Configuring an EMail Account in Mozzilla Thunderbird

Depending upon the user's account type, each user has a set of Outgoing and Incoming EMail servers. In Computer Science they are as follows.

Incoming EMail Server (POP/IMAP) Outgoing EMail Server (SMTP) EMail Address Format

Teaching/Student Account: mail.student.cs.uwaterloo.ca mail.student.cs.uwaterloo.ca username@student.cs.uwaterloo.ca

Research/Administration Account: mail.cs.uwaterloo.ca mail.cs.uwaterloo.ca username@cs.uwaterloo.ca

Run the Account Wizard

When running Thunderbird for the first time the user is presented with an account creation wizard (Account Wizard). In principle the user has to mearly fill in the blanks presented by the wizard in order to establish access to his EMail service.
This wizard can started manually from Thunderbird's menus by selecting Tools -> Account Settings... and clicking on the Add Account... button in the lower left of the resulting control panel.

The Account Wizard displays the following sequence of panels.

New Account Setup:
- Ensure EMail Account is selected.
- Click Next button.
Identity:
- Enter your name into the upper input field provided. This is the name that will appear in the From: field of all EMail sent by you from this programme.
- Enter your EMail addresss into the lower input field.
  Your EMail address should be of the form EMail Address Format as described in the above table
- Click Next button.
Server Information:
- Select POP or IMAP mail service.
- Enter your Incoming EMail Server into the Incoming mail server field. This mail server is configured to handle both POP and IMAP.
- Click Next button.
User Name:
- Specify your user name on the mail server (same as login username).
- Click Next button.
Account Name:
- Specify an account nickname. This will be used to describe the account in Thunderbird. By default the Account Name adopts your EMail address as its name.
- Click Next button.
Congratulations!
- Check the final confirmation page and ensure all entries are correct. Use the Back button to return and change any incorrect entries.
- Click Finish button.

Fine Tune the Account Settings

After creating your EMail account entry, you are presented with an Account Settings control panel. Here you can fine tune the setup for Thunderbird. There are some recommended account settings that a user my wish to apply.
Again, this control panel can be activated manually by selecting Tools -> Account Settings... from the menus.

Outgoing Server (SMTP):
- For Server Name, replace whatever default name is present with your Outgoing EMail Server
- For Secure Connection (SSL), this service is not available on any system managed by CSCF. Therefore this option should be set to Never or When Available.
Server Settings:
- Use Secure Connection (SSL):
  This is the secure option for incoming EMail. This service is available on your Incoming EMail server
- Leave Messages On Server:
  You may wish to check this box if you intend to read your EMail from a different computer system or EMail programme.

Close the Account Settings control panel by clicking on the OK button.

Receive Your EMail

After you close the Account Settings control panel you can start receiving your EMail by clicking on the Get Mail button in the upper left of the programme window. The programme will request a password, this will be the same as your login password in UNIX.

This page was last updated on Monday, the 19^th day of April in the year 2004 AD.

	Incoming EMail Server (POP/IMAP)	Outgoing EMail Server (SMTP)	EMail Address Format
Teaching/Student Account:	mail.student.cs.uwaterloo.ca	mail.student.cs.uwaterloo.ca	username@student.cs.uwaterloo.ca
Research/Administration Account:	mail.cs.uwaterloo.ca	mail.cs.uwaterloo.ca	username@cs.uwaterloo.ca