Network Solutions Email Configuration for Apple MacOS Computers – Inbox Missing [SOLVED]

UPDATE: 13 Oct 2020 “Mail can’t verify the identity of the server”

You may be here because you began getting a certificate error on your Apple computer, iPhone, or iPad. If so, you will first want to resolve the problem as described here: “Setup Configuration for Network Solutions Email to Resolve Server Identity Not Trusted Certificate Verify Error Message on PC, Mac, iPhone.” [Read Document] That document contains the steps below as well as others.

If you are here to setup your email for the first time, you can begin with the steps below.

Problem Resolution Instructions

When you follow the instructions provided by Network Solutions for automatic email configuration for Mac computers, the process may only partially work. Follow the instructions below to correct the problem with their automatic process.

1. If you have already followed the Network Solutions email setup instructions, skip to Step #5 below.
2. Go to the installation page mail.yourwebsite.ext/ios where you’ll be prompted to enter in your email address. Note in the example here, replace yourwebsite.ext with your actual website name and extension.
3. In Step 2 above, a custom email configuration profile installer will be downloaded to your computer. When you open that profile configuration file you will be asked to provide your password to complete the setup.
4. Once that process is complete, if you open the Apple Mail program, you won’t see an “Inbox” folder for your email account. When you click the triangle next to the account name under Inbox, you’ll see all of your other folders associated with the account, just not the Inbox. Note: With other email accounts like Google or Microsoft you will have an Inbox folder under the Inbox heading and the rest of your folders will be accessible further down in the Mailboxes list in the left column. This is how accounts should show up in Apple Mail.
5. Exit the Apple Mail program if it’s running.
6. From the Apple Menu (top left of your screen) click on System Preferences.
7. Click on Internet Accounts.
8. In the left column where accounts are listed, click on the account you just created.
9. Description. For the Description entry, provide a short description for this account which is how it will show up in the Mail app and elsewhere for you.
10. Name. The name entry should be your name or whatever you want displayed as the sender name.
11. Advanced. Click on the Advanced button, and for Path Prefix, type INBOX and then press the OK button.
12. Start the Mail program, and you should see a folder for the new account under Inbox. The other folders for the account should be available in the left Mailboxes column when you scroll down.

Sender Name

You will want to correct the email sender name for your email account. The automated process assumes your full email address as the sender name rather than your actual name. So, to correct this, follow these steps:

1. In the Apple Mail program, go to the Mail menu (top left of screen) and choose Preferences.
2. Click on the Accounts tab/icon.
3. Click on the account name in the left column.
4. In the Account Information settings click on the Email Address drop-down menu and select Edit Email Addresses.
5. Under the Full Name heading, click the box, and then click it again to edit the full name sender description.
6. Type in your full name or whatever sender name you’d like to be displayed for recipients of your email.
7. Press the OK button.
8. Close out of the Apple Mail preferences window and your changes will be automatically saved.

Some email programs override how the sender name appears. If your name is in someone’s address book as a match for that email address, the name used in their address book will show up as the sender.

Clarification

The Network Solutions instructions described above indicate that you should go to the following web address to get started (substituting your website address and extension): mail.yourwebsite.ext/ios

The iOS in that address is a bit misleading because Apple computers don’t use iOS, they use macOS. Network solutions should create a different URL for iOS and macOS devices to avoid confusion.