Email Settings GuideQuick answer: An iinet.net.au address now reads from imap.themessagingco.com.au on 993. A POP mailbox instead uses pop.themessagingco.com.au on 995. Outgoing mail leaves via smtp.themessagingco.com.au on 465. Each runs over SSL. Sign in with the full address. Most apps need an app-specific password after the move. Still pointing at mail.iinet.net.au? Update it here. Missing the Toolbox? Where it went.
What Changed Recently#
The iiNet group closed its own email system and moved every mailbox to The Messaging Company. Here is what changed for an iinet.net.au address and what your app needs now.
Worth knowing
iiNet no longer runs your email. Your iinet.net.au mailbox now lives on The Messaging Company. The address is the same, but the servers are new.
Worth knowing
The old mail.iinet.net.au host is gone. Apps set up years ago still point at it and fail. Move iiNet incoming to imap.themessagingco.com.au and sending to smtp.themessagingco.com.au.
Worth knowing
The iiNet Toolbox is gone. The old Toolbox let you add addresses, set forwarding and switch on spam filtering. Manage what you can from The Messaging Company webmail now.
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. An app-specific password
Open webmail.themessagingco.com.au and sign in to the iinet.net.au mailbox. Most apps then want an app-specific password made there, kept apart from the webmail login.
Where: webmail.themessagingco.com.au
2. The new server names
An iinet.net.au inbox now reads on imap.themessagingco.com.au while sending runs through smtp.themessagingco.com.au. The retired mail.iinet.net.au name refuses every connection.
Where: Find your settings →
About iiNet Email#
iiNet is one of Australia largest internet providers. iiNet was one of Australia largest broadband names, later part of the TPG Telecom group. In 2023 the whole iiNet family of email addresses moved to The Messaging Company, an Australian email host. The old iiNet Toolbox that ran those mailboxes was retired at the same time.
iiNet announced it would stop providing email so it could focus on internet and mobile. New iinet.net.au addresses ended on 6 June 2023. Existing mailboxes were moved to The Messaging Company, where an iinet.net.au inbox is read on imap.themessagingco.com.au and posted through smtp.themessagingco.com.au. The iinet.net.au address itself is unchanged.
| Service Name | iiNet email on The Messaging Company |
| Address Domain | iinet.net.au |
| Email Run By | The Messaging Company |
| Incoming Host | imap.themessagingco.com.au |
| Outgoing Host | smtp.themessagingco.com.au |
| Email Type | iinet.net.au, such as you@iinet.net.au |
| Webmail | webmail.themessagingco.com.au |
| Old Host, Retired | mail.iinet.net.au |
| Protocols Supported | IMAP, POP3, SMTP |
| App Password Needed | No, mailbox password |
| Username | Full email address |
Webmail Login#
You can always read your mail in a browser. The official sign in pages are:
Webmail
Password Reset
Support Centre
Find Your Settings#
A migrated iinet.net.au mailbox is ready for IMAP. An iinet.net.au inbox reads on imap.themessagingco.com.au and posts through smtp.themessagingco.com.au. Here are the values.
- Open your email app and edit the iinet.net.au account.
- Incoming becomes imap.themessagingco.com.au on 993 with SSL.
- Outgoing becomes smtp.themessagingco.com.au on 465 with SSL.
- Use the full address as the username, with an app-specific password.
IMAP Settings#
IMAP is the incoming choice The Messaging Company points most people to. Mail stays put on the server, so a laptop and a phone read one shared inbox. The incoming host for iinet.net.au is imap.themessagingco.com.au over 993.
| IMAP Server | imap.themessagingco.com.au | |
| Port | 993 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full address, including the part after the at sign | |
| Password | Your mailbox password | |
| Authentication | Required |
POP 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.themessagingco.com.au | |
| Port | 995 | |
| Encryption | SSL/TLS (required) | |
| Username | Your full iinet.net.au address | |
| Password | Your mailbox password |
SMTP Settings#
SMTP handles outgoing mail. If you can read mail but not send it, the problem is here.
| SMTP Server | smtp.themessagingco.com.au | |
| Port (SSL) | 465 | |
| Port (STARTTLS) | 587 | |
| Encryption | SSL on 465 or STARTTLS on 587 | |
| Username | Your full iinet.net.au address | |
| Password | Your app-specific password | |
| Authentication | Required. Turn on outgoing authentication with the full address and app-specific password. |
465 with SSL. Many home connections block port 25. If 465 is blocked, port 587 with STARTTLS is the fallback. Keep outgoing authentication on, using the full iinet.net.au address.
