Help Centre
POP
Outlook Express
Windows Mail
Thunderbird 2.0
General POP issues
- All sent messages download
- Cannot download any messages via POP (using any email program, e.g. Outlook Express) - are you being asked for your username and password repeatedly?
- Excessive usage lockout
- Other general POP issues
Access Choices : POP
Outlook Express - Getting Started
To set up your Outlook Express client to work with Virgin Media Mail :
- Enable POP in your Virgin Media Mail account. Please note that Virgin Media enables POP by default, so you don't need to go through this step unless you previously disabled POP on your account. Don't forget to click Save Changes when you're done.
- Open Outlook or Outlook Express.
- Click the Tools menu, and select Accounts...
- Click Add, and then click Mail...
- Enter your name in the Display name: field, and click Next.
- Enter your full Virgin Media Mail email address (username@ntlworld.com, username@blueyonder.co.uk, username@virgin.net or username@virginmedia.com, depending on your email address) in the Email address: field, and click Next.
- Enter pop3.ntlworld.com, pop3.blueyonder.co.uk, pop.virgin.net or pop3.virginmedia.com, depending on your email address in the Incoming mail (POP3, IMAP or HTTP) server: field. Enter smtp.ntlworld.com, smtp.blueyonder.co.uk, smtp.virgin.net or smtp.virginmedia.com, depending on your email address in the Outgoing mail (SMTP) server: field.
- Click Next.
- Enter your Virgin Media Mail username (including '@ntlworld.com', '@blueyonder.co.uk', '@virgin.net' or '@virginmedia.com', depending on your email address) in the Account name: field. Enter your Virgin Media Mail password in the Password: field, and click Next.
- Click Finish.
- Highlight pop3.ntlworld.com, pop3.blueyonder.co.uk, pop.virgin.net or pop3.virginmedia.com, depending on your email address under Account, and click Properties.
- Click the Advanced tab.
- Fill in the following information:*
- Check the box next to This server requires a secure connection (SSL) under Outgoing Mail (SMTP).
- Enter 465 in the Outgoing mail (SMTP): field.
- Under Outgoing Mail (SMTP), check the box next to This server requires a secure connection (SSL).
- Under Incoming mail (POP3), check the box next to This server requires a secure connection (SSL). The port will change to 995.
*The order of Outgoing and Incoming mail server fields varies by version. Make sure you enter the correct information in each field.
- Return to the Servers tab, and check the box next to My server requires authentication.
- Click OK.
Congratulations! You're done configuring your client to send and retrieve Virgin Media Mail messages.
If you experience problems using POP with Outlook Express, please check the Common Errors or Troubleshooting sections.
Verify Settings - Common Errors - Troubleshooting - Other Issues
Outlook Express - Verify Settings
If POP isn't working properly for you, please ensure that your settings are identical to those listed below. Even small differences may prevent Virgin Media Mail's POP service from functioning properly.
E-Mail Accounts tab
| Your Name: | (optional) |
| E-mail address: | (your Virgin Media Mail address, including @ntlworld.com, @blueyonder.co.uk, @virgin.net or @virginmedia.com) |
| User Name: | (your Virgin Media Mail address, including @ntlworld.com, @blueyonder.co.uk, @virgin.net or @virginmedia.com) |
| Password: | (your Virgin Media Mail password) |
| Remember password: | (optional) |
| Log on using Secure Password Authentication: | disabled |
| Incoming mail server (POP3): | pop3.ntlworld.com, pop3.blueyonder.co.uk, pop.virgin.net or pop3.virginmedia.com depending on your email address |
| Outgoing mail server (SMTP): | smtp.ntlworld.com, smtp.blueyonder.co.uk, smtp.virgin.net or smtp.virginmedia.com depending on your email address |
Outgoing Server tab
| My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication: | enabled |
| Use same settings as my incoming mail server: | enabled |
Advanced tab
| Incoming server (POP3): | 995 |
| This server requires a secure connection (SSL) | enabled |
| Outgoing server (SMTP): | 465 or 25 |
| This server requires a secure connection (SSL) | enabled |
| Server Timeouts | (Greater than 1 minute, we recommend 5) |
| Leave a copy of messages on the server | disabled |
Getting Started - Common Errors - Troubleshooting - Other Issues
Outlook Express - Common Errors
There are no other common errors for Outlook Express POP access at present.
