it in your altafiber account if an app keeps refusing it.
altafiber uses one password for webmail and for an email app, so there is nothing extra to generate.
Set Up altafiber in Email Clients#
The servers and ports are always the same. Only the menus differ. Jump to your app:
Outlook (Windows and Mac)
- In Outlook select Add Account, then turn on manual setup under Advanced options.
- Choose IMAP and set incoming to
imap.fuse.neton 993 with SSL. - Set outgoing to
smtp.fuse.neton 465 with SSL. - Enter the full address and mailbox password when Outlook prompts you.
- Send a test message to yourself to prove both paths.
Apple Mail (macOS)
- In Mail select Add Account, then pick Other Mail Account.
- Give your name, altafiber address and password, then continue.
- Enter imap.fuse.net for incoming and smtp.fuse.net for outgoing, swapping the domain to match your address.
- Keep the SSL ports so nothing sends in plain text.
- Save and wait for the mailbox to load.
iPhone and iPad
- In Settings open Mail, then tap Mail Accounts and Add Account.
- Tap Other then Add Mail Account and fill your details.
- Keep IMAP chosen and put imap.fuse.net for incoming with smtp.fuse.net for outgoing.
- Leave the secure ports iOS fills, since altafiber expects SSL.
- Tap Save and let iOS run its check.
Android
- Open your mail app and tap Add account, then Other or IMAP.
- Put in your address and password. Switch to manual setup if it stalls.
- For incoming use imap. plus your domain on 993 over SSL.
- For outgoing use smtp. plus your domain on 465 over SSL.
- Save and swipe down to fetch your mail.
Thunderbird
- In Thunderbird pick Account Actions, then Add Mail Account.
- Type your name, altafiber address and password, then Continue.
- Wait for detection, then make sure IMAP with SSL is picked.
- If detection fails, type the imap. and smtp. hosts for your domain in yourself.
- Hit Done and the folders fill in on the first sync.
altafiber Webmail Settings#
Server settings connect your apps. These controls decide how the mailbox behaves on the server. They live in altafiber webmail, which opens at altafiber.net for every brand.
Signature
Add one in the altafiber webmail preferences. It rides on mail sent from the browser. A desktop app keeps its own signature.
Vacation Auto Reply
Turn on a vacation reply in altafiber webmail. The altafiber server sends it, so it goes out even when your computer is off.
Filters and Folders
Build filters in altafiber webmail. A server side rule sorts a message before any device downloads it. An in app rule only runs while that app is open.
Spam and Blocked Senders
altafiber runs BrightMail spam filtering on incoming mail. Report spam and block senders from altafiber webmail. Flagged mail lands in the spam folder for a look.
POP3 vs IMAP#
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On the altafiber server | Downloaded to 1 device |
| Multiple devices | ✅ Everything stays in sync | ❌ Each device sees different mail |
| Sent and deleted mail | ✅ Synced everywhere | ⚠️ Stays only on that device |
| Offline reading | ⚠️ Cached mail only | ✅ Full local copy |
| Server storage used | Yes, counts against your quota | Can be freed after download |
| Best for | Phone + computer, everyday use | Single PC, local archives |
altafiber Sending and Storage Limits#
A few details are worth knowing before you move a mailbox or bulk forward. Here is how altafiber mail is set up:
| Setup protocol | IMAP or POP3 |
| Login name | Full email address |
| Incoming host | imap. or pop. plus your domain |
| Outgoing host | smtp. plus your domain on 465 |
| Encryption | SSL on all |
| Authentication | Required |
Troubleshooting altafiber Connections#
Find the exact error your email app shows, then apply the fix:
| Error you see | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Username or password rejected | Short username or wrong password | Use your full address with your altafiber password. A bare mailbox name is turned down. |
| Cannot send on port 25 | ISP blocks the default SMTP port | Switch outgoing to smtp. plus your domain on 465 with SSL. Confirm outgoing authentication is on. |
| Host does not match the brand | Domain and host differ | A fuse.net address needs imap.fuse.net, a zoomtown.com address needs imap.zoomtown.com. Match the host domain to your address. |
| Outgoing mail will not send | SMTP needs authentication | The smtp. host requires outgoing authentication. Turn it on and use the same address and password as incoming. |
| Cannot connect to server | Wrong port or encryption | Set 993 with SSL incoming and 465 with SSL outgoing. A firewall on your own machine can block it as well. |
| Repeated password prompt | Short username or a typo | Clear the saved login, then put in the full address with the mailbox password. |
| Messages stuck in Outbox | SMTP authentication is off | Enable "outgoing server requires authentication" with the same login as incoming mail. |
| Good mail is landing in the spam folder | BrightMail flagged it | Open the spam folder in altafiber webmail, mark the message as not spam and move it to the inbox. Check that folder now and then. |
| Spam still reaches the inbox | A new spam pattern | Report it so BrightMail learns. In webmail tick the message and click Report spam. From a mail client forward the headers to spamreport@fuse.net. |
Reader Reported Fixes
One pattern, three brands. Add imap. pop. or smtp. to your own domain. The ports and password are the same across Fuse, ZoomTown and Fioptics.