Check Your iinet.net.au Settings Online#
You don't need to download anything to check where iinet.net.au email lives now. This page is the lookup: every value is verified, current and copyable straight from your browser. Not sure your address moved to The Messaging Company? Type it below to check.
Does my email address use these settings?
Runs in your browser only. Your address is never sent anywhere or stored.
Want to verify the mailbox before configuring an app? Sign in at webmail.themessagingco.com.au, which confirms the iinet.net.au address works, then create an app-specific password. With both ready, any email app connects with the tables above.
Look Up IMAP Settings for Any Email Domain#
This page covers an iinet.net.au address. 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#
The username is your full iinet.net.au address. For mail apps, most accounts need an app-specific password created in webmail, which is separate from your webmail login.
Username is the full address
Type your full iinet.net.au address in, with the part after the at sign. A bare mailbox name is turned down.
Put that same address on both incoming and outgoing.
Password is the mailbox one
For mail apps on an iinet.net.au address, make an app-specific password inside webmail.themessagingco.com.au, then enter that in the app. Your webmail login stays separate. Reset the password from the support centre if needed.
An app-specific password is separate from your webmail login, which keeps the app connection distinct.
Set Up iinet.net.au 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 aim the iinet.net.au account at
imap.themessagingco.com.auon 993 with SSL. - Outgoing server, use
smtp.themessagingco.com.auon 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, iinet.net.au address and app-specific password, then continue.
- Put imap.themessagingco.com.au on the iinet.net.au incoming side and smtp.themessagingco.com.au on outgoing.
- 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 give the iinet.net.au account imap.themessagingco.com.au for incoming alongside smtp.themessagingco.com.au for outgoing.
- Leave the secure ports iOS fills, since the servers expect 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 the iinet.net.au inbox use imap.themessagingco.com.au on 993 over SSL.
- To send use smtp.themessagingco.com.au 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, iinet.net.au address and app-specific password, then Continue.
- Wait for detection, then make sure IMAP with SSL is picked.
- If detection fails on the iinet.net.au account, key in imap.themessagingco.com.au with smtp.themessagingco.com.au by hand.
- Hit Done and the folders fill in on the first sync.
Webmail Settings#
Server settings connect your apps. These controls decide how the mailbox behaves on the server. They sit in the webmail at webmail.themessagingco.com.au for an iinet.net.au mailbox, which is also where an app-specific password is made.
Signature
Add one in the webmail settings. It rides on mail sent from the browser. A desktop app keeps its own signature.
Vacation Auto Reply
Turn on an out of office reply in webmail. The server sends it, so it goes out even when your computer is off.
Filters and Folders
Build filters in webmail under settings. 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
The Messaging Company screens incoming mail for spam. Mark unwanted senders in webmail. Flagged mail lands in the junk folder for a look.
