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Old 16 Jan 2019, 02:04 AM   #1
rushlock
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2
Fastmail username

Hello, I'm considering switching to Fastmail from the invasive Gmail machine and have a couple questions:

- Is it viable to use the username you sign up with as a usable email address, or should that be kept secret and private? Which of you utilize your username as an actual address, if you're inclined to say so?

- If I were to use a form of my real name as said username, is this considered a general risk? This question is geared to get a sense of the privacy/security viewpoint of this community, as I've been eternally conflicted with using and not using my real name in email addresses.

Thanks!
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Old 16 Jan 2019, 03:34 AM   #2
FredOnline
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Manchester UK
Posts: 2,616
Best practice would be to create (or change) the account username, and that you should never use as it an e-mail address or give it out to anyone.

You can create an alias (your real name, for example) for your account - that's, of course, if the alias you want has not been taken by someone else.
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Old 16 Jan 2019, 12:14 PM   #3
BritTim
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: mostly in Thailand
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As stated, the username you choose is a valid email address. However, it is best for a number of reasons not to provide this address to anyone, but to use aliases for actual communication. Note that you can create a kind of alias on the fly, associated with a single correspondent. Suppose you have a main alias of "joe@sent.com". You can decide, on the fly, to start using "dodgyshoppingsite@joe.sent.com". This requires no prior setup, and allows you easily to block the specific email address in the future if you wish.

Ideally, you are best served by having your own domain. FastMail has good support for this, and it gives you the freedom to change your mail provider (if ever necessary) with minimal disruption.
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Old 18 Jan 2019, 08:50 AM   #4
an3
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Salem, Oregon, USA
Posts: 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by BritTim View Post
Suppose you have a main alias of "joe@sent.com". You can decide, on the fly, to start using "dodgyshoppingsite@joe.sent.com".
This is what I've done, adding a folder name for easy filing. This is one of the most useful attributes of Fastmail, and has saved me numerous times from data breaches and uncounted spam. I've been a paying subscriber for over 15 years, and it just takes one data breach to realize how important this feature is.

My format is <site.folder@username.sent.com>.

Also, the email I sign in with is one that I give out to no one.
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Old 18 Jan 2019, 09:25 AM   #5
Terry
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: VK4
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You can also now change your main login user name.

Also if you have your own domain you can set up any name@yourdomain.com if it gets spammed or what ever just switch it off or delete it.
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Old 4 Feb 2019, 07:16 PM   #6
DumbGuy
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 212
I agree with most of the sentiments above.


One of the real big benefits of FM is that you can define a username for account login, and never publish it to any contacts, and use it just for account login -- which I highly recommend, like many others above.


Instead, next best thing is to set up an alias within your account and use it as your well-known formal, published email address.


Even better, also as mentioned above, is to purchase your own domain name, link it into FM, and use it for a specified email address. You get the benefit of owning your own domain name & email address, and not revealing your FM login address.
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Old 14 Feb 2019, 06:43 AM   #7
TheJapanese
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Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 67
But with every client-login you have to publish your login-address.

If not, the login doesn't work. Would be nice, to login with alias-credentials - so that my IoT and Router devices don't know my login name.
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Old 14 Feb 2019, 09:57 AM   #8
BritTim
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Join Date: May 2003
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheJapanese View Post
But with every client-login you have to publish your login-address
Your login is done using an SSL connection. None of the details you specify on your login screen are visible as plain text outside the computer you are using to enter them.

Being able to log in using an alias would defeat the whole point of using an account name that cannot be deduced from your email address.

What could have merit would be allowing a different login user name (also not used for emails) for each device. That would provide slightly improved security in the event of one device being lost or hacked. The single, alternate login name could be blocked with no impact on other devices. Currently, if really concerned, you would need to rename your account, and change the email setup on each separate device.
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Old 14 Feb 2019, 03:43 PM   #9
xyzzy
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Join Date: May 2018
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry View Post
You can also now change your main login user name.
Just curious. How do you do that?
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Old 14 Feb 2019, 04:04 PM   #10
Terry
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: VK4
Posts: 2,995
How to change a username

Go to the Settings → Users screen.
Type in your password at the top of the screen and click Unlock so you can make changes.
Click the Edit button on the user you want to rename.
Rename the user. Check your new name and domain to make sure it's exactly what you want.

Remember to Save.....
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Old 14 Feb 2019, 05:11 PM   #11
xyzzy
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Ah, Users setting. Didn't check that one. Cool. Thanks.
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