Test the login in webmail first. Sign in at altafiber.net with your full address and altafiber password. If webmail opens, the credentials are right and the issue is in the app settings.
altafiber Spam Filtering: BrightMail and Reporting #
Every altafiber inbox sits behind BrightMail, the anti-spam service that scans incoming mail for Fuse, ZoomTown and Fioptics alike. Suspected spam is filtered out of the inbox and dropped into a spam folder, so most junk never reaches you. The service is included at no extra cost.
When something slips through, you can train the filter. In altafiber webmail at altafiber.net, tick the box next to the message and click Report spam. From a desktop mail client, forward the message with its full headers to spamreport@fuse.net instead.
Because no filter is perfect, look in the spam folder now and then. If a real message landed there, mark it as not spam and move it back to the inbox. None of this changes your server settings, so your app keeps working as before.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Spam filter | BrightMail Anti-Spam |
| Where spam lands | The spam folder, not the inbox |
| Report from webmail | Tick the message, click Report spam |
| Report from a client | Forward headers to spamreport@fuse.net |
| Rescue good mail | Mark as not spam, move to inbox |
Moving Mail In or Out?#
altafiber mail speaks plain IMAP, so a mailbox moves in or out like any standard account. Each folder stays on the server until the copy finishes.
Take a copy first. Back up the mailbox before a move. A note that arrives mid switch can sit on either side. A copy keeps you safe.
Carrying mail across? The Univik Email Migration Tool moves each folder over an IMAP link. Give it imap. plus your domain with your altafiber password on this side and the other account opposite.
Rather hand it off? Our Email Migration Services team runs the whole move and verifies each folder arrived.
Use These Settings in Univik Email Backup#
The same IMAP settings above let you download your complete altafiber mailbox to your computer. Univik Email Backup saves everything as PST, MBOX, EML or PDF files you keep forever, even if the account closes.
- Download Univik Email Backup and install it on Windows.
- Select altafiber from the source list. If altafiber is not listed, pick a plain IMAP account.
- Give the complete email address with your mailbox password. The login name is always the whole email address.
- When the backup tool wants server details, hand it imap. plus your domain on port 993 with SSL. Take those values straight from the IMAP table above, with port
993over SSL. - Pick a saving format and folder, then start the backup. Large mailboxes download in the background.
Univik Tools That Use These Settings#
Many people land here while migrating or archiving a mailbox. All 3 tools use the same IMAP settings from this page:
Email Backup
Download your complete altafiber mailbox to PST, MBOX, EML or PDF before switching or closing the account.
Email Backup Tool →
Email Migration Tool
Copy every folder from altafiber straight into Gmail, Microsoft 365 or any other account. No manual export needed.
Email Migration Tool →
Email Converter Tool
Already have MBOX, EML or OST files from an old export? Convert them to PST, PDF or any format your new app opens.
Email Converter Tool →Prefer to hand the whole migration to experts?
If the hostnames and passwords feel like busywork, you can let the tool handle it. Univik's migration team handles the complete project: planning, transfer, verification and a report showing every folder made it. Since 2013, for single mailboxes up to full company moves.
Email Settings Glossary#
IMAP
Internet Message Access Protocol. Reads mail that stays on the server, so all your devices see the same inbox, folders and read status.
POP3
Post Office Protocol version 3. Downloads mail to 1 device and can remove it from the server. Older method, still useful for local archives.
SMTP
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. Sends your outgoing mail. Every account needs it next to IMAP or POP3, which only receive.
SSL / TLS / STARTTLS
Encryption for the connection. SSL/TLS encrypts from the start (ports 993, 995, 465). STARTTLS upgrades a plain connection (port 587).
altafiber Password
Your altafiber account password, the same one that opens webmail at altafiber.net. Every mail app uses it. There is no separate app password.
