Rutgers University Department of Physics and Astronomy

Using IMAP in Netscape Mailer

IMAP is a mail download protocol which allows you to keep folders on the server and access these folders from multiple computers. This is great for users who don't use just one computer to check their email. With IMAP, users download a local copy of their mailbox and folders from the server. If you create folders on your computer, you must sync up with the server. However, you're not required to create folders. You can work with just one mailbox (your INBOX) if you like. 

    

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences


  2. In the left window pane, click on the plus (+) box next to Mail
and Newsgroups.  If there is a minus (-) sign, skip this step.


  3. Click on Mail Servers


  4. Click on Add... to add imap.physics.rutgers.edu as your new mail server. Notice
that if you already have POP server, you need to highlight it and EDIT its entry
to IMAP type in order to be able to add new IMAP server. Once new IMAP server is added 
mark it as "SET AS DEFAULT".



  5. Under General tab, make sure the following is set:

    Server Name:       imap.physics.rutgers.edu
    Server Type:       IMAP Server
    User Name:         your-user-name 
    Remember Password: Checked if you want Netscape to
                       remember your password for you. 
    Check for Mail every: 10 minutes, if you wish.


  6. Click on IMAP tab, make sure the following is set:
    
    Check Use Secure connection (SSL)
    Check Move it to the Trash Folder
    Check Empty Trash on exit if you want to remove
          deleted messages when you exit Netscape.  


  7. Click on Advanced tab, make sure the following is set:

    IMAP Server Directory: mail/  
    Show only subscribed folders: Unchecked
    Allow Server to override these namespaces: Uncheck

This will save all the folders you create under the "mail" directory
in your home directory.


  8. Click OK
    9. 


  9. Making sure imap.physics.rutgers.edu is selected, click Set as
Default.


  10. Under Outoing SMTP server text box, use smtp.physics.rutgers.edu 
 if you're on campus or dialing into campus network.   Else, you need to
 type in the mail server name of your ISP (Verizon, AOL, Earthlink
 etc). Physics SMTP will deliver e-mail only to Rutgers e-addresses if
you are not on-campus or dialing-in via Rutgers system.


  11. Click OK again.
    12.  


  12. Check for mail.

    When you do, Netscape will connect to our IMAP server securely.
    Since we are not paying one of the certificate
    signing authorities, our certificate will not be recognized by
    Netscape.  However, you may still use the certificate for
    encrypting the traffic between your client and the mail
    server.  

    To accept the new certificate when you're prompted:
    
    Click Next>
    Click Next>
    Check Accept this Certificate forever (until it expires)
    Click Next>
    Click Next>
    Click Finish


  13. Check mail, enter your  password when prompted.  

Note this is the same as your POP/Sun system password.  


  14. You can go ahead and delete the old server setting if everything
works and you see all your mailboxes and INBOX.  If you're converting
from POP/IMAP, read the next section first before you remove the old
server setting.

Converting from POP to IMAP

 
In Netscape Mail, the Mailbox window (left pane) contains two sections.  The section
labeled "Local Mail" can be thought of as your local hard drive.  It
contains all the mail you downloaded via POP.  The section labeled
'imap.physics.rutgers.edu' is your IMAP server drive.  Therefore, it is
important that you know where you are going to create any new mail
folder.  If the new mail folder is under "Local Mail", then it's a local
folder.  This means that if you access your mail from another computer
via IMAP, you will not see this folder.

If you're migrating from POP to IMAP AND you DID NOT leave your mail
on the server, you may want to transfer existing Local Mailboxes to
the IMAP server.  This will allow you to see the contents of these
mailboxes when accessing mail from other machines.  If you will always
check mail from one machine, you do not have to do this.



Transfering Local Inbox


  • Open the local Inbox mailbox (the one under "Local Mail")
and mark all of the messages by using the Select -> All Messages
feature from the Edit menu.
    •  


  • From the Message menu select Copy Message,
and then select Inbox.  The mailboxes are listed in the
order of the mailserver definitions you see on the left pane window.
For example, you could have three (or more) mail servers (abc.edu,
imap.physics.rutgers.edu, and Local mail).  You would choose Inbox
corresponding to imap.physics.rutgers.edu.


    
Transfering Other Local Mailboxes


  • Create a new mailbox on the IMAP server. Right clicking on
<username> or username and choose New Folder
    • 


  • Enter the name of the new mailbox, for example OldMail. Note that
the name of the mailbox you are creating may be the same name
as the mailbox on the local hard drive.


  • Open the local mailbox and mark all of the messages by choosing the
Select All from the Edit menu.


  • From the Message menu, select Copy Message, select the
mail server name (imap.physics.rutgers.edu), then
select the mailbox you just created.  All messages are moved to the
mailbox on the IMAP server.


  • The transfer may take some time depending on the number and size of messages being
  transferred.
    • 


  • Verify that the procedure has completed successfully by opening the newly created
  mailbox under imap.physics.rutgers.edu
    • 


  • Continue for all mailboxes you wish to transfer. 


    • Watching your quotas when using IMAP
    
Since IMAP stores all your mailboxes on the server, you should be
careful that you do not exceed your quota.