Search SLAC
SLAC Home | Computing Home | Computing Outages | Help

Unix/Linux Mozilla Thunderbird IMAP

Prerequisites

First you'll need an Exchange server account.  If you don't already have one then send an email to SCCS Helpdesk to request an account.

Configuring Thunderbird

When you start Thunderbird from a SLAC Unix or Linux system for the first time, an Import Wizard will ask whether you want to import preferences from Netscape.  Choose accordingly. 

 

Next, the New Account Setup Wizard appears which will walk you through the basic setup information.  Later on, you will have to customize some settings.  

       

         Enter Your Name and Email address (i.e. User-ID@slac.stanford.edu). 
         The Domain name "slac.stanford.edu" might be populated for you automatically.
         Double check the address verifying that there are no double entries. 

         

          Server Information: Incoming Server:  exch-roam.slac.stanford.edu
                                          Outgoing Server: smtpserv.slac.stanford.edu

         

          User Names: Enter "slac\User-ID"  (no quotes where User-ID is your Exchange User ID) for Incoming User Name.
          Leave blank the box for Outgoing User name (It's not needed).

         

          Account Name:  You may give an arbitrary name in here. 

         

         Click Next and Finish to conclude the Wizard setup.

         We now need to customize some settings.
         Go to the Edit Menu, select "Account Settings...", then select "Server Settings" in the left pane of the Accounts Settings dialog box.
         On the right pane:
         Select SSL under the 'Security Settings' and verify that Server Port Number changes to 993.
         Suggested settings:  Check mark on Clean up ("Expunge") Inbox on Exit.
                                           Check mark on Empty Trash on Exit.
 

           

        Click on 'Advanced' under the "Server Settings".  Remove the check mark for "Show only subscribed folders".
        This will show all your Exchange mail folders without having to subscribe to them individually.  Click OK to close window.

       

        On the left pane of the Account Settings; Select "Outgoing Server (SMTP)" and verify that the following:
        Server Name: smtpserv.slac.stanford.edu
        Port:  25

Note:  Increasingly more nowadays, we find that ISPs are not allowing the use of anonymous SMTP servers outside their networks.  As a result, you may need to find out your ISP's SMTP server information and use it for outgoing mail.  Alternatively, you may try our Authenticated/Secure SMTP server using port 587.
 

       

       

Pulling in old Unix E-mails

You may transfer your old Unix IMAP mail to Exchange server if you select "Local Folders" in the left pane of the "Account Settings".  Then click the 'Browse' button under the "Local directory" in the right pane.  Navigate to the location in Unix where your old IMAP mail was stored.  You can then click on the Unix folders.  Let it count the messages.  Once that is done you can drag these folders into the Exchange server.

 

Adding a LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) Server for Address lookup

If desired, you may add the SLAC LDAP Server to your Address Book.
From the Edit Menu, select "Preferences".  The 'Thunderbird Preferences' dialog box will appear.
Click on "Composition".  Place a check mark on 'Directory Server'.  Click on "Edit Directories...".
The 'LDAP Directory Servers" dialog appears.  Click on 'Add'.
Fill that screen in as follows:

 

Click OK & Close to exit this Preferences settings.
Now go back to the Edit Menu, select "Account Settings..." again.  Select "Composition & Addressing" in the left pane.
On the right pane:
Select Use a different LDAP server under 'Addressing'.  Pull down the arrow to select the "SLAC LDAP Server" (which is what you created earlier).
Click OK to exit.

 

Important Notes

Restart Thunderbird to ensure all preferences and settings are saved.

Since you're connecting to your MS Exchange mailbox, you'll be using your Windows password, not your Unix one.

After you read your mail for the first time you may want to change the place where your Sent items are stored and you'll do that by updating the contents of "Copies and Folders" within the "Account Settings" to select the "Sent Items" folder which is the default on the Exchange server.

       

 

Getting Mail Routed to Your New Inbox

If you have a Unix account you should set up forwarding.  Finally, you should verify your Mailrouter address is correct.  You can check it here and if it does not say it is sending your email to Exchange server then contact SCCS Helpdesk.

 

 

	Last Updated: 11/01/2006
	Send Us Feedback
	Mail Admin Team