Configuring Windows Thunderbird 1.5 for secure connections
Beginning January, 2007, only email clients configured to use secure settings will be able to connect to the UMD email servers to send and receive mail.
Unless configured to use secure (encrypted) protocols, email programs send your username, password, and email content as clear text that can possibly be intercepted by others - particularly on a wireless network. You should check your email program's settings to make sure your incoming (IMAP or POP) and outgoing (SMTP) servers are configured to use secure settings.
Are you already using POP?
For new users of Thunderbird we recommend using IMAP instead of POP. However,
if you are already using POP with Thunderbird, to avoid confusion you may want
to continue using POP. The secure settings will be similar to the IMAP instructions
below but you won't see some setting that are mentioned such as the "IMAP
Server Direcory".
Thunderbird 1.5 secure settings
You can download the lastest version of Thunderbird for Windows and OSX at http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/
- Choose Account Settings from the Tool menu
and click on "Server Settings" in the column
on the left. If you haven't set up an account, enter the settings as highlighted
below.
If you already have an IMAP account, skip to Step 2 to configure the secure settings required for email programs at UMD.
- Select "Account Settings" from the Tools menu and
configure the settings indicated below.
Note: If you are using POP instead of IMAP, the "Server Name" below should be pop.d.umn.edu and the secure port should be 995.
NOTE: If you have already been using Thunderbird without "~/Mail/" for the IMAP Server Directory setting below, you may have created mailboxes that you won't be able to see if you use this settings. Just leave this setting blank to continue to see all of your saved mailboxes. POP users will not have this setting.
- Select "Outgoing Server (SMTP)" at the bottom of the left-hand column.
You may see a screen that requires you to select your SMTP settings and click the Edit button.
Configure the Outgoing SMTP setting as shown.
- Windows users: If you have Symantec AntiVirus installed
you will need to disable the Email Protection option
in order to send email using secure settings.
Select Symantec Client Security from the Start menu.
Expand the Configure option and click on Internet E-mail Auto-Protect.
Remove the checkmark in front of Enable Internet E-mail AutoProtect.
Click OK and close the window.
If you use Thunderbird off-campus using a different ISP
If you use Thunderbird at home and have a different Internet Service Provider such as cable modem or DSL you may have configured a different SMTP server setting so that you can use your ISP's outgoing SMTP server. Your ISP's SMTP server may also support secure protocols (SSL). If it does not we recommend you use UMD's server (smtp.d.umn.edu) with secure settings. You can send outgoing email through UMD's smtp.d.umn.edu server anywhere you're connected to the Internet if you enable the secure settings.
You also do not need to use Virtual Private Network (VPN) software in order to send email with secure settings. However, for other security reasons we do recommend running VPN unless your computer is connected to an on-campus ethernet connection.
Rev 12.29.06 jrn