Getting Started - Verify Settings - Troubleshooting - Other Issues
Outlook Express - Troubleshooting
TroubleShooting
Getting Started - Verify Settings - Common Errors - Other Issues
Outlook Express - Other Issues
There are no other known issues for Outlook Express POP access at present, but check out our other general POP issues section for issues not specific to Outlook Express.
Getting Started - Verify Settings - Common Errors - Troubleshooting
Windows Mail - Getting started
To configure Windows Mail for your Virgin Media Mail account:
- Enable POP in your Virgin Media Mail account. Please note that Virgin Media enables POP by default, so you don't need to go through this step unless you previously disabled POP on your account. Don't forget to click Save Changes when you're done.
- Open Windows Mail.
- Click the Tools menu, and select Accounts...
- Click Add...
- Select Email Account, and click Next.
- Enter your name as you would like it to appear in the 'From:' field of outgoing messages, and click Next.
- Enter your full Virgin Media Mail email address (username@ntlworld.com, username@blueyonder.co.uk, username@virgin.net or username@virginmedia.com, depending on your email address).
- Fill in all necessary fields to include the following information:
- Incoming mail server type: POP3
- Incoming mail (POP3 or IMAP) server: pop3.ntlworld.com, pop3.blueyonder.co.uk, pop.virgin.net or pop3.virginmedia.com, depending on your email address
- Outgoing e-mail server (SMTP) name: smtp.ntlworld.com, smtp.blueyonder.co.uk, smtp.virgin.net or smtp.virginmedia.com, depending on your email address
- Outgoing server requires authentication: enabled
- Click Next, and enter your full Virgin Media Mail address (including '@ntlworld.com', '@blueyonder.co.uk', '@virgin.net' or '@virginmedia.com', depending on your email address) and your Virgin Media Mail password.
- Click Next, and then check the box next to Do not download my e-mail at this time. Click Finish.
- On the Internet Accounts screen, make sure that your pop3.ntlworld.com, pop3.blueyonder.co.uk, pop.virgin.net or pop3.virginmedia.com, depending on your email address mail account is selected, and click the Properties button.
- On the Advanced tab, enter 465 in the in the box next to Outgoing mail (SMTP), and check the box next to This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL).
- Check the box next to This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL) under Incoming mail (POP3). The box next to Incoming mail (POP3) should automatically update to 995.
- Click OK. You're done! Close the Internet Accounts window and click Send/Receive to start checking your Virgin Media Mail account.
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If you experience problems using POP with Windows Mail, please check the Common Errors or Troubleshooting sections.
Verify Settings - Common Errors - Troubleshooting - Other Issues
Windows Mail - Verify Settings
If POP isn't working properly for you, please ensure that your settings are identical to those listed below. Even small differences may prevent Virgin Media Mail's POP service from functioning properly.
Servers tab
| Incoming mail server (POP3): | pop3.ntlworld.com, pop3.blueyonder.co.uk, pop.virgin.net or pop3.virginmedia.com depending on your email address |
| Outgoing mail server (SMTP): | smtp.ntlworld.com, smtp.blueyonder.co.uk, smtp.virgin.net or smtp.virginmedia.com depending on your email address |
| E-mail username: | (your Virgin Media Mail address, including @ntlworld.com, @blueyonder.co.uk, @virgin.net or @virginmedia.com) |
| Password: | (your Virgin Media Mail password) |
| Remember password: | (optional) |
| Require logon using SPA: | disabled |
| My server requires authentication: | enabled |
Servers tab - Outgoing Mail Server: Settings
| Use same settings as my incoming mail server: | selected |
Advanced tab
| Outgoing server (SMTP): | 465 |
| This server requires a secure connection (SSL) | enabled |
| Incoming server (POP3): | 995 |
| This server requires a secure connection (SSL) | enabled |
| Server Timeouts | (Greater than 1 minute, we recommend 5) |
| Leave a copy of messages on the server | disabled |
Getting Started - Common Errors - Troubleshooting - Other Issues
Windows Mail - Common Errors
There are no other common errors for Windows Mail POP access at present, but check out our other general POP issues section for issues not specific to Windows Mail.
