IMAP won't connect at all
WOW! says IMAP has to be switched on for your account first. Turn it on, then add the account again.
WOW! Email: Settings, Sign-In & Fixes
WOW! (WideOpenWest) is unusual: its official settings say to leave SSL turned off. You also have to switch IMAP on for your account before a mail app can use it.
Covers @wowway.com. Run by WideOpenWest (WOW!). Checked against WOW!'s own help pages, November 2026.
WOW! email server settings
| Server | Address | Port | Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming (IMAP) | imap.mail.wowway.com | 143 | None (leave SSL off) |
| Incoming (POP) | pop3.mail.wowway.com | 110 | None (leave SSL off) |
| Outgoing (SMTP) | smtpauth.mail.wowway.com | 587 | None (leave SSL off); authentication required |
- Username: Your full WOW! email address
- Use IMAP if you read mail on more than one device; POP downloads mail to one device only.
Official page: WOW! email settings
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Common WOW! email problems
I can send at home but not on my phone or when I am away
Use smtpauth.mail.wowway.com, port 587, and tick "My server requires authentication" and "use same settings as incoming".
It fails when I turn SSL on
WOW!'s settings sheet says SSL and SPA should not be selected. Use ports 143 (IMAP), 110 (POP) and 587 (sending) with SSL off.
My app shows a security or certificate warning
Some newer apps refuse unencrypted settings. If yours will not connect, use WOW! webmail or forward your mail to another provider.
Problems that look the same on every provider
Can't sign in, or the password stopped working
- Sign in on the provider's own webmail page first. If that works, the problem is your mail app, not the account.
- If webmail rejects the password, use the provider's "Forgot password" page. Never use a reset link from an email you did not ask for.
- Many providers now need a separate app password (or their own sign-in screen) for Outlook, Apple Mail and phone apps. Your normal password will not work there.
Not receiving emails
- Check Spam, Junk and any filters or "blocked senders" in webmail.
- Check whether the mailbox is full; most providers stop accepting mail at the storage limit.
- If your app shows nothing new but webmail does, remove and re-add the account in the app using IMAP.
Can't send, or emails are stuck in the Outbox
- Check the outgoing (SMTP) server, port and security on this page against your app; old guides often list ports that no longer work.
- Turn on "My outgoing server requires authentication" and use the same username and password as incoming.
- Large attachments are a common cause. Remove the attachment and try again.
Contacts are getting spam from my address
- Change the password from webmail, then sign out of all other sessions if the provider offers it.
- Check forwarding rules, filters and the reply-to address in settings; attackers often add a hidden forward.
- Turn on two-step verification, and update the password anywhere else you used the same one.
Setting it up on a new phone or computer
- Use IMAP rather than POP so mail stays in sync across your phone, computer and webmail.
- Enter your full email address as the username unless the provider says otherwise.
- If the app offers the provider by name (Yahoo, Google, Outlook), choose that instead of "Other".
Sources: WOW!: mail server settings · WOW!: email server settings sheet (PDF). Providers change settings from time to time; their own page is the final word.
Tried the steps and still stuck?
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