General Email FAQ

Can I create email addresses at my own domain?

Yes, we can help you create your own custom email addresses that present a professional image for your business. If you don’t currently own a domain name, or your domain is held on your behalf by another provider, we can help you secure your domain name and get the most out of it.

Can I keep my existing email address and messages?

Yes. Ion Agency can help with migration of your existing mailboxes to our system with little or no disruption to your business.

Do all of my employees need a separate mailbox or can we share?

While your employees may share a common mailbox, it isn’t recommended. Assigning all your users their own mailbox allows you to take full advantage of inter-office communication, maintain a personal connection with customers, vendors and partners. You may still have shared addresses and forwarding groups, such as info@, service@, office@, etc.

What is the difference between POP and IMAP?

POP and IMAP are mail protocols, in other words, the method of transmitting your mail from the mail server to your PC or device.

POP (Post Office Protocol) is the most established method of mail delivery, dating back to 1984. With POP, your mail is delivered to a mailbox on the mail server. Your PC or device queries the mail server and downloads your messages. By default, your messages are deleted from the mail server at this time. POP was developed during a time when always-on internet did not exist, and users needed to download their mail while dialed up, then disconnect and read the mail.

Since users typically have a number of devices accessing their mailbox nowadays, we need to carefully configure every device to leave messages on the server so other devices may access them. The end result is that you have separate copies of your mail on every device, and the server, which all have to be managed individually. Many characteristics of your mailbox depend on fine tuning the settings on every device, such as where mail folders will be created, which device is allowed to delete mail from your mailbox, and what to do when the mailbox on the server becomes full and mail delivery stops.

IMAP is a better choice for users who access mail on multiple devices and want to keep their mailbox in sync. With IMAP, your mailbox lives on the server, safe and secure, and your devices access and display your mailbox and all your folders. Any changes you make such as moving, filing or deleting messages are in full synchronization with all your devices-the mailbox you see on your PC will match the mailbox on your phone, tablet or web mail exactly.

This prevents a myriad of problems and inefficiencies that are intrinsic to POP, such as having to clean up mail on every device separately, mailboxes becoming full with no visible symptoms to the user, devices accidentally pulling and deleting all messages from the server due to configuration errors, and losing mail due to hardware failure. With IMAP, you can view your mail anytime, anywhere from any device or the web, and everything is fully in sync at all times.

All IonMessage mailboxes support POP and IMAP access, and you may switch methods at any time. It’s recommended that you use the same connection method on all your devices for a consistent experience.

More To Explore