Getting Started - Verify Settings - Troubleshooting - Other Issues
Windows Mail - Troubleshooting
There are no other known troubleshooting issues for Windows Mail POP access at present, but check out our other general POP issues section for issues not specific to Windows Mail.
Getting Started - Verify Settings - Common Errors - Other Issues
Windows Mail - Other Issues
There are no other known issues at present. If you are still having problems, please try contacting our Technical Support team, and we will try to resolve your problem.
Getting Started - Verify Settings - Common Errors - Troubleshooting
Thunderbird 2.0 - Getting Started
To configure Thunderbird 2.0 for your Virgin Media Mail account:
- Enable POP in your Virgin Media Mail account. Please note that Virgin Media enables POP by default, so you don't need to go through this step unless you previously disabled POP on your account. Don't forget to click Save Changes when you're done.
- Open Thunderbird.
- Click the Tools menu, and select Account Settings...
- Click the Add Account... button to launch Account Wizard.
- Select Email Account, and click Next.
- Fill in the necessary fields to include the following information:
Your Name: Enter your name as you would like it to appear in the From: field of outgoing messages.
Email Address: Enter your email address
- Click next.
- On the Server information box, click on the "POP" button, enter the server name pop3.ntlworld.com, pop3.blueyonder.co.uk, pop.virgin.net or pop3.virginmedia.com, depending on your email address, and make sure the "Use Global Inbox" checkbox has a tick in it.
- Enter your username, e.g. richard.branson@virginmedia.com, and click Next.
- Enter the name you'd like to give this email account, e.g. Richard's Virgin Media account, and click Next.
- You will now see a Congratulations message. Check the details, and if you're happy everything is correct, click on Finish. If any details are incorrect, you can click on the Back button to go back and amend them.
- Now go back into Account Settings under the Tools menu, click on your Virgin Media account, click on Server Settings, and uncheck the box next to Leave messages on server. Also check that the Port number is set to 995, and that the SSL button is ticked under Security Settings.
- Click on Outgoing Server (SMTP).
- In the SMTP Server screen, in the Server Name box enter smtp.virginmedia.com, in the Port box enter 465, make sure the Use name and password box is ticked under Security and Authentication, check that your User Name is the same as your email address, tick the SSL button at the bottom, and finally click OK.
Congratulations! You're done configuring your client to send and retrieve Virgin Media Mail messages.
If you experience problems using POP with Thunderbird, please check the Common Errors or Troubleshooting sections.
Verify Settings - Common Errors - Troubleshooting - Other Issues
Thunderbird 2.0 - Verify Settings
If POP isn't working properly for you, please ensure that your settings are identical to those listed below. Even small differences may prevent Virgin Media Mail's POP service from functioning properly.
