IMAP Mail Client Setup: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 17:05, 16 September 2026

Overview

The CSEE mail servers use a secure connection for incoming and outgoing mail; so you will need to customize your mail client in order to read and send e-mail on your CSEE account. This page explains how to configure your e-mail client for the CSEE Mail Services. This page will discuss Thunderbird. If you use a different client, please refer to your client's documentation. You will need to set up your client for the following services:

Service	Server name	Port
Secure IMAP	imap.cs.umbc.edu	993
Secure POP	imap.cs.umbc.edu	995
Secure SMTP	smtp.cs.umbc.edu	25

Thunderbird (Windows/MacOS/Linux)

If you have no email accounts configured the 'New Account' dialog will automatically open. [1]
If you already have accounts in Thunderbird and are simply adding CSEE mail to Thunderbird open the 'New Account' dialog by clicking on the 3 horizontal bars (menu button) and select 'Preferences' -> 'Account Settings...' then 'Account Options' -> 'Add Mail Account' [2]
Fill in your name, csee username and your password. Thunderbird will attempt to automatically detect the proper settings, but it will not work. Manually, change the settings. [3]

	Server Hostname	Port	SSL	Authentication
IMAP	imap.cs.umbc.edu	993	SSL/TLS	Normal Password
SMTP	smtp.cs.umbc.edu	587	STARTLS	Normal Password

If the 'Done' box becomes grayed out, click in one of the 'Authentication' boxes and select 'Normal Password' again. This should re-enable the button.

Email is now set up--check for new messages by clicking the "Get Mail" button.

New Account dialog when no accounts are configured
How to access the New Account dialog with existing accounts are in Thunderbird
All the settings in their respective fields

Adding LDAP support

Adding LDAP support allows Thunderbird to auto-complete email address of people who are in the UMBC system.

Access the menu, the three horizontal bars in the upper right -> preferences -> preferences [1]
Select the "Composition" tab and then the "Addressing" sub-tab. Click on "Edit Directories..." [2]
Select "Add" to add a new LDAP server.
Fill in the following information [3]
Name: UMBC LDAP

Hostname: directory.umbc.edu

Base DN: dc=umbc,dc=edu
Click "OK" on the "Directory Server Properties" window
Click "OK" on the "LDAP Directory Servers" window
Make sure that the checkbox next to "Directory Server" is checked and make sure that the drop down says "UMBC LDAP" [4]
Click "OK"

That's its, you are all set up for LDAP

Accessing the preferences
The "Addressing" sub-tab under the "Composition" tab
The required settings for LDAP
Selecting the new LDAP server

Alpine

Alpine's default access method uses direct access to your mail spool in /var/mail. A bug in Linux prevents this from actually working. The solution is to manually configure alpine to use IMAP.

Edit the line beginning with inbox-path= and the line beginning with folder-collections= in ~/.pinerc (replace USERNAME with your UMBC username):

inbox-path={imap.cs.umbc.edu/user=USERNAME/ssl/NoRsh/IMAP}inbox
folder-collections=Mail {imap.cs.umbc.edu/user=USERNAME/ssl/NoRsh}[]

Alpine can also use the UMBC LDAP server to search for names and email addresses. This support can be added by editing the line beginning with ldap-servers= in ~/.pinerc (this is all one line):

ldap-servers=directory.umbc.edu:389 "/base=dc=umbc,dc=edu/binddn=/impl=0/rhs=0/ref=0/nosub=0/tls=0/tlsm=0/type=/srch=/time=/size=/cust=/nick=/matr=/catr=/satr=/gatr="

