A connector for almost every email provider
The IMAP/SMTP connector connects mailboxes that do not offer OAuth - i.e. most classic hosting providers.
While Microsoft 365 works via an OAuth login with a revocable token and real-time push, the generic connector uses the open IMAP/SMTP standard: you store the server address, port and access data for the mailbox. This allows Hetzner, Hostinger (Titan/Email), IONOS, Strato and your own mail servers to be connected in one go.
Incoming emails are collected at regular intervals, stored in the CRM and – if appropriate – assigned to incoming leads. You send answers directly from struct-i-vio; They are also stored in the “Sent” folder of the mailbox.
Connect mailbox
From the provider preset to the active connection, the process remains conscious. The Manage Integrations permission is required to connect.
Select provider “IMAP / SMTP”.
Open the provider picker under /crm/email and select “IMAP / SMTP”. The connect dialog opens. If you have already connected a mailbox, use “Add”.
You can add multiple mailboxes - even from different providers.
Select provider preset
Choose a preset (Hetzner, Hostinger Titan, Hostinger Email, Google Workspace or Custom). Server addresses and ports are automatically pre-filled; For “Custom” you enter the values yourself.
For Hetzner, the server is derived from your email domain (mail.ihre-domain.de) as soon as you have entered the address.
Enter email address and password
Enter the mailbox email address and password. The username is optional - if it is left blank, the email address will be used. We recommend an app-specific password if your provider supports it.
The password grants full access to the mailbox and is stored encrypted (no OAuth token).
Check servers and security
Check the IMAP host and port (incoming) and SMTP host and port (outgoing) and set the security per route to SSL/TLS or STARTTLS. The presets set appropriate default values.
Test connection
Click on “Test”. struct-i-vio checks the login to the mailbox live. If successful, a confirmation appears; otherwise a message to check the data.
The test checks both incoming mail (IMAP) and sending (SMTP).
Connect
If the test was successful, click “Connect”. The connection is created and the inbox then appears in the shared mailbox area.
By clicking “Connect” you agree to the storage and processing of the data.
Typical server settings
These values are automatically prefilled via the presets. The information provided by your provider remains relevant - if in doubt, look it up there.
| Provider | IMAP (incoming) | SMTP (outgoing) | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hetzner | mail.your-domain.de · Port 993 · SSL/TLS | mail.your-domain.de · Port 587 · STARTTLS | Email address + password |
| Hostinger Titan | imap.titan.email · Port 993 · SSL/TLS | smtp.titan.email · Port 465 · SSL/TLS | Email + password, enable third-party access |
| Hostinger Email | imap.hostinger.com · Port 993 · SSL/TLS | smtp.hostinger.com · Port 465 · SSL/TLS | Email address + password |
| Custom / own server | IMAP host and port according to provider | SMTP host and port according to provider | Depending on the provider |
What you should know when saving
These instructions are explicitly displayed in the connect dialog and should be carefully noted before saving.
Updated every minute instead of in real time
IMAP/SMTP is an open standard with no real-time push. This affects the timeliness and type of registration.
New emails do not appear immediately, but are picked up at regular intervals (standard: every five minutes). With the “Update now” button you can trigger a pickup immediately.
Instead of a revocable token, the connector stores the mailbox password (encrypted). Changing the password on the mail server interrupts the connection - it then has to be set up again. Shared mailboxes are connected as a separate connection with their own access data.
Bind mailboxes to your company domain
Optionally, the CRM mailbox can be limited to business mailboxes and access to them can be controlled specifically. This control is activated for each work area.
Your company can claim one or more email domains and verify them using a DNS record, similar to domain verification in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. Once a domain is confirmed, only mailboxes from this domain (including its subdomains) can be connected. Private accounts such as gmail.com or gmx.de are deliberately left out.
With a verified domain, data sovereignty follows the company: business communication remains in the CRM even if an employee leaves the team. Disconnecting such a mailbox is then linked to a separate right and is only reserved for authorized persons - individual employees can no longer independently remove a bound mailbox from the CRM.
In addition, each mailbox receives its own access control: For each mailbox, you determine who can read it, who can reply and send it, and who can manage access to it. For example, the sales team sees the shared sales mailbox without automatically having access to sensitive mailboxes belonging to management or the human resources department.
Domain binding and access in everyday life
As soon as the domain binding is active, these rules regarding connection, access and separation take effect.
Common connection issues
If the connection test fails, these points will help in most cases.
The test reports a login error.
Check your email address and password carefully. Typos, an expired password or spaces are the most common causes. If your provider offers app-specific passwords, create one and use it instead of the main password. Some providers require the full email address as a username - if in doubt, leave the optional "Username" field blank.
SSL/TLS or STARTTLS – which is right?
Both are encryption methods, but they depend on the port. The usual ones are IMAP 993 with SSL/TLS as well as SMTP 465 with SSL/TLS or SMTP 587 with STARTTLS. If the preset already selects suitable values, accept them. If you have your own server, you set the security to suit the respective port; an incorrect combination (e.g. SSL/TLS on a STARTTLS port) results in a connection error.
Hostinger Titan: Connection is refused despite correct data.
With Hostinger Titan, access through external programs must first be activated. Enable Third-Party Access (or IMAP/SMTP access) in your provider's email settings and then test again.
My provider is not listed as a preset.
Select "Custom" and enter the IMAP host, SMTP host, ports and security according to your provider's specifications. The connector works with any standard IMAP/SMTP mailbox, such as IONOS, Strato or your own mail server.
An existing connection displays an error.
The most common cause is a password change on the mail server. Disconnect the affected connection and set it up again with the current access data. When you disconnect, the old password is deleted immediately.
How do I connect a Google Workspace mailbox?
Google Workspace also connects via IMAP/SMTP. Since Google requires an app-specific password, it has its own step-by-step instructions - see "Connect Google Workspace" in the navigation or directly /docs/integrations/google-workspace-imap.