Servers tab
| Your Name: | (optional) |
| Email address: | (your Virgin Media Mail address, including @ntlworld.com, @blueyonder.co.uk, @virgin.net or @virginmedia.com) |
| User Name: | (your Virgin Media Mail address, including @ntlworld.com, @blueyonder.co.uk, @virgin.net or @virginmedia.com) |
| Password: | (your Virgin Media Mail password) |
| Remember password: | (optional) |
| Require logon using Secure Password Authentication: | disabled |
| Incoming mail server (POP3): | pop3.ntlworld.com, pop3.blueyonder.co.uk, pop.virgin.net or pop3.virginmedia.com depending on your email address |
| Outgoing mail server (SMTP): | smtp.ntlworld.com, smtp.blueyonder.co.uk, smtp.virgin.net or smtp.virginmedia.com depending on your email address |
Outgoing Server Tab
| My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication: | enabled |
| Use same settings as my incoming mail server: | enabled |
Advanced tab
| Incoming server (POP3): | 995 |
| This server requires a secure connection (SSL) | enabled |
| Outgoing server (SMTP): | 465 or 25 |
| This server requires a secure connection (SSL) | enabled |
| Server Timeouts | (Greater than 1 minute, we recommend 5) |
| Leave a copy of messages on the server | disabled |
Getting Started - Common Errors - Troubleshooting - Other Issues
Thunderbird 2.0 - Common errors
There are no other common errors for Windows Mail POP access at present, but check out our other general POP issues section for issues not specific to Windows Mail.
Getting Started - Verify Settings - Troubleshooting - Other Issues
Thunderbird 2.0 - Troubleshooting
There are no other known troubleshooting issues for Thunderbird 2.0 POP access at present, but check out our other general POP issues section for issues not specific to Thunderbird.
Getting Started - Verify Settings - Common Errors - Other Issues
Thunderbird 2.0 - Other Issues
There are no other known issues at present. If you are still having problems, please try contacting out Technical Support team, and we will try to resolve your problem.
Getting Started - Verify Settings - Common Errors - Troubleshooting
General POP Issues
Here are some common issues with our POP email service that are not specific to any email program like Outlook Express, Windows Mail or Thunderbird.
All sent messages download
When you enable POP, all messages are downloaded to your email program, Outlook Express for example, except for Spam, Bin, and Chats. If you don't want messages that you send from the web downloaded to your Outlook Express inbox, we suggest creating a filter within Outlook Express, Windows Mail or Thunderbird to delete these messages.
Cannot download any messages via POP (using any email program, e.g. Outlook Express) - are you being asked for your username and password repeatedly?
If you are repeatedly being asked for your username and password, or you see a "password rejected" message when you try to download your message, it may be because your account has a 'weak' password.
Try visiting our unlock screen and entering your username and password, along with the CAPTCHA characters (the distorted letters in the picture), and then allow an hour before you try to download your messages again. If this works, it may be advisable to visit My Virgin Media and change your password to one that's more secure in order to avoid this happening again in future. If you do change your password, you will also need to change it in any email programs you use, such as Outlook Express.
Excessive usage lockout
Lockouts are often caused when abnormal or excessive usage with POP access is detected in a very short period of time. This is often caused by users frequently downloading their entire accounts to Outlook Express, or using third-party software, not supported by Virgin Media, that automatically logs in to their account. Please note that these lockouts are temporary and you will be able to access your account again within 24 hours.
How do I download mail to multiple POP email programs?
To access your messages with multiple POP email programs, use recent mode in every client to make sure that all messages are made available, rather than only to the first client to access new mail. Recent mode fetches the last 30 days of mail, regardless of whether it's been sent to another POP client already.
To enable Recent mode, replace 'username@virginmedia.com' in the Username field of your POP client settings with 'recent:username@virginmedia.com' and ensure that the Leave messages on server option in your POP client is enabled.
Why can't I download messages I send from my POP client?
In order to avoid duplicates, Virgin Media Mail doesn't download copies of messages sent from within your email program. However, these messages will appear in the inbox of your web Virgin Media Mail account.
Why don't my POP settings stay saved?
After you enable POP access in your Virgin Media Mail account, you can verify the status in the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab, by clicking Settings at the top of any Virgin Media Mail page.
Although the radio button next to your selected option doesn't stay selected, the status is displayed next to POP Status:. When POP is enabled, your account displays POP Status: POP is enabled.
Why am I locked out of my Virgin Media Mail account after enabling POP?
To ensure that you aren't locked out of your Virgin Media Mail account while your messages are downloading to your email client, adjust your client's settings so it won't check for new messages too frequently. If you're locked out of your account, please wait one hour and then try logging in to Virgin Media Mail again.
