Intermedia Email Settings: IMAP, SMTP and Your Exchange Server

Quick answer: Intermedia gives each account its own Exchange proxy host on serverdata.net, so a fixed address like mail021.exch021.serverdata.net is only an example. Read yours from HostPilot or My Services. It answers IMAP on 993 SSL, POP on 995 SSL and SMTP on 587 STARTTLS. Sign in with your full email address and your mailbox password. Turn on POP or IMAP and SMTP first, since both are off by default.

Every setting on this page is verified with live IMAP and SMTP connections from Univik email software. We build email backup and converter tools since 2013, so we test against these servers every day. See what changed →

Intermedia is hosted Exchange, so your server is a per account host on serverdata.net. One host answers IMAP, POP and SMTP.

What Changed Recently#

Intermedia works differently from a plain webmail provider, since it hosts Exchange. Read these points before wiring up a client.

Latest update

Your server is your Exchange proxy host. Intermedia gives each account a numbered host on serverdata.net, such as mail021.exch021.serverdata.net. There is no shared address, so read yours from HostPilot or My Services.

Earlier change

POP, IMAP and SMTP start switched off. An Exchange mailbox ships with these protocols disabled. An admin turns them on in HostPilot before any client can connect.

Earlier change

One host, sign in with your mailbox password. The same host answers incoming and outgoing. Use your full email address and your normal mailbox password, over SSL for IMAP and STARTTLS for SMTP.

Current status: IMAP on 993 SSL, POP on 995 SSL and SMTP on 587 STARTTLS all work once the protocols are enabled and you use your Exchange proxy host. SSLv2 and SSLv3 are refused.

Before you start: the server is per account and the protocols begin switched off. You sign in with the plain mailbox password.

Before You Begin#

Settle these two first. Skip either and the client fails even with the right host and ports.

1. Enable POP or IMAP and SMTP

An Exchange mailbox has these off by default. Both incoming and SMTP must be ticked. Otherwise the client is refused.

Where: HostPilot steps below →

2. Read your Exchange proxy host

There is no shared Intermedia server. Your host carries your cluster numbers, so guessing gives a connection error.

Where: Find your server below →

About Intermedia#

Intermedia is a US business cloud communications company that has offered hosted Microsoft Exchange email for decades, alongside voice and collaboration in its Unite platform.

Because Intermedia runs full Microsoft Exchange rather than a plain mail server, most people connect through Exchange itself, with Outlook autodiscover or ActiveSync on a phone. Manual IMAP, POP and SMTP are offered too. That is what this page covers. The wrinkle is that Intermedia assigns each account its own Exchange proxy host on serverdata.net, managed through the HostPilot control panel. So the server you type is specific to your mailbox, not a single Intermedia address. Mailboxes come in three flavours: full Exchange, POP or IMAP, plus OWA only.

Service	Intermedia Hosted Exchange
Platform	Microsoft Exchange Subscription Edition
Control Panel	HostPilot for admins, My Services for users
Server Host	Your Exchange proxy host on serverdata.net
Webmail	Outlook Web Access (OWA)
Protocols Supported	Exchange, IMAP, POP, SMTP, ActiveSync
Password	Your mailbox password, no app password
Enable First	POP or IMAP and SMTP, off by default

Exchange first, IMAP as a fallback: if you use Outlook on a work computer, the Exchange or autodiscover setup gives you mail, calendar and contacts together. Reach for the IMAP route on this page when a client cannot do Exchange. It also suits a lightweight mail only connection.

Intermedia runs full Microsoft Exchange. A mailbox comes in three types: Exchange, POP or IMAP, plus OWA only. HostPilot manages them all.

Intermedia Webmail Login#

You can always read your mail in a browser. The official sign in pages are:

Webmail

exchange.intermedia.net

Account Security

hostpilot.intermedia.net

Password Recovery

support.intermedia.com

Watch out for fake support pages. Many pages ranking for email settings show a phone number and ask you to call for "expert setup help". Intermedia and Univik never ask you to call a number to enter server settings. Everything you need is free on this page.

