Windows E-Mail Clients
Unlike Unix systems, which originated in a mainframe world
where most computers were fully-functional systems with
local mail services, most Windows machines are personal
systems which obtain services like mail from remote servers
where the user has to be identified and authenticated.
Originally, these were POP servers which only handled messages
in transit while the permanent mailstore resided as "Local Mail" folders
on the Windows machine.
With the spread of IMAP the requirements have changed even
though many defaults reflect the older ways of doing mail.
Since users may belong to several IMAP communities, Windows
e-mail clients now make provision for multiple "accounts"
for incoming and/or outgoing servers.
They also provide configuration options for encrypted mail
service, authentication by various methods, and the use
of certificates.
When configuring any Windows client, look for these options:
- Incoming mail via Secure IMAP(port 993) or Secure POP(port 995)
- Outbound mail via SMTP(port 25 or 587) using SSL/TLS or SMTPS(port 465)
and avoid choosing these options:
- POP on port 110
- IMAP on port 143
- SPA - secure password authentication
- User certificates
Many clients will give you the option of remembering your
mail account password so as to avoid being promtped when
connecting to the server.
Be aware that allowing that will cause your password to be
stored somewhere on the local machine in an insecure albeit obscure form.
Microsoft Outlook Family
Although there are slight differences in the configuration dialogs
among the Outlook Express component of Internet Explorer and
the full-blown Outlook component in Office, Office 2000, and
Office 2003, they are similar enough to be treated together.
There is one critical setting SMTP port 465 which you
must override manually.
The following is based on Outlook 2003.
Note For Outlook 2002/2003 users: You need Service Pack 2
which you can get at the download center.
although you may still need the Office CD to install it.
- Create account
Outlook is prepared for a user to have multiple mail accounts.
Initially, it only shows "Local Folders", so choose:
- Tools->E-mail Accounts...->Add->IMAP->Next
After entering data about yourself, enter gpo.stanford.edu
for both the incoming and outgoing server names, and userid.
You may choose to have Outlook remember your password, but
if you do then if your machines is lost or compromised, you
must assume that your password has been too.
Be careful not to use "Log on using Secure Password Authentication(SPA)"
as that is a protocol we do not support.
Now you must change the settings to force encrypted
and authenticated access by choosing "More Settings...".
On the ensuing "Internet E-mail Settings" dialog, use the tabs:
- Outgoing Server
Check "My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication"
and "Use the same settings as my incoming mail server"
- Advanced
Check boxes for both incoming and outgoing servers so that "This server requires a secure connnection (SSL)"
- Check server port numbers
Set IMAP to 993 and SMTP to 465.
Critical: Outlook defaults SMTP to 25, but only port 465
will work with our mail server because of the required encryption.
Outlook Express niceties
- Managing your IMAP folders
It's nice to archive your older messages on IMAP, but you don't want
to check for mail in these archived folders -- this slows the server down
and degrades performance for all graphics email users
- Subscribe to only the Inbox folder
- Tools->IMAP Folders
- Click on Subscribed
- Click Query
- Select all folders (Inbox is subscribed by default, I think)
- Click Unsubscribe
- Uncheck the box "When displaying hierarcy in Outlook, show only
subscribed folders". This means that your archived message
folders will be visible in the Outlook hierarchy, and you can easily
browse through the messages; Outlook just won't check for new messages
in these folders when querying the server periodically.
- Copy sent messages to IMAP Sent messages folder
By default, Outlook puts messages that you send in the Personal
Folders->Sent Messages folder. This folder is on your local
machine, not on the Stanford IMAP server, so you won't be able to see
these sent messages elsewhere (from Webmail, for instance). To
automatically have sent messages sent to the IMAP Sent folder, do the
following:
- Tools->Rules Wizard
- New
- Move Messages I Send to Someone
- Next
- Uncheck "sent to people or distribution list"
- Next (Yes on dialog that says "This rule will be applied to
every message that you send. Is this correct?")
- Click "specified", browse to the IMAP Sent folder (under
gpo.stanford.edu, probably)
- Finish
- Test it
- Hiding messages marked for deletion
To hide the messages marked for deletion (shown with strikethrough text by
default) in your IMAP folders:
- Click on the folder. View->Current View->Hide Messages
marked for deletion. This is tested on Outlook XP.
Mozilla Thunderbird
The family of mail clients from Mozilla is relatively simple to configure
Mozilla permits you to have multiple mail accounts as long as
you use IMAP.
Mozilla clients cannot use SMTPS on port 465 and will hang if you try.
The default "Local Mail" account simply holds a folder structure
for use with POP.
Configuration
- Create Account
Mail accounts are managed by the dialog:
- File->New->Account...
After entering data about yourself, choose IMAP as your incoming
server type and enter gpo.stanford.edu for both the incoming and outgoing
server names.
In configuring outbound service make sure to select the "TLS" radio button otherwise
you will not be able to authenticate at gpo.stanford.edu.
Since many ISPs now block port 25, if you are configuring a laptop
enter port 587.
- Edit Properties
Once the basic account is created, you still need to edit the properties
before attempting to use it.
- Right-click on the newly created account and select "Properties"
- Select "Server Settings"
- Select the "SSL" radio button under "Security Settings" (the port will change to 993)
Last update:
November 8, 2006 11:38:01 AM
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