What is e-mail?

E-mail (short for electronic mail) is a great way to keep in touch with your colleagues and friends. Several characteristics of e-mail make it an effective communication medium:

You can be anywhere; they can be anywhere You can talk when you like; they can listen when they like You have time to think about what you are saying You have a complete record of what you sent and what you received

E-mail concepts
You depend on electronic mail (e-mail) as an essential business tool. The iSeries(TM) uses protocols, like SMTP and POP, to make your e-mail run smoothly and efficiently on the network. The following topics explain basic e-mail concepts:

Components of the POP3 e-mail system

The three components of the POP3 e-mail system are the POP3 e-mail client, the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) service, and the POP3 service. These are each described in the following table.

Component

Description The POP3 e-mail client software that is used to read, compose, and manage e-mail.

POP3 e-mail client The POP3 e-mail client retrieves e-mail from the mail server and transfers it to the user's local computer so it can then be managed by the user. An example of an e-mail client that supports the POP3 protocol is Microsoft Outlook Express. SMTP service The e-mail transfer system that routes e-mail from the sender to the recipient using the SMTP protocol. The POP3 service uses the SMTP service as the e-mail transfer system. Email is composed by the user on a POP3 e-mail client. Then, after the user connects to the mail server using an Internet or network connection, the SMTP service picks up and transfers the e-mail across the Internet to the

recipient's mail server. The e-mail retrieval system that downloads e-mail from the mail server to the user's local computer using the POP3 protocol. POP3 service The POP3 protocol controls the connection between a user's POP3 e-mail client and the server where e-mail is stored. Administrators manage the POP3 service on three organizational levels: mail servers, e-mail domains, and mailboxes. These are described in the following table.

Description The computer where the POP3 service is installed. Users connect to it to Mail server retrieve their e-mail. The e-mail domain must be a registered domain name and it must match the E-mail Mail eXchanger (MX) record created by your Internet Service Provider domains (ISP). Each mailbox corresponds to a user who is a member of the e-mail domain, such as someone@example.com. The user's mailbox corresponds to a Mailboxes directory in the mail store in which the user's e-mail is stored until it is retrieved.

Category

A POP3 e-mail system

In the diagram, e-mail is sent to someone@example.com, as illustrated by step 1. The e-mail is picked up by the SMTP service and is sent out on the Internet (step 2). The e-mail domain, example.com, is then resolved to a mail server on the Internet, mailserver1.example.com (step 3). Mailserver1.example.com is a mail server running the POP3 service that receives incoming e-mail for the e-mail domain, example.com. In step 4, the e-mail for someone@example.com is received by mailserver1.example.com and is moved into the mail store directory (step 5), where e-mail intended for someone@example.com is stored. In step 6, the user, someone, checks for e-mail by connecting to the mail server running the POP3 service. The POP3 protocol transmits the user and password authentication credentials for the user, someone. The POP3 service verifies these credentials, and then either accepts or denies the connection. If the connection is accepted, all of the e-mail for the user, someone, that is being stored in the mail store is downloaded from the mail server to someone's local computer (step 7). The mail is usually then deleted from the mail store.

8. Popular Email Clients

Among the most popular email clients for Windows PCs and Macintoshes are:

Outlook - distributed as part of Microsoft's Office package. If you use Outlook, you get access to other Nexus features in addition to email (such as calendars, shared address book, to-do lists etc). Entourage - for Apple Mac users who want to be able to access not only email but also other Nexus features (calendaring, shared address books etc) Thunderbird - This is a free email client available from the Mozilla project. It is easily configured and can import settings etc. from other major email clients. It will only let you access your email, not other Nexus features. Outlook Express - distributed as part of Microsoft's Internet Explorer package. Eudora - a free program which displays advertising unless you pay a registration fee.

1. Configuring Outlook Express

Before you can use Outlook Express to read your email you need to configure it with information about your email account. 1. Start Outlook Express. You can usually start it either from an icon either on the Desktop, or in the Quick Launch tray (usually next to the Start button), or by clicking on Start, selecting [Programs] and then [Outlook Express]. If you are running your copy of Outlook Express for the first time, a window with the title Internet Connection Wizard will appear automatically to help you enter information on your email account; if this happens in your case, please skip to step 2. If you have used Outlook Express before, you will need to start the Internet Connection Wizard manually by clicking on the [Tools] menu and selecting [Accounts] to view the Internet Accounts window. Click on Add and select [Mail...] from the menu that appears.

