Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > comp.os.linux.networking > #4271

Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

Show all headers | View raw

On 19/12/2018 09.22, David Brown wrote:
> On 19/12/18 04:52, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>> On 18/12/2018 23.15, Paulo da Silva wrote:
>>> Hi!
>>>
>>> I successfully configured my thunderbird (TB) for gmail pop3 access.
>>> However I have a doubt.
>>>
>>> Authentication method has different choices (I am translating from PT -
>>> they may not exactly correspond to real English TB locale):
>>>
>>> Normal password
>>> Encrypted password
>>> Kerberos/GSSAPI
>>> NTLM
>>
>> Forget it.
>>
>> When using Thunderbird (with gmail) just tell the wizard your mail
>> address and lets the automatics figure out the rest. Actually
>> Thunderbird knows how to configure gmail (has a database) without you
>> telling it how, and uses the best known settings.
>>
> 
> Automatic configuration by Thunderbird is by far the best choice.
> 
> But you make it sound like it is done in a secret way, or by magic. 

Kind of :-)

> It
> is done by reading a URL from an address constructed from the email
> address - this returns a simple configuration file detailing the
> settings, server address, etc.  Many big email providers (and some small
> ones - we have it for our company email) have a webserver responding to
> this URL so that email can be configured "automagically" with
> Thunderbird.  The process is not particularly well documented and
> publicised, but it is not hidden and it works nicely.  Once you have
> used automatic setup for your email, you can easily look at the settings
> as normal.

Thanks, I didn't know this part.

> 
>> The result will be imap and oauth2.
>>
> 
> This is key - you use IMAP, not POP3.  I don't know if the OP
> understands the difference, but the vital point is that with IMAP, the
> messages and folder structure remain on the server so that all clients -
> Thunderbird on multiple machines, gmail, webmail, etc., - all see the
> same email.  With POP3 the emails are generally pulled off the server
> and deleted.

Well, with IMAP you can also do that, but differently. Simply copy email
from the INBOX to a local folder - can be an automatic filter in
Thunderbird. Me, I use "fetchmail" for the task, besides having
Thunderbird to read and reply directly on the server.

There is an advantage with imap on gmail, that with pop3 it is tricky to
keep track of what are new or old messages, because gmail doesn't delete
anything. Instead it keeps an index pointing to what you last retrieved,
but can be reset which makes the client to retrieve thousands of emails
again. Happened to me once, then I immediately switched to imap.

-- 
Cheers, Carlos.

Back to comp.os.linux.networking | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Paulo da Silva <p_s_d_a_s_i_l_v_a_ns@netcabo.pt> - 2018-12-18 22:15 +0000
  Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "J.O. Aho" <user@example.net> - 2018-12-18 23:20 +0100
    Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Paulo da Silva <p_s_d_a_s_i_l_v_a_ns@netcabo.pt> - 2018-12-19 17:47 +0000
  Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-18 15:44 -0700
  Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-19 04:52 +0100
    Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-12-19 09:22 +0100
      Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-19 12:10 +0100
    Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Paulo da Silva <p_s_d_a_s_i_l_v_a_ns@netcabo.pt> - 2018-12-19 17:58 +0000
      Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Bit Twister <BitTwister@mouse-potato.com> - 2018-12-19 12:35 -0600
      Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-19 22:47 +0100
      Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-19 16:52 -0700
        Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-20 04:23 +0100
          Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-19 20:34 -0700
  Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Paulo da Silva <p_s_d_a_s_i_l_v_a_ns@netcabo.pt> - 2018-12-19 18:05 +0000
    Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-19 22:51 +0100
  Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Paulo da Silva <p_s_d_a_s_i_l_v_a_ns@netcabo.pt> - 2018-12-20 16:49 +0000
    Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-20 19:20 +0100
    Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-20 21:28 -0700
      Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-21 09:58 +0100
        Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-21 10:16 -0700
          Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "J.O. Aho" <user@example.net> - 2018-12-21 19:17 +0100
            Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-21 12:14 -0700
              Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "J.O. Aho" <user@example.net> - 2018-12-22 08:55 +0100
                Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-22 16:17 -0700
                Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2018-12-22 23:28 -0500
                Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Robert Nichols <SEE_SIGNATURE@localhost.localdomain.invalid> - 2018-12-23 07:50 -0600
                Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Bit Twister <BitTwister@mouse-potato.com> - 2018-12-23 08:39 -0600
            Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-22 00:05 +0100
              Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> - 2018-12-21 18:28 -0700
                Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2018-12-22 04:24 +0100
              Re: Configuring thunderbird for gmail (others?) pop3 - security concerns "J.O. Aho" <user@example.net> - 2018-12-22 08:50 +0100

csiph-web