Every time alpine is run, a prompt will ask for your password to be entered.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+[[Category:Email]]
 ==Overview==
-The CSEE mail servers use a secure connection for incoming and outgoing mail; so you will need to customize your mail client in order to read and send e-mail on your CSEE account. This page explains how to configure your e-mail client for the CSEE Mail Services. This page will discuss Thunderbird, Microsoft Outlook, and MS Outlook Express. If you use a different client, please refer to your client's documentation. You will need to set up your client for the following services:<br/>
+The CSEE mail servers use a secure connection for incoming and outgoing mail; so you will need to customize your mail client in order to read and send e-mail on your CSEE account. This page explains how to configure your e-mail client for the CSEE Mail Services. This page will discuss Thunderbird. If you use a different client, please refer to your client's documentation. You will need to set up your client for the following services:<br/>
 <br/>
-{| border="1" align="center"
+{| border="1" align="center" class="prettytable"
-|'''Service'''
+! '''Service'''
-|'''Server name'''
+! '''Server name'''
-|'''Port'''
+! '''Port'''
 |-
 |Secure IMAP
@@ Line 20: / Line 21: @@
 |}
 <br/>
+<!--
 '''Note:''' For Thunderbird and Microsoft Outlook, the same installation steps can be followed for both IMAP and POP server types. Outlook Express, however, must be configured to use POP. (see below)
+'''Update 10/5/2010:''' Port 25 may no longer work for off-campus connections from the Verizon network. The work-around is to port 587 for SMTP instead.
+-->
-==Thunderbird (Windows/Mac OS/Linux)==
+==Thunderbird (Windows/MacOS/Linux)==
-{| border="1" valign="top"
-|'''Set up a new account.'''
-If you've just downloaded/installed Thunderbird, then the New Account Setup dialog will pop up when you start Thunderbird. Otherwise, from the '''File''' menu, select '''New''', and then select '''Account'''.
+#If you have no email accounts configured the 'New Account' dialog will automatically open. [[:File:Thunderbird-1.png|[1]]]<br />If you already have accounts in Thunderbird and are simply adding CSEE mail to Thunderbird open the 'New Account' dialog by clicking on the 3 horizontal bars (menu button) and select 'Preferences' -> 'Account Settings...' then 'Account Options' -> 'Add Mail Account' [[:File:Thunderbird-2.png|[2]]]
-|<br/>[[Image:thunderbird-1.png]]<br/><br/>
+#Fill in your name, csee username and your password. Thunderbird will attempt to automatically detect the proper settings, but it will not work. Manually, change the settings. [[:File:Thunderbird-3.png|[3]]]
+{| class="prettytable"
+!
+!Server Hostname
+!Port
+!SSL
+!Authentication
 |-
-|For the type of account, choose '''E-mail account''' and click '''Next'''.
+|IMAP||imap.cs.umbc.edu||993||SSL/TLS||Normal Password
-|<br/>[[Image:thunderbird-2.png]]<br/><br/>
 |-
-|For '''Your Name''', enter your real name. (first and last name)
+|SMTP||smtp.cs.umbc.edu||587||STARTLS||Normal Password
+|}
-For '''E-mail Address''', enter your CSEE e-mail address.
+<ol start="3">
+<li>If the 'Done' box becomes grayed out, click in one of the 'Authentication' boxes and select 'Normal Password' again. This should re-enable the button.</li>
-Click '''Next''' to proceed.
+</ol>
-|<br/>[[Image:thunderbird-3.png]]<br/><br/>
+Email is now set up--check for new messages by clicking the "Get Mail" button.
-|-
+<gallery>
-|'''Enter information for mail servers.'''
+File:Thunderbird-1.png|New Account dialog when no accounts are configured
+File:Thunderbird-2.png|How to access the New Account dialog with existing accounts are in Thunderbird
-Select the type of incoming mail server. You may select either '''POP''' or '''IMAP'''.
+File:Thunderbird-3.png|All the settings in their respective fields
+</gallery>
-For the name of the '''Incoming Server''', you must type in "imap.cs.umbc.edu", even if you are using POP rather than IMAP.