POP3 vs IMAP#
| Feature | IMAP | POP3 |
|---|---|---|
| Where mail lives | On The Messaging Company 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 |
iiNet Email at a Glance#
Here are the values for an iinet.net.au address in one place, now that email runs on The Messaging Company:
| Incoming host | imap.themessagingco.com.au (993), pop 995 |
| Outgoing host | smtp.themessagingco.com.au (465 or 587) |
| Encryption | SSL on 465, STARTTLS on 587 |
| Username | Your full iinet.net.au address |
| Password | App-specific password from webmail |
| Old host, retired | mail.iinet.net.au |
Troubleshooting iinet.net.au Email#
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 the full iinet.net.au address with an app-specific password from webmail, not your webmail login. |
| Cannot send on port 25 | ISP blocks the default SMTP port | Point the iinet.net.au outgoing server at smtp.themessagingco.com.au on 465 under SSL. Port 587 with STARTTLS steps in if 465 is blocked. |
| mail.iinet.net.au will not connect | Old host retired | iiNet shut down mail.iinet.net.au. Set iiNet incoming to imap.themessagingco.com.au and outgoing to smtp.themessagingco.com.au, both over SSL. |
| App keeps asking for the password | App-specific password needed | Open webmail.themessagingco.com.au for the iinet.net.au address and make an app-specific password. Enter that in the app in place of the webmail login. |
| 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. |
| Getting much more spam since the move | The old iiNet spam filter did not carry over | The Toolbox spam controls are gone. Open the junk or spam settings in The Messaging Company webmail and adjust them there. A forward to another inbox can help while you sort it out. |
| Cannot find where to set up forwarding | The iiNet Toolbox that held forwarding is retired | Forwarding now lives in the webmail settings, not a separate panel. Sign in at webmail.themessagingco.com.au and look under the mail rules or filters. iiNet no longer manages this. |
Reader Reported Fixes
Replace the old host first. The most common iinet.net.au failure is an app still set to mail.iinet.net.au. Aim incoming at imap.themessagingco.com.au and outgoing at smtp.themessagingco.com.au, which fixes most iiNet issues.
Test the login in webmail first. Sign in at webmail.themessagingco.com.au with the iinet.net.au address and password. If webmail opens, the account is fine and the issue is the app settings or the app-specific password.
What Replaced the iiNet Toolbox #
The iiNet Toolbox was a control panel for your account. From it you could add a forwarding address, create or remove extra mailboxes and turn the spam filter on or off. When email moved to The Messaging Company, that panel was retired. There is no separate iiNet control panel anymore.
Most of that now happens inside The Messaging Company webmail. Forwarding and filter rules live in the webmail settings rather than a separate tool. Creating a brand new iinet.net.au address is no longer possible, since the domain is closed to new mailboxes. For anything the webmail cannot do, The Messaging Company is the contact, not iiNet.
Some people saw more spam right after the move, since the old iiNet filter settings did not carry across. Check the junk or spam controls in the webmail and set them the way you want. One more thing to know is the automatic address in the form yourname_nbn@iinet.net.au. iiNet created it for billing, so if you never used it for real mail there is nothing to move.
| Old Toolbox job | Where it is now |
|---|---|
| Add a forwarding address | Webmail settings, forwarding or filter rules |
| Turn spam filtering on or off | Webmail junk or spam settings |
| Create a new mailbox | No longer possible, the domain is closed |
| Delete an address | Handled by The Messaging Company |
| The old control panel | Retired, use the webmail instead |
| The name_nbn address | An iiNet billing address, move it only if you used it |
Moving Mail In or Out?#
An iinet.net.au mailbox speaks plain IMAP, so it 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.themessagingco.com.au with the iinet.net.au address and app-specific 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 a complete iinet.net.au 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 a plain IMAP account from the source list. The Messaging Company is rarely listed by name.
- Give the complete email address with your mailbox password. The login name is always the whole email address.
- When the backup tool asks for server details on an iinet.net.au mailbox, give it imap.themessagingco.com.au 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 iinet.net.au mailbox to PST, MBOX, EML or PDF before switching or closing the account.
Email Backup Tool →
Email Migration Tool
Copy every folder 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
The protocol for sending mail. For iinet.net.au the outgoing host is smtp.themessagingco.com.au on port 465 with SSL. Port 587 with STARTTLS also works. Sign in with the full address and app-specific password.
SSL and STARTTLS
The encryption on these servers. Incoming runs over SSL on 993 or 995. Outgoing runs over SSL on 465 or STARTTLS on 587.
App-Specific Password
A dedicated password for each mail app, created inside webmail.themessagingco.com.au. It is not your webmail login. Most iinet.net.au setups need one after the move.
imap.themessagingco.com.au
The incoming server for an iinet.net.au mailbox, on 993 over SSL. It replaced the old mail.iinet.net.au host.
smtp.themessagingco.com.au
The outgoing server for an iinet.net.au mailbox, on 465 with SSL or 587 with STARTTLS. Authentication is on with the full address.
mail.iinet.net.au
The old iiNet mail host, now retired. Apps set up years ago still point at it and fail. Move them to imap and smtp.themessagingco.com.au.