Find Your Intermedia Server#

Because Intermedia hosts Exchange, your mailbox lives on a numbered cluster. Its address is your Exchange proxy host. It looks like mail021.exch021.serverdata.net, where the numbers are yours. Three ways to read it:

My Services, for mailbox owners. Sign in with your mailbox login, open the Email section, then Configure Email. The server appears under the POP or IMAP details.
HostPilot, for account admins. The Intermedia control panel lists it under Home, then Exchange servers and settings. Admins also find it under Services, then Mailboxes, then Resources.
The OWA address. Sign in to Intermedia webmail. The part of the URL after https and before the next slash is often your Exchange proxy host too.
Incoming equals outgoing. The same host answers IMAP, POP and SMTP, so you type one address in both fields. Only the port changes.

There is no single Intermedia hostname. A guide that prints one fixed server is guessing. Your host carries your cluster numbers, so read it from HostPilot or My Services rather than copying a generic one.

Read your Exchange proxy host from My Services, HostPilot or the OWA webmail URL.

Intermedia IMAP Settings#

IMAP is the incoming choice Intermedia recommends over POP. Mail stays on the Exchange server, so every device shows one inbox. The server below is an example. Read your real host from HostPilot or My Services.

IMAP Server	Your Exchange proxy host, example `mail021.exch021.serverdata.net`
Port	`993` with SSL
Encryption	SSL or TLS, required
Username	Your full email address, including `@yourdomain.com`
Password	Your Intermedia mailbox password
Authentication	Required

Intermedia POP3 Settings#

POP downloads mail to one machine. Intermedia calls it outdated and steers users to IMAP. Choose it only for a single local copy. The comparison weighs both.

POP Server	Your Exchange proxy host, example `mail021.exch021.serverdata.net`
Port	`995` with SSL
Encryption	SSL or TLS, required
Username	Your full email address
Password	Your Intermedia mailbox password

Careful with POP3 delete settings. Some clients remove mail from the server after download. Check "leave a copy on the server" if you still want mail in webmail.

Intermedia SMTP Settings#

Encryption is enforced: Intermedia requires strong encryption and has retired SSLv2 and SSLv3. Use SSL on 993 for IMAP and 995 for POP, then STARTTLS on 587 for SMTP. Tick the outgoing server requires authentication box in your client, since Intermedia rejects unauthenticated sending.

SMTP handles outgoing mail. If you can read mail but not send it, the problem is here.

SMTP Server	Same as incoming, your Exchange proxy host
Port (STARTTLS)	`587` recommended
Port (SSL)	`465` alternative
Encryption	STARTTLS on 587, authentication on
Username	Your full email address
Password	Same as incoming mail
Authentication	Required. Check "My outgoing server requires authentication" in Outlook.

Check Intermedia IMAP Settings Online#

You don't need to download anything to check Intermedia IMAP settings online. This page is the lookup: every value is verified, current and copyable straight from your browser. Not sure your address uses Intermedia servers? Type it below and find out instantly.

Does my email address use these settings?

Runs in your browser only. Your address is never sent anywhere or stored.

Want to test the mailbox before setting up a client? Sign in to Outlook Web Access, the Intermedia webmail. That proves your address and password. The OWA URL often reveals your Exchange proxy host too. With that host and IMAP and SMTP enabled, any client connects.

Look Up IMAP Settings for Any Email Domain#

This page covers Intermedia. 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

Check IMAP settings online →

Enter any email address and get the incoming and outgoing server settings for that domain in 1 step:

Incoming server: hostname, port, SSL/TLS and username format

Outgoing server: SMTP hostname, port and encryption

Your address is used only to find the settings for that domain. Nothing is stored or shared.

