To authenticate to an IMAP server, you can follow the steps below

1. Add using directives to your code to create aliases for existing namespaces and avoid having to type the fully qualified type names. The code looks similar to the following:
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   C#

   VB.NET

   using System;
   using System.Text;
   using ComponentPro.Net.Mail;
   

   Imports System.Text
   Imports ComponentPro.Net.Mail
   

2. Create a new instance of the Imap class.
3. Now you can connect to the IMAP server with Connect methods. The code looks similar to the following:
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   C#

   VB.NET

   // Create a new instance of the Imap class.
   Imap client = new Imap();
   
   // Connect to the server.
   client.Connect("myserver");
   
   // Or you can specify the IMAP port with 
   // client.Connect("myserver", 143);
   

   ' Create a new instance of the Imap class. 
   Dim client As New Imap()
   
   ' Connect to the server.
   client.Connect("myserver")
   
   ' Or you can specify the IMAP port with 
   ' client.Connect("myserver", 143);
   

4. Use your user name and password to login with one of Authenticate methods.  The code looks similar to the following:
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   C#

   VB.NET

   // Login to the server.
   client.Authenticate("user", "password");
   

   ' Login to the server.
   client.Authenticate("user", "password")
   

5. Do your work like listing folders, downloading/uploading mail messages ,etc.  The code looks similar to the following:
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   C#

   VB.NET

   StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
   
   FolderCollection list = client.ListFolders();
   for (int i = 0; i < list.Count; i++)
   {
       sb.AppendFormat("{0} - {1}\r\n", i + 1, list[i].Name);
   }
   
   Console.WriteLine(sb.ToString());
   

   Dim sb As New StringBuilder()
   
   Dim list As FolderCollection = client.ListFolders()
   For i As Integer = 0 To list.Count - 1
       sb.AppendFormat("{0} - {1}" & vbCrLf, i + 1, list(i).Name)
   Next i
   
   Console.WriteLine(sb.ToString())
   

6. After completing your work, call the Disconnect method to close the IMAP session. 

Final example code

using System;
using System.Text;
using ComponentPro.Net.Mail;

...


// Create a new instance of the Imap class.
Imap client = new Imap();

// Connect to the server.
client.Connect("myserver");

// Or you can specify the IMAP port with 
// client.Connect("myserver", 143); 
 
// Login to the server.
client.Authenticate("user", "password");


StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();

FolderCollection list = client.ListFolders();
for (int i = 0; i < list.Count; i++)
{
    sb.AppendFormat("{0} - {1}\r\n", i + 1, list[i].Name);
}

Console.WriteLine(sb.ToString());


// Close the connection.
client.Disconnect();

Imports System.Text
Imports ComponentPro.Net.Mail

...


' Create a new instance of the Imap class. 
Dim client As New Imap()

' Connect to the server.
client.Connect("myserver")

' Or you can specify the IMAP port with 
' client.Connect("myserver", 143); 
 
' Login to the server.
client.Authenticate("user", "password")


Dim sb As New StringBuilder()

Dim list As FolderCollection = client.ListFolders()
For i As Integer = 0 To list.Count - 1
    sb.AppendFormat("{0} - {1}" & vbCrLf, i + 1, list(i).Name)
Next i

Console.WriteLine(sb.ToString())


' Close the connection.
client.Disconnect()