Email FAQ

* Set the incoming mail server to : email.csit.fsu.edu * Set the outgoing (SMTP) mail servers to: smtp.csit.fsu.edu. * Select either IMAP or POP as the mail protocol. (see questions 22-26) * Enable SSL or TLS on both incoming and outgoing mail servers.(see question 24) * Allow ‘SMTP’ Authentication, if asked.

17. Question: How can I access my @csit email from home using a private internet service provider (ISP)? Answer: Since the @csit.fsu.edu email system supports SMTP authentication, the settings above should allow you to send and receive mail through most private ISPs It is possible that an Internet Service Provider does may not permit non-native (other than their SMTP server) SMTP traffic.)

CSIT email is also available through a web based interface that can be accessed from a web browser. *See question 19

18. Question: How can I access my @csit email from various, remote locations ? Answer: Your choices when remote from CSIT are:

* Webmail (http://webmail.csit.fsu.edu/) *See question 19 * SSH to ‘ pamd.csit.fsu.edu ‘ and use Pine or Mutt. * Use your desktop (laptop) email program with the settings provided in question 16.

19. Question: Can I read my mail from a web browser? Answer: Yes. Go to http://webmail.csit.fsu.edu/ and login using your CSIT username and password. Cookies must be enabled in your web browser in order to view webmail.

NOTE: Users may experience a problem when using an Apple computer and Internet Explorer to access webmail. Apple users are encouraged to use an alternate web browser, such as ‘Safari or ‘ Mozilla’ , to connect to CSIT webmail.

20. Question: What options do visitors to CSIT have to send/receive email from their home organization? Answer: Visitors have general internet access through the wireless network within CSIT, and designated wired outlets that on the ‘open subnet’.

The majority of entities that provide email accounts have made provisions for their users to have direct access to their mail. The most common ways include:

* A web based interface. * SSH * Virtual Private Network (VPN)

21. Question: I have a visitor who needs to access their email through their desktop email client. How can they do so? Answer: In this case, visitors to CSIT can connect to the Internet using a wired or wireless connection, and change their outgoing mail SMTP server to ‘mailer.fsu.edu’. (‘Mailer’ permits SMTP relays for computers that have a valid FSU IP address.)

22. Question: What are POP, POP3 and POPS ? Answer: POP is an acronym for Post Office Protocol. The current version is 3 so you often see it written as POP3. POPS stands for Post Office Protocol with SSL enabled.

23. Question: What are IMAP, IMAP4 and IMAPS ? Answer: IMAP is a newer method for handling email and the current version is IMAP4. IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol. IMAPS refers to using SSL with IMAP.

24. Question: What is SSL? What is TLS? Answer: SSL is an acronym for Secure Socket Layer. It was originally developed to encrypt web pages so that the text such as passwords and credit card numbers do not travel in plain text across the Internet. As needs for encryption, security, and privacy have continued, SSL has expanded in functionality and is used for encrypting email.

TLS stands for Transport Layer Security and when setting up some clients you will be provided with STARTTLS as an option rather than SSL. SSL and TLS function similarly.

25. Question: Can I continue to use POP protocol to read my mail? Answer: You don’t have to quit using POP3 protocol to retrieve your mail. However, you will need to make some changes to your settings because our new email server requires SSL authentication and it was optional with the old system.

26. Question: Why would I want to switch to IMAP? Answer: IMAP is newer and offers more advanced features. For example, your email remains consistent no matter where you read your mail. With POP3, if you remove your email from the server while you are at work and then read your mail at home, you don’t have access to the mail that now exists only on your workstation at work. You can provide workarounds by leaving all the mail on the server but then you are storing the same information in three locations (the server, your workstation, and your home pc). By default, some email software leaves messages on the server and users are often surprised to find out that every message ever received is also on the server never to be deleted unless he or she knows how to change the settings within the client to delete the message from the server.

With POP3 there is only one-way communication. The server sends your email and you can elect to delete it from the server when you receive it or leave it on the server. By default, IMAP stores the messages on the server and initially transfers headers to your email client. When you close the application, only the message headers remain within your email client. Additionally, when you delete messages from within your client, the messages are also removed from the server so that you are only keeping the messages you want not everything ever received. In the long run, IMAP is more efficient and consistent.

For more in depth information, read our POP versus IMAP document (http://www.csit.fsu.edu/support/documentation/email/imapvspop.php).

27. Question: How can I read my messages off-line? Answer: Most modern email clients allow you the option of keeping a copy of your messages on your laptop and/or personal computer so that you may have access to your email when you are not connected to the Internet. Check in the options or preferences section to select this feature.

28. Question: What is Sieve? Answer: Sieve is a utility for administering a CSIT email account. This utility enables a user to distribute your email to folders on the server, forward your messages to another email address, remove messages tagged as spam, and set a vacation/out of office message as well as other options.

29. Question: What is Websieve? Answer: Websieve is a web-based interface to Sieve that provides a simple way to create rules. To use Websieve, go to http://imap.csit.fsu.edu/websieve/websieve.pl.

30. Question: Why would I want to use Sieve/WebSieve when I can set up filters on my local client? Answer: Sieve/Websieve allows you to set up filters before your email is delivered to you; saving bandwidth and providing a consistent view no matter where you read your email. Sieve/Websieve provides the most functionality to IMAP clients because the rules do not apply to your local folders, only folders which reside on the server.

Since POP does not allow you to create folders on the server, this limits the usefulness when used in this environment. Websieve may still be used for setting a vacation message, automatically deleting mail (not recommended), and forwarding your mail to another address. However, you will still need to create filters on your local client as long as you use POP3 protocol.

For example, if you create your “rules” on your workstation to place unwanted messages in a folder called “junk” and then decide to check your email from home or through the web interface, the email won’t reside in the “junk” folder on your home machine. If you set up your “rules” through Sieve you only have to create your modifications in one place for consistency across clients and locations.

Additional documentation is available below: http://www.csit.fsu.edu/support/documentation/email/ (our email documentation website) http://www.csit.fsu.edu/support/documentation/email/qs-websieve.php (Quick Start Guide) http://www.csit.fsu.edu/support/documentation/email/Websieve.php (Thorough documention).

31. Question: How can I set my @csit email account to forward to another email account? Answer: Detailed instructions are located at: http://www.csit.fsu.edu/support/documentation/email/Email_Forward.php

-- RdSmith - 15 Feb 2005