Turn On IMAP and SMTP#

An Intermedia Exchange mailbox ships with POP, IMAP and SMTP switched off. Correct server values still fail until these are on. An account admin flips them in HostPilot:

Sign in to HostPilot as an account administrator.
Open Services, then Mailboxes, then click the user Display Name.
Open Advanced Settings and tick the POP3 or IMAP4 box for incoming mail.
Tick the SMTP box as well, since outgoing mail needs it and it is separate.
Save changes. The mailbox now accepts IMAP, POP and SMTP from a mail client.

Not an admin? A mailbox owner cannot flip these. Ask whoever manages your Intermedia account to enable POP or IMAP and SMTP on your mailbox. Until they do, a client returns a login or connection error even with every value correct.

Set Up Intermedia in Email Clients#

The ports and login are the same in each app. The server is your Exchange proxy host from HostPilot or My Services. Enable IMAP and SMTP first. Jump to yours:

Outlook Apple Mail iPhone and iPad Android Thunderbird

Two ways to connect, with Exchange usually the better one. Because Intermedia runs Exchange, most clients can join through Exchange itself using autodiscover, which pulls your mail, calendar and contacts together over MAPI on a computer or ActiveSync on a phone. That path needs no manual server. The IMAP steps below are the fallback for an app that cannot do Exchange or a plain mail only setup. If a mail app offers Connect Exchange when you want IMAP, look for a change account provider option and switch it to IMAP.

Outlook (Windows and Mac)

Open Outlook and go to File, then Add Account. The new Outlook keeps this under Settings, then Accounts.
Type your address. Open Advanced options and tick let me set up my account manually. Pick IMAP, not Exchange, for this route.
Enter your Exchange proxy host on 993 SSL for incoming and the same host on 587 STARTTLS for outgoing.
Use your full address with the mailbox password. Tick that the outgoing server requires authentication.
Finish and send a test email to yourself to confirm both directions work.

Apple Mail (macOS)

Open Mail → Settings → Accounts → Add Account.
Intermedia is not a preset, so choose Other Mail Account.
Give your name, full address and mailbox password, then continue.
If asked for servers, enter the IMAP and SMTP values from the tables above.
Enable Mail in the checkbox list and finish.

iPhone and iPad

Open Settings → Apps → Mail → Mail Accounts → Add Account.
Tap Other, then Add Mail Account. For full calendar and contacts, an Exchange or ActiveSync account is the richer choice.
Type your address and mailbox password, then tap Next.
Keep IMAP selected and enter your Exchange proxy host for both incoming and outgoing when iOS asks.
Tap Save and wait for iOS to verify the account.

Android

Open your mail app (Gmail app, Samsung Email or another) → Add account.
Choose IMAP when the app offers a choice. If it shows Connect Exchange, switch the account provider to IMAP.
Enter the full address with your mailbox password. If detection misses, pick Manual setup.
Enter the servers: your Exchange proxy host on 993 SSL incoming, the same host on 587 STARTTLS outgoing.
Finish setup and pull down to sync your inbox.

Thunderbird

Open Thunderbird → Account Settings → Account Actions → Add Mail Account.
Type your name, address and mailbox password, then choose Continue.
Let Thunderbird test the host, then confirm it chose IMAP over SSL. It rarely finds Intermedia, so expect to enter the host by hand.
If detection fails, choose Configure manually and enter the table values above.
Select Done. Folders sync on first open.

The same four values set up any client. Turn on POP or IMAP and SMTP in HostPilot first.

Full Exchange sets itself up from your address and brings mail, calendar and contacts. Manual IMAP is the mail only fallback where you enter your Exchange proxy host by hand.

Intermedia Webmail Settings#

Those values wire up a client. The options here decide how the mailbox behaves. You set them in Outlook Web Access under Settings. HostPilot holds the account wide rules.

Signature

Set under Settings then Mail in Outlook Web Access. A signature saved there shows on mail sent from webmail. Each client keeps its own, so which one appears depends on where the message left from.

Vacation Auto Reply

Under Settings then Automatic replies in OWA you set a start and a finish time. The reply then switches off by itself. Exchange runs it on the server, so it answers while your devices are off.

