**This is an optional step, but required if you want to use Thunderbird.**
**NOTE: This has security implications; see [securing](securing).**
**NOTE: This has security implications; see [security notes](security).**
There are a number of ways you can access the mail within your NNCPNET node. Perhaps you would like to use your graphical mail client from outside it, such as Thunderbird. To do that, you need to expose the SMTP and IMAP ports to your local machine.
