Connecting to Smarshmail or Intermedia

Generally, Levitate users with Smarshmail and/or Intermedia as an email provider are able to get connected by following a few steps.

If you are a Smarshmail or Intermedia user getting connected, you'll need to reach out to your Success Specialist or our Support team so that they can update your email configuration.

Getting ready for your connection call

What you'll need for getting connected

Know your email address and password for your email provider
Make sure IMAP and SMTP are enabled on Smarshmail
Get your Smarshmail username

Enabling IMAP and SMTP via Smarshmail

If you have access to your Smarshmail Control Panel, you will need to log in there and go user by user to turn on IMAP and SMTP for each user that will be connecting to Levitate. Enabling these two simply allows for Levitate to connect to your inbox and send out messages through your inbox.

If you do not have access to your Smarshmail Control Panel, you will need to reach out to their Support team. We've found that calling their Support team directly yields the fastest results. When on the phone with them, ask to have IMAP and SMTP enabled for all users on the account.

Smarshmail Support Line: 1-503-946-5980 or 1-866-SMARSH-1

Smarshmail and Intermedia users will have a unique username that will be used in place of an email address when connecting to an inbox on Step Three of Levitate setup.

Connecting Smarshmail with Two-Factor Authentication

If two-factor authentication (2FA) is turned on for a Smarshmail (Intermedia) mailbox, Levitate can't connect to it with the user's normal password. Users who connected before 2FA was turned on usually keep working until they need to reconnect.

Signs you're affected

The Connect Email screen shows "Unable to authenticate to server."
After you enter your email password, the connection keeps loading and then times out.
Other users on your team connect fine, but a new user, or one who just turned on 2FA, can't.
You're sent back to the Levitate sign-in page before you can try again.

Why this happens

Levitate connects to Smarshmail by signing in to your mailbox with your email address and password, the same way Outlook signs in on a desktop. With 2FA on, Smarsh also asks for a second code from Intermedia VeriKey, a text message or a phone call. Levitate signs in in the background and has no way to enter that code, so the sign-in fails.

This isn't a problem with your password or your Levitate account.

How to fix it

Smarshmail doesn't provide app passwords (in-app passcodes), so Levitate can't get past 2FA on an Exchange connection. You have two options: switch the user to an IMAP/SMTP connection, or turn off 2FA for that user.

Option 1: Switch to an IMAP/SMTP connection

Use this option if you're connected to Levitate through Exchange.

In the Smarshmail Control Panel, turn on IMAP and SMTP for the user (see Enabling IMAP and SMTP via Smarshmail above). Your Smarshmail admin or your broker-dealer's IT team may need to do this.
Contact Levitate Support and ask us to switch your connection from Exchange to IMAP/SMTP.
Once we confirm, reconnect at Connect Email with your Smarshmail username and password.

Before you switch, keep in mind:

Fewer features. With IMAP/SMTP, the Schedule a Meeting feature isn't available because it needs an Exchange calendar connection.
Can be less stable. IMAP connections to Smarshmail can drop more often, so you may need to reconnect from time to time.

Option 2: Turn off 2FA for the user

Your Smarshmail admin can turn off 2FA for the user in the Smarshmail Control Panel. Many broker-dealers require 2FA, so check with your compliance team or broker-dealer before you do this.

Once 2FA is off, reconnect at Connect Email with your Smarshmail username and password. You can stay on your Exchange connection.

Still can't connect?

Email support@levitateapp.com or reach out through help.levitate.ai, and include:

The email address you're trying to connect
Your broker-dealer, if you have one
Whether 2FA is turned on for the user
The exact error message, or a screenshot of the Connect Email screen
A screenshot from the Smarshmail Control Panel showing IMAP and SMTP (or Exchange) turned on for the user, if you have one

We'll review your connection settings and, if needed, set up a quick call to get you connected.