The Messaging Company
The Australian email host that took over iinet.net.au mailboxes after iiNet left the email business. It runs the themessagingco.com.au servers.
The Migration
iiNet stopped providing email and moved iinet.net.au mailboxes to The Messaging Company. The address stayed the same, while the servers changed.
webmail.themessagingco.com.au
The browser inbox for an iinet.net.au address. Sign in with the address and password. Create an app-specific password here as well.
pop.themessagingco.com.au
The POP incoming server for iinet.net.au, on 995 over SSL. IMAP is the better choice, since POP can pull mail off the server.
iiNet Toolbox
The old iiNet control panel for email. It handled forwarding, spam and extra addresses before it was retired when email moved to The Messaging Company.
Mail Forwarding
A rule that sends a copy of incoming mail to another address. On iiNet this lived in the Toolbox, but now it sits in the webmail settings.
The name_nbn Address
An address like yourname_nbn@iinet.net.au that iiNet made for billing. It is not a real mailbox for most people, so it usually needs no transfer.
How We Verify These Settings#
Univik builds email backup, migration and converter software since 2013. Our tools sign in to The Messaging Company 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 Messaging Company 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 The Messaging Company 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 iinet.net.au mail, the incoming server is imap.themessagingco.com.au at port 993 under SSL. A POP setup instead points at pop.themessagingco.com.au on 995. Outgoing runs through smtp.themessagingco.com.au on port 465 with SSL. Sign in with the full address and an app-specific password.
iiNet stopped running email and moved iinet.net.au mailboxes to The Messaging Company. The old mail.iinet.net.au host is retired, so an app pointed at it fails. Set incoming to imap.themessagingco.com.au and outgoing to smtp.themessagingco.com.au, then unlock it with an app-specific password.
Yes. The address stays the same. Only the servers changed. To keep it, you sign up with The Messaging Company as your email host. iiNet covered the cost until 15 September 2024, after which billing is between you and The Messaging Company.
The iiNet Toolbox that managed your email was retired with the move. Everyday tasks like changing your password now happen in The Messaging Company webmail. You cannot create new iinet.net.au addresses anymore, since the domain is closed to new mailboxes.
Mail apps usually need an app-specific password, not your webmail login. Log in at webmail.themessagingco.com.au, generate an app-specific password, then drop it into the app. This trips up most people after the move.
IMAP on imap.themessagingco.com.au leaves mail on the server, so every iiNet device shows the same inbox. POP on pop.themessagingco.com.au drags mail down to one device and can wipe the server copy. The Messaging Company recommends IMAP.
Aim a backup tool at imap.themessagingco.com.au on 993 with SSL, signing in with the full iinet.net.au address and an app-specific password. Let it copy every folder. The backup section walks through it. It keeps a local archive without removing mail from the server.
No. New iinet.net.au addresses ended on 6 June 2023, so the service is for existing accounts only. An existing address keeps working with the settings above. For a new address, most people move to Gmail or Outlook.
Bring the iinet.net.au address into Gmail as an IMAP source on imap.themessagingco.com.au at 993. A migration tool that copies folder by folder works too. Both keep the mail on the server until the copy finishes.
The Toolbox is gone, so those jobs moved to The Messaging Company webmail. Forwarding and spam rules live in the webmail settings now. You cannot create new iinet.net.au addresses anymore, since the domain is closed. For anything the webmail does not cover, contact The Messaging Company rather than iiNet. The section above lays out where each Toolbox job went.
Other Email Provider Settings
Summary: iinet.net.au Settings at a Glance
- IMAP: imap.themessagingco.com.au, port 993, SSL
- POP: pop.themessagingco.com.au, port 995, SSL
- SMTP: smtp.themessagingco.com.au, port 465, SSL
- Username is always your full email address
- Migrated iinet.net.au mailbox on your own server
- Pick IMAP for phone + computer sync
- Full address as the username
- Username is always the full email address