WHo is your mail provider? In account settings, what values do you see for connection security and authentication method?

Thanks for getting back to me. I have just posted a more detailed text about all this. My mail provider is Dreamhost.net IMAP imap.dreamhost.net Port 993 (was set at 143, but I changed it on looking at the working settings on my laptop) Username simon@simondo.net SECURITY SETTINGS SSL/TLS

Hope this helps.. Simon

Thanks for getting back to me. I have just posted a more detailed text about all this. My mail provider is Dreamhost.net

Thanks for your reply. I just found that I have in fact created another account labelled simon@simondo.net (IMAP) below my wife's account and hence not obvious. Thus I am back on track and happy to carry on. Just puzzled as to how this happened as I have always been on IMAP. Ces't La Vie!