Filters and Folders

An Inbox rule set in OWA under Settings then Rules runs on the Exchange server, sorting mail before any device pulls it. A rule built inside Outlook only runs while Outlook is open, so two apps can file one message differently.

Spam and Blocked Senders

Intermedia filters spam at the account level through its Email Protection service, managed in HostPilot. In OWA you can still add blocked senders. Flagged mail lands in Junk Email.

POP3 vs IMAP#

Feature	IMAP	POP3
Where mail lives	On the Exchange 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

Our verdict: Intermedia recommends IMAP over POP. It keeps every device in sync. If you use Outlook on a work computer, full Exchange gives mail, calendar and contacts together. For a lasting offline copy, a backup tool beats POP.

Intermedia recommends IMAP and calls POP outdated. IMAP keeps every device in sync.

Intermedia Settings Worth Knowing#

These are the connection points that decide an Intermedia client setup:

Server host	Your Exchange proxy host on serverdata.net
Find it	HostPilot or My Services, Configure Email
IMAP	993 with SSL
POP	995 with SSL
SMTP	587 with STARTTLS, authentication on
Enable first	POP or IMAP and SMTP in HostPilot

Troubleshooting Intermedia Connections#

Find the exact error your email app shows, then apply the fix:

Error you see	What it means	Fix
Login rejected, correct password	POP or IMAP is still off on the mailbox	An Exchange mailbox has these off by default. An admin ticks POP3 or IMAP4 in HostPilot.
Cannot find the mail server	A guessed host, not your Exchange proxy host	There is no shared Intermedia server. Read your Exchange proxy host from HostPilot or My Services.
Cannot connect to server	Wrong port or encryption	Confirm IMAP 993 SSL and SMTP 587 STARTTLS. A firewall or VPN can block them. Some ISPs block port 25, so prefer 587.
Password keeps being asked	Username is not the full address	Intermedia authenticates on the complete address. Type you@yourdomain.com in full, never only the name ahead of the at sign.
Correct password rejected in Outlook	A special character in the mailbox password	Intermedia notes that a Unicode character in the password (such as a, o or a currency sign with accents) can break IMAP sign in. Reset the mailbox password using plain letters and numbers.
Messages stuck in Outbox	SMTP authentication is off	Enable "outgoing server requires authentication" with the same login as incoming mail.

Reader Reported Fixes

The login was refused with the right password. IMAP had never been turned on for the mailbox. Once an admin ticked IMAP4 in HostPilot Advanced Settings, the client connected on the first try.

Mail arrived but would not send. SMTP was off and the outgoing server had no authentication. Enabling SMTP in HostPilot, then ticking outgoing server requires authentication in the client, fixed sending at once.

Most Intermedia failures trace to a protocol left off, a guessed host or SMTP authentication. Check those three.

Keeping a Copy of Your Intermedia Mail#

An Intermedia mailbox lives on Exchange servers your provider controls. If you leave Intermedia or change plans, the mail can go with you, but only if you took a copy first. A local backup is the safeguard.

Because it runs Exchange, Intermedia also supports server side migration between mailboxes. For your own archive, a backup over IMAP is the simplest route.

Planning to leave or change plans? Back up the mailbox first. A hosted mailbox can be closed once a subscription ends, with no recovery afterward.

Taking your mail to a new account? The Univik Email Migration Tool copies every folder from the old account to the new one. Enter your Exchange proxy host and IMAP settings for the Intermedia side and your new provider's settings for the other.

Rather not do it yourself? Our Email Migration Services team plans and runs the whole transfer for you and verifies every folder arrived.

Use These Settings in Univik Email Backup#

The same IMAP host and login let you download your whole Intermedia mailbox to your computer. Univik Email Backup saves everything as PST, MBOX, EML or PDF files you keep for good, even if the account closes.

Download Univik Email Backup and install it on Windows.
Choose IMAP from the source list. Intermedia rarely appears by name. IMAP is the right pick.
Enter your full email address with the mailbox password. Confirm IMAP is enabled on the mailbox first.
If the tool asks for server details, use your Exchange proxy host on port 993 with SSL from HostPilot or My Services.
Pick a saving format and folder, then start the backup. Large mailboxes download in the background.

