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