Email Settings GuideQuick answer: A westnet.com.au address now reads from imap.themessagingco.com.au on 993. A POP mailbox uses pop.themessagingco.com.au on 995. Outgoing leaves through 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.westnet.com.au? Update it here. Leaving iiNet? Read this first.
What Changed Recently#
The iiNet group closed its own email system and moved Westnet mailboxes to The Messaging Company. Here is what changed for a westnet.com.au address and what your app needs now.
Worth knowing
Westnet no longer runs your email. Your westnet.com.au mailbox now lives on The Messaging Company. The address is the same, but the servers are new.
Worth knowing
The old mail.westnet.com.au host is gone. Apps set up years ago still point at it and fail. Shift westnet.com.au incoming to imap.themessagingco.com.au and sending to smtp.themessagingco.com.au.
Worth knowing
Your address needs an active iiNet service. Under the terms, the right to a westnet.com.au address can lapse if you leave iiNet. If you have paid The Messaging Company, keep that billing current.
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 westnet.com.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
A westnet.com.au inbox now reads on imap.themessagingco.com.au while sending runs through smtp.themessagingco.com.au. The retired mail.westnet.com.au name refuses every connection.
Where: Find your settings →
About Westnet Email#
Westnet is one of Australia largest internet providers. Westnet started in Western Australia and later joined the iiNet group, now under TPG Telecom. In 2023 the group closed its own email service and moved westnet.com.au mailboxes to The Messaging Company, an Australian email host. Your address stayed the same while the servers behind it changed.
Westnet announced it would stop providing email so it could focus on internet and mobile. New westnet.com.au addresses ended on 6 June 2023. Existing mailboxes were moved to The Messaging Company, where a westnet.com.au inbox is read on imap.themessagingco.com.au and posted through smtp.themessagingco.com.au. The westnet.com.au address itself is unchanged.
| Service Name | Westnet email on The Messaging Company |
| Address Domain | westnet.com.au |
| Email Run By | The Messaging Company |
| Incoming Host | imap.themessagingco.com.au |
| Outgoing Host | smtp.themessagingco.com.au |
| Email Type | westnet.com.au, such as you@westnet.com.au |
| Webmail | webmail.themessagingco.com.au |
| Old Host, Retired | mail.westnet.com.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 westnet.com.au mailbox is ready for IMAP. A westnet.com.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 westnet.com.au account.
- Incoming is now imap.themessagingco.com.au on 993 with SSL.
- Outgoing is now 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 westnet.com.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 westnet.com.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 westnet.com.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 westnet.com.au address.
Check Your westnet.com.au Settings Online#
You don't need to download anything to check where westnet.com.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 westnet.com.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 a westnet.com.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 westnet.com.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 westnet.com.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 a westnet.com.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 westnet.com.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 westnet.com.au account at
imap.themessagingco.com.auon 993 with SSL. - Outgoing server uses
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, westnet.com.au address and app-specific password, then continue.
- Put imap.themessagingco.com.au on the westnet.com.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 westnet.com.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 westnet.com.au inbox use imap.themessagingco.com.au on 993 over SSL.
- Outgoing, 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, westnet.com.au address and app-specific password, then Continue.
- Wait for detection, then make sure IMAP with SSL is picked.
- If detection fails on the westnet.com.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 a westnet.com.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 |
Westnet Email at a Glance#
Here are the values for a westnet.com.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 westnet.com.au address |
| Password | App-specific password from webmail |
| Old host, retired | mail.westnet.com.au |
Troubleshooting westnet.com.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 westnet.com.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 westnet.com.au outgoing server at smtp.themessagingco.com.au on 465 under SSL. Port 587 with STARTTLS steps in if 465 is blocked. |
| mail.westnet.com.au will not connect | Old host retired | Westnet shut down mail.westnet.com.au. Point westnet.com.au 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 westnet.com.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. |
| Email stopped after I changed internet providers | The address right is tied to an iiNet service | Under iiNet's terms the address can be withdrawn once you leave. If you still want it, arrange the move to The Messaging Company as a paying customer before you cancel. Contact The Messaging Company to check the account is active. |
| Not sure if my address survives leaving iiNet | The domain is owned by iiNet, not The Messaging Company | The mailbox is hosted by The Messaging Company, but the domain belongs to iiNet. Check your billing with The Messaging Company is current. For safety, forward mail to an address that does not depend on an internet provider. |
Reader Reported Fixes
Replace the old host first. The most common westnet.com.au failure is an app still set to mail.westnet.com.au. Direct incoming to imap.themessagingco.com.au and outgoing to smtp.themessagingco.com.au, which settles most westnet.com.au issues.
Test the login in webmail first. Sign in at webmail.themessagingco.com.au with the westnet.com.au address and password. If webmail opens, the account is fine and the issue is the app settings or the app-specific password.