Why back up before switching providers: POP3 only grabs the inbox and vacation replies to a closed account bounce. A full IMAP backup keeps every folder, attachment and date stamp in files any email app can open later. Moving to a new account instead of archiving? Use the email migration tool to copy mail directly between accounts.

Univik Email Backup pulls your Intermedia mailbox over IMAP into portable files that outlast any plan change.

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).

Exchange proxy host

Your mailbox server on serverdata.net, such as mail021.exch021.serverdata.net. The numbers are your cluster. It answers IMAP, POP and SMTP.

HostPilot and My Services

HostPilot is the Intermedia admin control panel. My Services is the mailbox owner portal. Both show your server and the protocol switches.

MAPI and ActiveSync

The full Exchange protocols. MAPI gives Outlook mail, calendar and contacts on a computer. ActiveSync does the same on a phone. Both go beyond what IMAP carries.

Autodiscover

The Exchange feature that sets up a client from your address alone. When published for your domain, a client finds your serverdata.net server without you typing a host.

OWA

Outlook Web Access, the Intermedia webmail. Its URL, the part after https and before the next slash, often matches your Exchange proxy host.

How We Verify These Settings#

Univik builds email backup, migration and converter software since 2013. Our tools sign in to Intermedia 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 against Intermedia Exchange mailboxes, a comparison with the Intermedia support documentation, then a HostPilot review that confirms the protocol switches and the Exchange proxy host. We re verify after any Intermedia change and at least once a quarter.

Found something that no longer matches what Intermedia 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

Your incoming host is your Exchange proxy host on serverdata.net, on port 993 with SSL. The example mail021.exch021.serverdata.net shows the shape, but yours carries your own cluster numbers. Read it from HostPilot or My Services, then sign in using your mailbox password.

The usual cause is that POP or IMAP is still off on your Exchange mailbox. Both start disabled. An account admin ticks POP3 or IMAP4 in HostPilot Advanced Settings. The same login then works in the client.

IMAP, which Intermedia itself recommends over POP. It keeps your phone, computer and webmail in sync. POP suits the narrow case of one computer holding the only copy. Full comparison here.

Yes. Once you have your Exchange proxy host, the ports and encryption are the same on every device. Only the menus differ, which is what the client setup guides cover.

Mailbox owners open My Services, then the Email section, then Configure Email. Account admins open HostPilot under Home, then Exchange servers and settings. The OWA webmail URL, the part after https and before the next slash, is often the same host.

Full Exchange, through Outlook autodiscover or ActiveSync, brings mail, calendar and contacts together and is the richest option on a work computer. The IMAP route on this page is the fallback for a client that cannot do Exchange or a mail only setup. Both are safe over SSL.

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 Intermedia mailbox. If you already exported files in another format, an email converter changes them to PST, PDF or whatever your new app opens.

Two usual causes. An admin may have turned POP or IMAP off on the mailbox, so the protocol stops answering. Or an ISP began blocking a port such as 25, which stalls sending. Re-enable the protocol in HostPilot and move SMTP to 587.

An email migration tool copies mail directly between the 2 accounts over IMAP. You need your Exchange proxy host and IMAP settings with IMAP enabled for this side, plus the same details for the destination account. Every folder, label and date stays 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.

Other Email Provider Settings

Gmail Settings Outlook.com Settings Yahoo Mail Settings AOL Mail Settings iCloud Mail Settings Comcast Settings

Summary: Intermedia Settings at a Glance

IMAP: mail021.exch021.serverdata.net, port 993, SSL/TLS
POP3: mail021.exch021.serverdata.net, port 995, SSL/TLS
SMTP: mail021.exch021.serverdata.net, port 465 or 587
Username is always your full email address

Server is your Exchange proxy host on serverdata.net
Pick IMAP for phone + computer sync
Turn on POP or IMAP and SMTP first
Username is always the full email address