+=== Adding LDAP support ===
+Adding LDAP support allows Thunderbird to auto-complete email address of people who are in the UMBC system.
-For '''Outgoing Server''', type in "smtp.cs.umbc.edu".
+# Access the menu, the three horizontal bars in the upper right -> preferences -> preferences [[:File:Thunderbird-ldap-1.png|[1]]]
+# Select the "Composition" tab and then the "Addressing" sub-tab. Click on "Edit Directories..." [[:File:Thunderbird-ldap-2.png |[2]]]
-Click '''Next''' to proceed.
+# Select "Add" to add a new LDAP server.
-|<br/>[[Image:thunderbird-4-imap.png]]<br/><br/>
+# Fill in the following information [[:File:Thunderbird-ldap-3.png|[3]]]
-[[Image:thunderbird-4-pop.png]]<br/><br/>
+#: Name: UMBC LDAP
-|-
+#: Hostname: directory.umbc.edu
-|Enter your CSEE login name for both '''Incoming User Name''' and '''Outgoing User Name''', and then click '''Next'''.
+#: Base DN: dc=umbc,dc=edu
-|<br/>[[Image:thunderbird-5.png]]<br/><br/>
+# Click "OK" on the "Directory Server Properties" window
-|-
+# Click "OK" on the "LDAP Directory Servers" window
-|Enter the name you want Thunderbird to refer to your new account and click '''Next'''.
+# Make sure that the checkbox next to "Directory Server" is checked and make sure that the drop down says "UMBC LDAP" [[:File:Thunderbird-ldap-4.png|[4]]]
+# Click "OK"
-Review the settings you've selected for your new account and then click '''Finish'''.
+That's its, you are all set up for LDAP
-Your new account is now set up, but there are still more things to configure for Thunderbird to use the CSEE mail services.
-|<br/>[[Image:thunderbird-6.png]]<br/><br/>
-|-
-|'''Change incoming mail settings.'''
-You need to set up Thunderbird to use a secure (SSL-enabled) IMAP/POP server.
-From the '''Tools''' Menu (Windows/Mac OS) or the '''Edit''' menu (Linux), select '''Account Settings'''.
-Under the account you just created, (labelled '''E-mail''' in the screenshot to the right) select '''Server Settings'''.
+<gallery>
+Thunderbird-ldap-1.png | Accessing the preferences
+Thunderbird-ldap-2.png | The "Addressing" sub-tab under the "Composition" tab
+Thunderbird-ldap-3.png | The required settings for LDAP
+Thunderbird-ldap-4.png | Selecting the new LDAP server
+</gallery>
-Change '''Port''' number:
+==Alpine==
-* If you're using IMAP, change it to 993.
+Alpine's default access method uses direct access to your mail spool in /var/mail.  A bug in Linux prevents this from actually working.  The solution is to manually configure alpine to use IMAP.
-* If you're using POP, change it to 995.
-Under '''Security Settings''', select '''SSL'''.
+Edit the line beginning with <tt>inbox-path=</tt> and the line beginning with <tt>folder-collections=</tt> in <tt>~/.pinerc</tt> (replace USERNAME with your UMBC username):
-|<br/>[[Image:thunderbird-7-imap.png]]<br/><br/>
+ inbox-path={imap.cs.umbc.edu/user=USERNAME/ssl/NoRsh/IMAP}inbox
-|-
+ folder-collections=Mail {imap.cs.umbc.edu/user=USERNAME/ssl/NoRsh}[]
-|'''Change outgoing mail settings.'''
-On the menu to the left, select '''Outgoing Server (SMTP)'''.
+Alpine can also use the UMBC LDAP server to search for names and email addresses.  This support can be added by editing the line beginning with <tt>ldap-servers=</tt> in <tt>~/.pinerc</tt> (this is all one line):
+ ldap-servers=directory.umbc.edu:389 "/base=dc=umbc,dc=edu/binddn=/impl=0/rhs=0/ref=0/nosub=0/tls=0/tlsm=0/type=/srch=/time=/size=/cust=/nick=/matr=/catr=/satr=/gatr="
-Highlight your outgoing mail settings (smtp.cs.umbc.edu) and select '''Edit'''.
+Every time alpine is run, a prompt will ask for your password to be entered.
-|<br/>[[Image:thunderbird-8.png]]<br/><br/>
-|-
-|Under '''Security and Authentication''', make sure '''Use name and password''' is selected.
-For '''User Name''', enter your login name.
-Under '''Use Secure Connection''', select '''TLS'''.
-Click '''OK''' to close this dialog and '''OK''' again to close Account Settings and save your changes.
-Thunderbird is now ready to send and receive mail!
-|<br/>[[Image:thunderbird-9.png]]<br/><br/>
-|}