Figure 1. Internet Accounts window If you have used another email programme on your computer previously, the Internet Connection Wizard may detect this and present you with a screen asking whether you wish to import the details of your account from that programme. In this guide, however, we will be assuming you are configuring Outlook Express to work with your Nexus account from scratch. To do so, select the Create a new Internet mail account option and click on Next. 2. Enter your Display name as you would like it to appear in any messages you send and click on Next.

Figure 2. Your Name screen 3. The next window will prompt you for your E-mail address. Enter it in the format firstname.lastname@unit.ox.ac.ukand click Next.

Figure 3. Email Address screen 4. The next window will prompt you for technical information about your E-mail account. From the drop-down menu My incoming mail server is a ... server, select IMAP. Under Incoming mail server, enter imap.nexus.ox.ac.uk
Under Outgoing mail server,

you also need to enter smtp.ox.ac.uk

When you have entered the information, click Next to proceed.

Figure 4. Server Names screen 5. You will now be prompted for your login details. In the field next to Account name, enter your Single Sign-On user name as provided for you by OUCS, eg abcd1234. In the field next to Password, enter your Single Sign-On password. You have the option of ticking the box next to Remember password, but please note that this will enable anyone who gains physical access to your computer to access all your emails. If you leave the box unticked, Outlook Express will prompt you for your password each time you open the programme, thus providing a greater level of security. The Log on using Secure Password Authentication (SPA) box must remain unticked. Another method of securing your connection will be set up at a later stage of the setup process. To proceed, click Next.

Figure 5. Internet Mail Logon screen 6. The final window simply requires you to click Finish to complete the first stage of configuring Outlook Express to access your E-mail account.

Figure 6. Finish screen Upon completing the Internet Connection Wizard, Outlook Express may produce one or more error messages. This is no cause for concern; it is caused by the fact that the security settings required to connect to your Nexus account are higher than those Outlook Express uses by default. Close the error messages and proceed to Section 2. Up: Contents Next: 2. Securing connections to the incoming and outgoing mail servers Sections in this document:

2. Securing connections to the incoming and outgoing mail servers

2. Securing connections to the incoming and outgoing mail servers

1. The Internet Accounts window will allow you to edit your account settings to secure the connection and allow you to access your email (if it is not already open, click on the [Tools] menu in Outlook Express and select [Accounts]). Click on the Mail tab and select your Nexus account from the list. Click on Properties to edit its settings. In the Properties Window, click on the Servers tab to see the Server Information. Most settings should already be saved correctly after completing the Internet Connections Wizard before; however, you must tick the My server requires authentication box under the heading Outgoing Mail Server.

Figure 7. Server Information Click on the Advanced tab near the top of the window. Make sure that the option This server requires a secure connection (SSL) is ticked for both the Outgoing mail (SMTP) and the Incoming mail (IMAP) servers. Enter 587 in the Outgoing Mail (SMTP) field and 993 in the Incoming Mail (IMAP) one. Click on OK to save your settings.

Figure 8. Advanced properties screen Close the Accounts window by clicking on Close. Outlook Express is now configured to access your Nexus account.

1. First-time configuration of Outlook 2007

Outlook 2007 will automatically configure itself to connect to your Nexus mailbox - you just need to supply your username and password. This process is called Autodiscovery. When you start Outlook for the first time, a Wizard will start. Click Next on the first screen to get started:

Figure 1. Startup Wizard inital screen If the Wizard does not start automatically then you should follow the instructions at 2. Add to or Change existing accounts. If you have another email program installed such as Eudora or Outlook Express, Outlook may offer to upgrade, which means it would copy your email messages and account settings from the existing program. However, at this stage you are setting up a new account so if you get the Email Upgrade Options screen, choose Do not upgrade and click Next (You can import your messages from an existing account later, by using the Import and Export Wizard).

