Configuring Apple Mail to Access CITES Express Email via IMAP

The instructions on this web page will help you configure Apple Mail 10.4 to access your CITES Express Email account through IMAP.

Note to those new to IMAP: When you use an IMAP client, you are accessing your email directly from the server (unlike with POP). If you delete messages from inside your desktop email client and empty your trash, they are permanently deleted from the server. Similarly, if you log in to the Express Email web interface and delete messages, they will no longer appear in your deskop email client because they are not on the server. Use caution when deleting your email messages, as they might be the only copy you have. You can click and drag messages from your server folders to your local folders if you want to archive your email and free up space in your account. Please view Managing Your Quota after you've configured your desktop email client for information about safely archiving your email.

1. Open Apple Mail. If this is the first time you have run the program, a New Account wizard will appear to guide you through installing a new account (previous users can access the wizard by going to Mail on the Mail menu bar and selecting Add an Account).

2. Click Continue.

3. Under General Information, enter the following information:

Account Type: Select IMAP.

Account Description: The Account Description helps you tell your Express Email account from any other account you might access through Apple Mail. You can enter any name you like in the Account Description box (i.e., "Express Email", "work", or leave it set to the default "IMAP Account").

Full Name: Enter your first and last name, or the name that you want your correspondents to see.

Email Address: Enter your email address in this form: netid@illinois.edu. Replace netid with your NetID, which can be found on your I-Card or in your Electronic Directory entry.

4. Click Continue.

5. Enter the following information:

Incoming Mail Server: Enter express.cites.uiuc.edu.

User Name: If the box was not automatically filled in, enter your NetID.

Password: Leave this blank. When you start Mail after finishing these directions, you will be prompted you for your password. At that point, enter your CITES Express Email password. If you do not know what your CITES Express Email password is, reset it at the Password Home Page.

6. Click Continue.

7. Apple Mail will try to connect to the IMAP server. After several seconds, you might see a message that says: "Trying to log into the IMAP server "express.cites.uiuc.edu" has failed. Please make sure the username and password are correct. If you continue, you may not be able to receive any mail." It's ok to see this message. Click Continue.

8. Under Incoming Mail Security, place a checkmark next to Use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). Select Password as the Authentication method (if it is not already selected). Click Continue.

9. Next to Outgoing Mail Server, enter express-smtp.cites.uiuc.edu only if you are on the campus network. If you are connecting from a third-party Internet Service Provider (ISP), you must enter the name of its outgoing mail server. Examples of third-party ISPs are Insight, Ameritech, Soltec, and Sky Networks, among many others. Contact your ISP if you do not know the name of its outgoing mail server. Do not check Use Authentication or enter anything in the User Name and Password boxes. Click Continue.

10. You might see a summary of the account settings you've entered. Click Continue or Done when the New Account wizard indicates you've successfully created the account.

Apple Mail is now configured to access your CITES Express Email account via IMAP.