Online.de was one of Germany’s early consumer internet providers, offering dial-up, broadband, and a bundled @online.de consumer email address through the late 1990s and 2000s. The service went through several ownership changes and was eventually absorbed by 1&1 (part of United Internet, the same parent behind GMX and Web.de). The distinct online.de brand was phased out, and consumer email under @online.de is no longer offered as a first-class active service. If you still have an @online.de mail client configured and cannot understand why nothing connects, this guide covers what happened and how to migrate to a modern provider.
Online.de as a standalone email brand is gone: no working settings exist
Brand consolidation into United Internet. The standalone Online.de consumer mail brand was absorbed into the United Internet group (1&1 IONOS, GMX, Web.de) which consolidated its consumer webmail under GMX and Web.de as the primary identities. Former Online.de users were either migrated to a United Internet account (where their mail should be) or the account was closed. Any mail client still configured against online.de servers no longer connects to an active mail service, and no port change, TLS setting, or username variation will fix that. The migration options below are the path forward.
What happened to Online.de email
Online.de launched in the mid-1990s as a German consumer internet service provider, offering dial-up and later broadband access with a bundled consumer email service at @online.de. In the crowded early-German-internet market, it was one of several brands competing alongside T-Online (Telekom), AOL Germany, and Bertelsmann’s operations.
Over the following years the service went through ownership changes as the German consumer ISP market consolidated. The distinct Online.de brand lost momentum and was eventually absorbed into United Internet, the group that also owns 1&1 IONOS, GMX, and Web.de. From that point the strategic direction was to migrate customers onto the group’s core consumer brands (GMX and Web.de) rather than maintain a separate Online.de identity.
By 2026, @online.de is not offered as a first-class consumer email brand. Users who had @online.de addresses either had them migrated into a United Internet account (typically a 1&1 IONOS or GMX-family mailbox) or lost the address if the account had already lapsed. The historical online.de mail infrastructure has not been maintained as a distinct addressable service, so mail clients configured against those hostnames fail.
Option 1: Check whether your account was migrated into United Internet
If your @online.de subscription was active at the time of the absorption, the account should have been transferred to a United Internet mailbox (typically under 1&1 IONOS, GMX, or Web.de branding). Sign in to those platforms with your Online.de credentials to check.
1. Try GMX and Web.de sign-in
Go to gmx.de and web.de. Try signing in with your @online.de address as the username and your Online.de password. In some migrations the credentials carry over.
2. Check 1&1 IONOS if you had a hosting or broadband subscription
If your Online.de subscription included broadband or web hosting, the account may have moved to 1&1 IONOS. Sign in at ionos.de with the same credentials.
3. Contact 1&1 IONOS support if sign-in fails
If none of the sign-in flows work, contact 1&1 IONOS support directly. Ask specifically about legacy Online.de account recovery.
Option 2: Migrate to Gmail
If the Online.de account is not recoverable and you want a provider-independent address, Gmail is the standard destination.
1. Create a Gmail account
Go to gmail.com and set up a fresh account.
2. Send a change-of-address notification
Since the Online.de infrastructure is not a live service to import from or forward through, the practical fix is a mass notification from your new address. Include the old @online.de so contacts can search and update their records.
Option 3: Migrate to Outlook.com or a German provider
For an alternative to Gmail, outlook.com works the same way. If you want a German-hosted mailbox specifically, GMX, Web.de, and T-Online are the standard consumer options. All three offer free basic accounts with German-language interfaces and mobile apps.
Alternatives at a glance
Common issues with legacy Online.de email
Mail client returns connection refused for online.de servers
The historical Online.de mail hostnames are not maintained as a distinct addressable service. Any client still configured for online.de POP3, IMAP, or SMTP will fail at the DNS or TCP level.
Cannot sign in to Online.de webmail
The Online.de webmail interface is not maintained. Try GMX, Web.de, or 1&1 IONOS with the same credentials in case the account was migrated to a United Internet mailbox.
@online.de address stopped receiving mail
Either the account was migrated to a United Internet mailbox (in which case sign in on GMX or Web.de to check the mailbox state) or it was closed. Contact 1&1 IONOS support if you cannot locate the account.
Confusion between Online.de and T-Online
These are separate services. T-Online is Deutsche Telekom’s consumer brand (@t-online.de) and remains active and independent. Online.de was a different German ISP absorbed by United Internet.
Old contacts still send to @online.de
Because the mailbox status is uncertain, the safest approach is a mass change-of-address notification from your new mailbox alongside an attempt to recover the account through United Internet.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still use my @online.de address?
Only if the account was migrated to a United Internet mailbox during the absorption and is still active. Sign in to GMX, Web.de, or 1&1 IONOS with your old credentials to check. If no sign-in succeeds, the account is likely closed.
What are the current Online.de SMTP or IMAP settings?
There are no current standalone Online.de mail server values because the service is not maintained as a distinct brand. If your account was migrated to United Internet, use GMX or Web.de settings for the mailbox on that platform.
Is Online.de the same as T-Online?
No. T-Online is Deutsche Telekom’s consumer brand (@t-online.de) and remains an active independent service. Online.de was a separate German ISP that was absorbed into United Internet.
Where should I look for a migrated Online.de account?
Sign-in attempts at GMX, Web.de, and 1&1 IONOS with your original credentials are the fastest checks. If none succeed, contact 1&1 IONOS support and ask specifically about legacy Online.de account recovery.
Are GMX and Web.de free?
Yes, both offer free consumer mailboxes. Paid plans add features like larger storage, ad-free interfaces, or business tools. For most former Online.de users the free tier is more than enough.
Can I export old Online.de mail before losing access?
Only if the mailbox is still authenticating somewhere. If you can sign in on GMX, Web.de, or 1&1 IONOS, use standard IMAP export to a local mail client (Thunderbird or Outlook) and save to .mbox or .pst. If no sign-in works, historical mail is not recoverable from the server side.
Where to go next
The Online.de absorption is one of several German consumer ISP consolidations that ended distinct email brands. Related migration guides:
- Gmail POP3, IMAP, and SMTP settings
- Outlook.com POP3, IMAP, and SMTP settings
- GMX email settings for POP3, IMAP, and SMTP
- Web.de email settings for POP3, IMAP, and SMTP
- T-Online email settings for POP3, IMAP, and SMTP
Historical timeline of Online.de
- Post-absorption: Online.de as a distinct consumer email brand is retired. Remaining accounts migrated into United Internet mailboxes (1&1 IONOS, GMX, or Web.de). The standalone online.de mail infrastructure is not maintained.
- 2000s to 2010s: Online.de is absorbed into United Internet as the German consumer ISP market consolidates. Investment shifts toward the group’s core consumer brands (GMX and Web.de).
- Mid to late 1990s: Online.de operates as an early German consumer internet provider, offering dial-up and later broadband access bundled with a @online.de consumer email service.
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About the Author
Alaa · LinkedIn
Email infrastructure specialist with 8+ years of hands-on experience in SMTP, deliverability, and email verification. I’ve configured and troubleshot mail systems across Postfix, Exchange, and cloud relays, managed IP reputation and warmup campaigns, and built verification pipelines processing millions of addresses. My work spans DNS authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, BIMI), bounce handling, blocklist monitoring, and compliance frameworks including CAN-SPAM and GDPR. I write every article on SMTPedia to give email professionals, developers, and marketers the accurate, RFC-grounded reference they need.
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