Saturday November 21st, 2009
Email Set up
Summary: OIT offers free email accounts to all UCI affiliates through OIT MailBox Services. Use the directions below to set up your favorite email software to send and receive your UCI email.
Getting Started
Before you can set up your email, you will need to create your account by activating your UCInetID.
- Activate My UCInetID
- Getting Started with Email - Faculty/Staff
- Getting Started with Email - Students
Email Software Set Up Instructions
Most of the following email software packages are supported by the OIT Response Center. Software noted by '(Unsupported)' should work as well, but is not supported at this time.
Supported Software
Thunderbird
Thunderbird is a popular and free email program that is supported for use at UCI with OIT MailBox Services. It is designed by the same people that developed Netscape and Firefox and shares a similar interface.-
Outlook Express/Windows Mail
Windows Mail and Outlook Express are free, basic email programs, pre-installed on your PC computer. Both are user-friendly, with the ability to receive mail from multiple email accounts. -
Apple Mail
Apple Mail is a free, basic email program, pre-installed on your Macintosh computer running OS X. It is user-friendly, with the ability to receive mail from multiple email accounts. 
Eudora
Eudora is a licensed email software package that is available at no cost to UCI affiliates. However, please be aware that the commercial version of Eudora is no longer being developed. An open source version will be available sometime in 2007.
Unsupported Software
Outlook 2003 (Unsupported) 
Microsoft Entourage (Unsupported)
Handheld Devices
-
iPhone Mail
Mail is a rich HTML email program that is installed with iPhone. It works with most popular email systems, including OIT MailBox Services. - Treo VersaMail
VersaMail is the email software included with Palm Tungsten C, Tungsten T2, Zire 71, and Treo smartphones. - Windows Mobile 5
FlexMail is an alternate solution for Windows Mobile 5 users. It is a commercial software package that has robust support for IMAP, POP and SMTP.
Email Servers
All email connections require secure authentication. Use the Set Up Instructions above for detailed guides to configure your email client.
| IMAP | POP | |
|---|---|---|
| Incoming | imap.uci.edu | pop.uci.edu |
| Outgoing | smtp.uci.edu | smtp.uci.edu |
IMAP vs. POP
The basic differences between IMAP and POP. OIT recommends that you use IMAP. This is especially important if you check your email from more than one computer.
What is IMAP?
- IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) stores your email on the server. IMAP keeps your email in sync, giving you the same view of your email everywhere you check it. With IMAP any changes you make like reading, deleting, sorting, etc. are reflected everywhere you check your email using IMAP. You no longer have to try to remember which messages you have answered at work when you get home, then re-file the messages into separate folders after you have done the same thing at work. You can view just the heading and the sender of the email message and then decide whether to download the message.
- Some things to consider:
Since your email is stored on the server, you need to manage your mail deletion more carefully so you won't go over disk quota. Some email software requires additional configuration to allow you to read your email offline. - Is IMAP the mail protocol for you?
If you read your email from more than one computer, we recommend IMAP. For additional advice, faculty and staff should consult your Computing Support Coordinator.
What is POP?
- POP (Post Office Protocol) downloads your email from
the server and stores it on your local computer.
This is the most common email protocol. Using POP, your email is stored on a server until you check it. Once you check your email (using a program such as Eudora, Outlook Express or Netscape) the messages are downloaded (copied) to your computer and deleted from the server. (Most email programs allow you to keep copies of the messages on the server for a specified time.) - Some things to consider:
POP was designed for, and works best in, the situation where you use only a single desktop computer. If you choose to work with your POP mail on more than one machine, you may have trouble with email messages getting downloaded on one machine that you need to work with on another machine; for example, you may need a message at work that was downloaded to your machine at home. - Is POP the mail protocol for you?
If you only read your email from one computer, POP may work for you. However, if you check your email from more than one computer, you may want to choose IMAP instead.
Secure Connections
OIT requires UCInetID/password authentication for all email connections. This action is another step in the ongoing effort to reduce campus exposure to email viruses, unwanted spam, and to encrypt passwords sent over the network. You can use our comprehensive instructions above or if you have already set up your software but need to update your settings, use the shortcuts below.