Host Pattern
altafiber builds each host from a prefix plus your domain. imap. and pop. receive, smtp. sends.
altafiber.net
The one webmail address for Fuse, ZoomTown and Fioptics. Sign in there to read mail in a browser.
BrightMail
The spam filter altafiber runs on incoming mail. Suspected spam moves to the spam folder.
altafiber
The internet and phone provider once called Cincinnati Bell. It rebranded in 2022 and serves Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.
Fuse, ZoomTown, Fioptics
The three altafiber email brands. Each keeps its own domain but shares the same server pattern.
Outgoing Authentication
altafiber asks for your username and password when you send. Turn on the option to use the same settings as incoming.
Full Address Login
altafiber signs you in with your whole address, not a bare mailbox name. Include the part after the at sign.
BrightMail
The anti-spam service altafiber runs on incoming mail. It filters suspected spam into a spam folder before it reaches your inbox.
Report Spam
The button in altafiber webmail that flags a missed spam message. It helps BrightMail catch similar mail later.
spamreport@fuse.net
The address for reporting spam from a mail client. Forward the spam with its full headers to it.
How We Verify These Settings#
Univik builds email backup, migration and converter software since 2013. Our tools sign in to altafiber over IMAP and SMTP every day for thousands of users, so a changed server, port or login rule shows up in our connection logs before most guides notice it.
Every value on this page is confirmed with three checks: a live IMAP and SMTP connection from Univik Email Backup, a comparison against the altafiber guides and a sign in with a real mailbox using the full address. We re verify after any provider announcement and at least once a quarter.
Found something that no longer matches what altafiber shows you? Tell us and we will retest and update the page, with the change logged in what changed recently.
Help & Support
Frequently Asked Questions
For Fuse, ZoomTown and Fioptics the pattern is the same. Incoming is imap. plus your domain on 993 for IMAP or pop. plus your domain on 995 for POP3, each over SSL. Sending is smtp. plus your domain on 465 with authentication. A fuse.net address uses imap.fuse.net and smtp.fuse.net. Sign in with your full address and your altafiber password. The IMAP settings section holds the full table.
Check the username first. It must be the complete address rather than the part before the at sign. Use your full address as the username, not a bare mailbox name. The password is your altafiber account password, the same one that opens webmail at altafiber.net.
Both use the same domain host. IMAP on imap. plus your domain keeps mail on the server so every device matches. POP3 on pop. plus your domain downloads it to one machine and can lose it if that machine fails. Full comparison here.
Yes. The server, ports and encryption match on iPhone, Android and Windows. Only the path to the settings screen shifts by app, which the client setup guides spell out.
Yes. All three follow one pattern. You add imap. pop. or smtp. to your own domain. The ports and password stay the same. Only the domain in the host changes.
Yes. Keep SSL on every server so your sign in never travels in the open. altafiber uses 993 or 995 for incoming and 465 for outgoing.
An email client with IMAP downloads mail as it syncs, but a dedicated backup tool is faster and saves standard files you can open anywhere. See how to back up your altafiber mailbox. If you already exported files in another format, an email converter changes them to PST, PDF or whatever your new app opens.
With altafiber the usual cause is an outgoing setting. Confirm the smtp. host has outgoing authentication turned on with your full address. Keep incoming on imap. plus your domain over 993 and leave SSL on.
A migration tool copies mail across the two accounts on an IMAP link. Give the altafiber IMAP settings with your altafiber password on this side and the destination details on the other. Each folder lands with its dates intact.
If setting this up feels risky or you have many accounts to move, our managed email migration service does the entire job for you.
altafiber filters incoming mail with BrightMail and drops suspected spam into a spam folder. To train it on anything it misses, sign in at altafiber.net, tick the message and click Report spam. From a mail client you can forward the spam headers to spamreport@fuse.net instead. The spam filtering section covers this.
Other Email Provider Settings
Summary: altafiber Settings at a Glance
- IMAP: imap. plus your domain, port 993, SSL/TLS
- POP3: pop. plus your domain, port 995, SSL/TLS
- SMTP: smtp. plus your domain, port 465, SSL
- Username is always your full email address
- One pattern for Fuse, ZoomTown and Fioptics
- Pick IMAP for phone + computer sync
- Full address as the username
- Username is always the full email address