Lycos SMTP Settings
Anant Gupta
CONTENTS
Lycos Mail SMTP: A Complete Configuration Guide
Lycos is one of the web’s early pioneers, launched in 1994 out of Carnegie Mellon University. Today, it operates as a portal with services that include premium email. Important note: POP and IMAP access are only available with a Lycos Mail Plus (paid) membership. Free legacy accounts no longer support POP/IMAP access.
This guide covers everything you need to configure Lycos Mail’s SMTP server for outgoing mail, plus the POP3 and IMAP settings for incoming mail so you can use Lycos in desktop and mobile email clients.
Why configure Lycos SMTP settings?
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is the standard for sending email. Adding Lycos SMTP to your mail client (Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, iOS/Android mail apps, etc.) lets you send authenticated messages from your Lycos address with encryption and proper sender identity.
Lycos SMTP settings
Use these details to configure outgoing mail in any email client:
- SMTP Server Address: smtp.lycos.com
- Port: 465
- Security: SSL/TLS enabled
- Authentication: Required
- Username: Your full Lycos email address (including @lycos.com)
- Password: Your Lycos account password
Notes:
- Some legacy references list smtp.airmail.net on port 25. This is not recommended. Use smtp.lycos.com on port 465 with SSL/TLS for secure, reliable delivery.
- Lycos imposes sending limits: up to 25 recipients per message and up to 250 emails per day.
Lycos POP3 and IMAP settings
A Lycos Mail Plus membership is required to use POP or IMAP in third‑party clients.
IMAP (recommended for multiple devices)
- IMAP Server: imap.lycos.com
- Port: 993
- Security: SSL/TLS enabled
- Username: Your full Lycos email address
- Password: Your Lycos email password
POP3 (single‑device download)
- POP Server: pop.lycos.com
- Port: 995
- Security: SSL/TLS enabled
- Username: Your full Lycos email address
- Password: Your Lycos email password
IMAP vs POP: which should you choose?
- Choose IMAP if you use multiple devices. Mail stays on the server and your read/unread state, folders, and sent items sync everywhere.
- Choose POP if you want messages downloaded to one device and potentially removed from the server to save mailbox space. Be sure to manage backups; POP is not ideal for multi‑device use.
Step‑by‑step: configure Lycos Mail in your email client
The process is similar in Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, and most mobile mail apps.
- Confirm you have Lycos Mail Plus for POP/IMAP access (required).
- Open your email client’s Accounts or Preferences section.
- Add a new account and enter your name and full Lycos email address.
- Incoming mail:
- IMAP: imap.lycos.com, port 993, SSL/TLS on; or
- POP: pop.lycos.com, port 995, SSL/TLS on.
- Outgoing mail (SMTP):
- Server: smtp.lycos.com
- Port: 465
- Security: SSL/TLS enabled
- Authentication: On; use your full Lycos email and password.
- Save settings, then send a test email to verify.
Things to keep in mind
- Membership requirement: POP/IMAP access is for Lycos Mail Plus (paid) accounts. Free legacy accounts cannot use POP/IMAP.
- Compatibility: Lycos cannot guarantee compatibility with all third‑party apps. Check your device or mail client’s support docs if you run into issues.
- Sending limits: Max 25 recipients per message, 250 messages per day.
- Security best practices: Always enable SSL/TLS for both incoming and outgoing servers and require authentication on SMTP.
Conclusion
With a Lycos Mail Plus subscription, you can use Lycos in your favorite email apps by configuring SMTP on port 465 with SSL/TLS for sending and IMAP on port 993 (recommended) or POP on port 995 for receiving.
Follow the settings above, authenticate with your full Lycos address, and you’ll have a secure, reliable setup across your devices. If you encounter issues, consult your email client’s help pages or your device manufacturer’s setup guide.
