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 and Microsoft Outlook 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" class="prettytable"
@@ Line 28: / Line 29: @@
 #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]]]
-#Fill in your name, csee email address (username@cs.umbc.edu) 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]]]
+#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"
 !
@@ Line 38: / Line 39: @@
 |IMAP||imap.cs.umbc.edu||993||SSL/TLS||Normal Password
 |-
-|SMTP||smtp.cs.umbc.edu||25||STARTLS||Normal Password
+|SMTP||smtp.cs.umbc.edu||587||STARTLS||Normal Password
 |}
 <ol start="3">
@@ Line 69: / Line 70: @@
 Thunderbird-ldap-3.png | The required settings for LDAP
 Thunderbird-ldap-4.png | Selecting the new LDAP server
-</gallery>
-==Microsoft Outlook==
-<!--
-{|
-|'''Set up a new Account'''
-If you're starting up Outlook for the first time, you'll see a new e-mail account wizard pop up. Otherwise, create a new e-mail account by selecting '''E-mail Accounts''' from the '''Tools''' menu.
-Click '''Add a new e-mail account''' and then click '''Next'''.
-|<br/>[[Image:outlook0.JPG]]<br/><br/>
-|-
-|Under '''Server Type''', select '''IMAP''' to use IMAP for your incoming mail or '''POP3''' to use POP. Other server types are not supported by CSEE.
-Click '''Next''' to continue.
-|<br/>[[Image:outlook1.JPG]]<br/><br/>
-|-
-|Under '''User Information''', enter your full name for '''Your Name''' and your CSEE e-mail address for '''E-mail address'''.
-Under '''Server Information''', enter "imap.cs.umbc.edu" for '''Incoming mail server (IMAP/POP)'''  (use this address for both POP and IMAP) and enter "smtp.cs.umbc.edu" for '''Outgoing mail server (SMTP)'''.
-Under '''Logon Information''', enter your login name for '''User Name''' and your login password for '''Password'''.
-Click on '''More Settings'''.
-|<br/>[[Image:outlook2.JPG]]<br/><br/>
-|-
-|Click the '''Outgoing Server''' tab.
-Check the box that says '''My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication.'''
-Make sure '''Use same settings as my incoming mail server''' is selected.
-|<br/>[[Image:outlook3.JPG]]<br/><br/>
-|-
-|Click the '''Advanced''' tab.
-Under '''Server Port Numbers''', for both '''Incoming Server (IMAP/POP)''' and '''Outgoing Server (SMTP)''', check the boxes that says '''The server requires an encrypted connection (SSL).'''
-If you're using IMAP, make sure the '''Incoming Server''' port number is set to 993. If you're using POP, make sure it's set to 995.
-Make sure the '''Outgoing Server''' port number is set to 25.
-Click '''OK''' to close the More Settings dialog, and then click '''Next'''.
-You are now configured to use CSEE mail services!
-|<br/>[[Image:outlook4.JPG]]<br/><br/>
-|}
--->
-These are the steps to add an account to Outlook 2013 with Outlook having not been configured before.
-# On the welcome screen click "Next" [[:Image:Outlook2013-1.PNG|[1]]]
-# Make sure that "Yes" is selected and select "Next" [[:Image:Outlook2013-2.PNG|[2]]]
-# Select "Manual setup or additional server types" and click "Next" [[:Image:Outlook2013-3.PNG|[3]]]
-# Select "POP or IAMP" and click "Next" [[:Image:Outlook2013-4.PNG|[4]]]
-# Fill in the required boxes [[:Image:Outlook2013-5.PNG|[5]]]
-#* Under "Server Information"
-#*: Account Type: "IMAP"
-#*: Incoming mail server: "imap.cs.umbc.edu"
-#*: Outgoing mail server (smtp): "smtp.cs.umbc.edu"
-#* Logon:
-#*: User Name: (just your usename, no @cs.umbc.edu)
-#*: Password: (your password)
-# Click "More Settings ..."
-# Pick the "Outgoing Server" tab [[:Image:Outlook2013-6.PNG|[6]]]
-#* Check "My outgoing server..."
-#* Select "Log on using" and fill in your user name and password
-# Pick the "Advanced" tab [[:Image:Outlook2013-7.PNG|[7]]]
-# Change "Incoming server (IMAP)" to: 993
-#* Change the drop down below it to say SSL
-# Leave "Outgoing server (SMTP)" at 25
-#* Change the drop down below it to say "TLS"
-# Click "OK" and return to the Add account form and click "Next"
-#* If everything has been completed successfully both tasks should say "Completed" [[:Image:Outlook2013-8.PNG|[8]]]
-Your all set!
-<gallery>
-File: Outlook2013-1.PNG | Welcome Screen
-File: Outlook2013-2.PNG | Configure email?
-File: Outlook2013-3.PNG | Automatic or Manual
-File: Outlook2013-4.PNG | Email type selection
-File: Outlook2013-5.PNG | Server Settings
-File: Outlook2013-6.PNG | Outgoing server settings
-File: Outlook2013-7.PNG | Advanced Settings
-File: Outlook2013-8.PNG | Testing your settings
-</gallery>
-===Adding LDAP support===
-Adding LDAP support allows Outlook to auto-complete email address of people who are in the UMBC system.
-# Click on the "FIle" tab, select the "Account Settings" dropdown and click "Account Settings..." [[:File: outlook-ldap-1.png|[1]]]
-# Select the "Address books" tab and click "New..." [[:File: outlook-ldap-2.png|[2]]]
-# Select "Internet Directory Service (LDAP)" and click "Next" [[:File: outlook-ldap-3.png|[3]]]
-# Enter "directory.umbc.edu" in the "Server Name" field [[:File:outlook-ldap-4.png|[4]]]
-# Click "Next"
-# When it tells you that "You must restart Outlook for these changes to take effect" click "OK"
-# Click "Finish"
-That's its, you are all set up for LDAP.
-<gallery>
-File: outlook-ldap-1.png | Accessing the Account Settings
-File: outlook-ldap-2.png | Adding a new Internet Address Book
-File: outlook-ldap-3.png | Selecting a "LDAP" Address Book
-File: outlook-ldap-4.png | Information to enter
 </gallery>
 ==Alpine==
-Alpine's default access method uses direct access to your mail spool in /var/mail.  This means that running multiple copies of Alpine (even on multiple systems) will not work. This also will not work on current linux systems.  This change will require that you have to type your password to access your mail.
+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.
-With that said, to configure Alpine to use IMAP, edit the line beginning with <tt>inbox-path=</tt> in <tt>~/.pinerc</tt>:
- inbox-path={imap.cs.umbc.edu/ssl/novalidate-cert}INBOX
-From the main menu, navigate the collectionLists page by pressing (S then L) to configure folders. Press enter to edit the folders, and optionally set a nickname. The Server line is for retrieving rather than sending mail. The following example is for an IMAP server:
-imap.cs.umbc.edu:993/user=jimbob123/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):
-The Path and View fields can often be left blank.
+ 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 support 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):
+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 "/base=dc=umbc,dc=edu/impl=0/rhs=0/ref=0/nosub=0/type=/srch=/time=/size=/cust=/nick=/matr=/catr=/satr=/gatr="
+  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="
-[[Category:IMAP]]
+Every time alpine is run, a prompt will ask for your password to be entered.
-[[Category:Email]]