Figure 2. Email Upgrade Options Whether you get the Email Upgrade Options screen or not, the Account Configuration window then opens. Select Yes and click Next to continue:

Figure 3. Account Configuration In the Add New E-mail Account window, enter your name in the Your Name box and your email address into the field marked E-mail Address. You also have to enter your Single Sign-On password (twice). Click Next to continue:

Figure 4. Auto Account Set-up Outlook will then attempt to connect to the Nexus servers to retrieve your account settings. You will see a screen like:

Figure 5. Configuring You may see a warning screen asking for permission to connect to the server, if so then click Allow:

Figure 6. Connection Warning Next you will be asked to log in to the EXMBX server (part of the university system). Enter your Single Sign-On user name in the format: username@nexus.ox.ac.uk and your password and click OK. Please note username@nexus.ox.ac.uk is NOT your email address, it is only used by the autodiscovery system to find an account.

Figure 7. Connect to server Finally you will see a confirmation screen; click Finish to complete the set-up:

Figure 8. Confirm account set-up There will now be a short delay while Outlook retrieves all your data from the server. When you see the Congratulations! message it means your Nexus account is now set up and ready to use.

2. Add to or Change existing accounts

If you are currently using (or have previously used) Outlook 2007 to connect to an email account on your current computer, you will already have an Outlook Profile. The instructions below describe how you can add your Nexus account to this existing profile, so that you can see it listed alongside your existing account(s). Note however: if your existing email account is on an Exchange server (usually giving you access to shared calendars etc), you have to 3. Create an additional profile instead. If you prefer to keep your new Nexus account completely separate from other email accounts you access with Outlook 2007, you should also 3. Create an additional profile, even if the other accounts are not Exchange accounts. To add your Nexus account to your Outlook 2007 profile, you must first close down Outlook. Then open the Windows Control Panel by clicking [Start->Settings->Control Panel] or [Start>Control Panel]. Double-click the Mail icon to open the Mail Setup screen:

Figure 9. Mail Setup Screen Click on E-mail Accounts... to open Outlook Account Settings:

Figure 10. Account Settings Screen Click New... to set up a new account. You now need to select Microsoft Exchange, POP3, IMAP or HTTP and click Next.

Figure 11. Select Account Type Type in your email address into the E-mail Address box. Also enter your real name, and your Single Sign-on password (twice) into appropriate boxes. Click Next to continue:

Figure 12. Auto Account Set-up Outlook will then attempt to connect to the Nexus servers to retrieve your account settings. You will see a screen like:

Figure 13. Configuring You may see a warning screen asking for permission to connect to the server, if so then click Allow:

Figure 14. Connection Warning Next you will be asked to log in to the EXMBX server (part of the university system). Enter your Single Sign-On user name in the format: username@nexus.ox.ac.uk and your password and click OK. Please note username@nexus.ox.ac.uk is NOT your email address, it is only used by the autodiscovery system to find an account.

Figure 15. Connect to server Finally you will see a confirmation screen; click Finish to complete the set-up:

Figure 16. Confirm account set-up You will now see a warning telling you that you have changed where some of your email messages and calendar information is stored. Click OK to close the warning screen and then click Close and Close again to close down the Mail settings screens. You can now open Outlook and you will find your Nexus account set up and ready to use.

3. Create an additional profile

If you want to use Outlook to connect to more than one email account, you can do that. If you have more that one account connecting to an Exchange server, you have to create an additional profile for each account. If only one of your accounts is an Exchange account (like Nexus, giving you access to (shared) calendars and address books etc), you only have to create an additional profile if you prefer to keep your Nexus account in a separate Outlook profile. To create a new Outlook 2007 profile, you must first close down Outlook. Then open the Windows Control Panel by clicking [Start->Settings->Control Panel]. Double-click the Mail icon to open the Mail Setup screen:

Figure 17. Mail Setup Screen Click on the Show Profiles... button, and then click Add to set up your new profile.

Figure 18. List of existing profiles Enter a name for the new profile and click OK.

Figure 19. Add a profile You will now be taken into the account set-up wizard, but Cancel this for now and click OK on the resulting warning, to create the profile and return to the list of profiles. Now select the option Prompt for a profile to be used, and then click OK.

Figure 20. List of profiles The next time you run Outlook, it will offer you a choice of profiles:

Figure 21. Choose Outlook Profile Choose the new profile and click OK. Outlook will now launch the "Startup Wizard", as if you had never used Outlook before. Follow the instructions for new users at the Outlook Configuration instructions