Your Westnet Address and Your Internet Service #
It helps to know who owns what. The Messaging Company runs the mail servers, but the westnet.com.au domain itself belongs to iiNet and its parent group. So the right to use your address traces back to iiNet, not to The Messaging Company. That difference is the root of most confusion here.
Under iiNet's terms, iiNet can withdraw the right to your address once you stop being an iiNet or affiliate customer. That is why some people found their email broke soon after they switched internet providers. They assumed the mailbox was fully independent, then cancelling the old service disrupted it. If you plan to leave, sort the email out before you cancel rather than after.
Paying The Messaging Company after the free period keeps the mailbox hosted and running. It does not change who owns the domain, so the address still sits under iiNet's terms. For the long run, many advisers suggest an address that is not tied to any internet provider. You can point a free inbox at your westnet.com.au mail and move over slowly.
| Piece | Who holds it |
|---|---|
| Mail servers | Run by The Messaging Company |
| The westnet.com.au domain | Owned by iiNet and its parent group |
| Right to use the address | Granted by iiNet, under its terms |
| If you leave iiNet | iiNet can withdraw the address right |
| After 15 Sep 2024 | You pay The Messaging Company to keep it hosted |
| Safest long-term | An address not tied to any internet provider |
Moving Mail In or Out?#
A westnet.com.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 westnet.com.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 westnet.com.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 a westnet.com.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 westnet.com.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 westnet.com.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 standalone password for mail apps, set up in webmail.themessagingco.com.au. It is not your webmail login. Most westnet.com.au setups need one after the move.
imap.themessagingco.com.au
The incoming server for a westnet.com.au mailbox, on 993 over SSL. It replaced the old mail.westnet.com.au host.
smtp.themessagingco.com.au
The outgoing server for a westnet.com.au mailbox, on 465 with SSL or 587 with STARTTLS. Authentication is on with the full address.
mail.westnet.com.au
The old Westnet 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 westnet.com.au mailboxes after Westnet left the email business. It runs the themessagingco.com.au servers.
The Migration
Westnet stopped providing email and moved westnet.com.au mailboxes to The Messaging Company. The address stayed the same, while the servers changed.
webmail.themessagingco.com.au
The browser inbox for a westnet.com.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 westnet.com.au, on 995 over SSL. IMAP is the better choice, since POP can pull mail off the server.
Address Right
Permission to use an email address on a domain someone else owns. iiNet grants it for westnet.com.au and can withdraw it if you leave iiNet.
Domain Owner
The company that holds a domain name. For westnet.com.au that is iiNet and its parent group, not The Messaging Company.
ISP-Tied Email
An address that came with your internet service. It can lapse when you switch providers, which is why an independent inbox is safer for the long term.
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 westnet.com.au mail, the incoming server is imap.themessagingco.com.au at port 993 under SSL. For POP, use pop.themessagingco.com.au on 995. Outgoing goes through smtp.themessagingco.com.au on port 465 with SSL. Sign in with the full address and an app-specific password.
Westnet stopped running email and moved westnet.com.au mailboxes to The Messaging Company. The old mail.westnet.com.au host is retired, so an app pointed at it fails. Switch incoming to imap.themessagingco.com.au and outgoing to smtp.themessagingco.com.au, then sign in 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. Westnet covered the cost until 15 September 2024, after which billing is between you and The Messaging Company.
Keeping a westnet.com.au address has been tied to holding an iiNet service. If you move to The Messaging Company as a paying customer, your mailbox sits with them. Still, leaving iiNet without sorting that out has cut off email for some people, so arrange it before you cancel.
Mail apps usually need an app-specific password, not your webmail login. Open webmail.themessagingco.com.au, make an app-specific password, then copy it into the app. This trips up most people after the move.
IMAP on imap.themessagingco.com.au stores Westnet mail on the server, so a phone and a laptop stay aligned. POP on pop.themessagingco.com.au copies mail to one device and can take the server copy away. The Messaging Company recommends IMAP.
Run a backup tool against imap.themessagingco.com.au on 993 with SSL, signing in with the full westnet.com.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 westnet.com.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.
In Gmail, add westnet.com.au as an IMAP source pointing at imap.themessagingco.com.au on 993. A migration tool that copies folder by folder works too. Both keep the mail on the server until the copy finishes.
It is possible, since iiNet owns the westnet.com.au domain and its terms let it withdraw the address once you stop being a customer. The Messaging Company only hosts the mailbox, so paying them does not remove that condition. If you want to keep the address, sort out The Messaging Company billing before you cancel iiNet. It also helps to forward to an inbox that is not tied to any provider. The section above explains how the pieces fit.
Other Email Provider Settings
Summary: westnet.com.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 westnet.com.au mailbox on your own server
- Pick IMAP for phone + computer sync
- Full address as the username
- Username is always the full email address