e/ Yale Software Library http://www.yale.edu/its/software/ For assistance contact the ITS Help Desk 203-432-9000, helpdesk@yale.edu Thunderbird Before you begin Download and install a current version of Thunderbird from the Yale Software Library. Thunderbird s menus and screens are essentially the same on Mac and Windows platforms. These examples are taken from Windows, but you should be able to apply them to a Mac OS X environment as well. Configuring Start Thunderbird and follow its prompts to configure it for your Yale Central email account. Last modified 7-Jan-10 (jj) Page 1 of 16
Please use your real name, and use our standard first.last@yale.edu alias as your email address: Real name: your name, as you would like it to appear on outgoing messages Return address: your email address, probably firstname.lastname@yale.edu If you do not know your alias email address, look yourself up in the Yale Directory. Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 2 of 16
Receiving Mail IMAP Choose POP or IMAP protocol to receive your messages. First, choose to receive email via IMAP. Then you enter your NetID, which Thunderbird calls a "Username" The "Local" name is a vanity name for what you want to call these settings in Thunderbird. It is run together as one word, but can be used to remind you of how you set the account. Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 3 of 16
Once you have gotten this far, Thunderbird will present you with a summary of settings. Don't stop here. For Yale central email, we need to fine tune receiving your email securely, with basic settings. Note that you want to check "Use secure connection, SSL", but NOT "Use secure authentication" which is a special protocol we do not support when receiving. SLL WILL encrypt your NetID, password and the contents of messages as they pass between your local machine and the server. Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 4 of 16
You must also set Advanced Settings. In Advanced Settings you must leave the IMAP server directory blank (our server knows where your email is based upon your NetID). Uncheck "Show subscribed folders"; otherwise, you will not see all of your folders on the server. Now you are set to receive email in Thunderbird via IMAP protocol. Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 5 of 16
Receiving Mail Pop First you choose to receive email via POP. Then you enter your NetID, which Thunderbird calls a "Username". Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 6 of 16
The "Local" name is a vanity name for what you want to call these settings in Thunderbird. It is run together as one word, but can be used to remind you of how you set the account. Once you have gotten this far, Thunderbird will present you with a summary of settings. Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 7 of 16
Don't stop here. For Yale Central Email, we need to fine tune receiving your email securely, with basic settings. Note that you want to check "Use secure connection, SSL", but NOT "Use secure authentication" which is a special protocol we do not support when receiving. SLL WILL encrypt your netid, password and the contents of messsages as they pass between your local computer and the server. Now you are set to receive email in Thunderbird via POP protocol. Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 8 of 16
Sending Mail (SMTP) At Yale or via VPN Authentication is not required for SMTP for machines on Yale's network (hardwire, Yale wireless, PPP, or VPN). Uncheck the boxes for "Use name and password", and check "No" for "Use secure connection". If you would like to use authentication: check the box for "Use name and password" and check "TLS". If you use TLS and it does not work, you will need to set the port to 587. Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 9 of 16
Sending Mail (SMTP) Away from Yale Away from Yale, and without VPN, check the box for "Use name and password" and check "TLS". If you use TLS and it does not work, you will need to set the port to 587. Once these steps are complete, the basic set up of Thunderbird is complete. Click Get Mail to access your email. Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 10 of 16
LDAP Directory Set up Thunderbird to use Yale's LDAP directory as shown in these images. Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 11 of 16
Set Base DN as shown with "o=yale.edu" (letter "o", no spaces, all in lowercase). In the advanced settings you can set a reasonable limit on the number of addresses returned, like "100. Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 12 of 16
Searching in LDAP can be partial or exact. LDAP begins searching as soon as you begin typing a string, and refines the search as you continue. In these examples you see different results returned for "ly" and "lynna." Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 13 of 16
Junk Mail Controls Junk Mail Controls work when receiving email via IMAP or POP. If you receive email via POP you should set the Junk folder to be Local. In other words, it will be saved on your computer, as are your other mail folders. If you receive email via IMAP you should set the Junk folder to be under your identity on the server. Then, the Junk folder will be saved on the server as your other mail folders are; and it will be available to you whenever you access your account via any IMAP email program, including Yale webmail. POP IMAP Training Junk Mail Controls is important because the default settings are aggressive, and may mark wanted email as junk. At the same time, until you train it, Thunderbird does not know what you consider spam. Thunderbird becomes smarter as you train it; but training is an ongoing process, because spam is always changing. The Junk Mail Controls learn what you consider spam and moves it to the Junk folder (Ctrl J on highlighted messages or message). You can choose to turn this off, or reset it back to its original state by clicking Reset. Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 14 of 16
If you don't want to use Thunderbird Junk Mail Controls you can turn them off. Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 15 of 16
If you want to delete Junk Mail right away, rather than wait for the numbers of days you set in the Controls, you can mark it as deleted. Remember that no program is better judge of what email is wanted or unwanted than you are. Always exercise good judgment and common sense when marking messages as Junk, or choosing how to respond to email. Many of the good habits we already have for postal mail, such as being careful of what we throw away without examining, and being a good steward of space in our own mailboxes, translate readily to electronic mail. Do not let machines do your thinking for you. Last modified 7-Jan-10 (LAC) Page 16 of 16