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Downloading the same emails from Gmail to 2 different computers

  • 4 replies
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  • Last reply by TNorth

TNorth
TNorth
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I know this has been asked before, but I am looking for some help with settings to allow 2 different computers to both access one gmail account and both download ALL new mail as it comes in. I have not been able to get this to work.

I have TB on both laptops - both set to POP and in the account settings, both are set to leave a copy of all messages on the server. At gmail, I also have that account set to keep a copy of all email in the gmail mailbox.

I can’t get the same message on both computers – it is only downloaded once to the first one that polls for it. I have tried several test of this, and whichever computer polls for email first gets the new emails - the other doesn't.

I understand that the advice given in this and other forums is to set both computers to leave messages on server - which I have done, but it doesn't seem to work.

Can anyone help with the correct settings to allow any computer that polls for email at gmail to get all of the mail, not just the first one?

Thanks!

I know this has been asked before, but I am looking for some help with settings to allow 2 different computers to both access one gmail account and both download ALL new mail as it comes in. I have not been able to get this to work. I have TB on both laptops - both set to POP and in the account settings, both are set to leave a copy of all messages on the server. At gmail, I also have that account set to keep a copy of all email in the gmail mailbox. I can’t get the same message on both computers – it is only downloaded once to the first one that polls for it. I have tried several test of this, and whichever computer polls for email first gets the new emails - the other doesn't. I understand that the advice given in this and other forums is to set both computers to leave messages on server - which I have done, but it doesn't seem to work. Can anyone help with the correct settings to allow any computer that polls for email at gmail to get all of the mail, not just the first one? Thanks!

All Replies (4)

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 25 Contributor
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To have gmail POP accounts download to multiple computers, you must enable 'recent mode' as explained in the first section here.

Most users would set up the account as IMAP on all devices so the mail is synced between all of them.

TNorth
TNorth Question owner
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Thanks! So - this is on the server settings page - the username, not the account address or email address? when I try to make that change, it says "Your User Name has been updated. You may also need to update your Email Address and/or User Name associated with this account."

Do I need to change all of them or just that one?

So making that change on each computer will allow me to get new email from my gmail account on several different computers? Will it only be new email from the time of the change?

And if this doesn't work, can I remove that "recent" and have the username as it was?

Thanks!

Modified by TNorth

sfhowes
sfhowes
  • Top 25 Contributor
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Append recent: to the User Name field in Server Settings, on all computers.

I don't know if this will allow all messages to be downloaded or just new ones after the change. All messages of a POP account can be downloaded by deleting popstate.dat from the account's profile folder.

TNorth
TNorth Question owner
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Thanks! I'll have to give it a try.

I don't want all of the messages - just the new ones - I have gmail set to only download POP messages after a certain date, and I can update that so hopefully it will work.

Thanks for the help!