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Printer-friendly pageConfiguring Mozilla Thunderbird (Windows) to Access CITES Express Email via IMAP
This page contains information about configuring Mozilla Thunderbird (Windows) to access CITES Express Email via the IMAP email protocol.
Note: The campus is currently in the process of changing its email addresses from "@uiuc.edu" to "@illinois.edu". During the transition, you may see CITES web pages with either or both versions.
See the Illinois Domain Project page for more information.
The instructions on this web page will help you configure Mozilla Thunderbird 1.5 (Windows) to access your CITES Express Email account through IMAP. For information about IMAP, see Choosing How to Access Your CITES Express Email Account.
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.
Obtaining and Installing Thunderbird
Mozilla Thunderbird is an open-source desktop email client that is available at no charge from the Mozilla Thunderbird homepage. Note: You will need to install Thunderbird before following the configuration instructions on this page. Refer to the Mozilla Thunderbird homepage for installation directions.
Configuring Thunderbird
1. Open Thunderbird. If this is the first time you have run the program, a window might appear to ask if you would like to import settings, addressbooks, and mail folders from other desktop email clients you might have used on your computer. If you do not want to import this information into Mozilla Thunderbird, select Don't import anything and click Next. Otherwise, select from a list of your available items and click on Import. Note: If you import data, you might no longer be able to access it from the other email client.
2. After you open Thunderbird, a New Account wizard might appear to guide you through installing a new account. If the New Account wizard does not appear, then access the wizard by going to Tools on the Thunderbird menu bar, selecting Account Options, and clicking the Add Account button located in the lower left corner of the window.
3. On the New Account Setup screen, select Email account and then click Next.
4. On the Identity screen, enter the following information:
Your 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.
Click Next.
5. Under Server Information, enter the following information:
Select the type of incoming server you are using: Select IMAP.
Incoming Server: Enter express.cites.uiuc.edu.
Outgoing 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 Communications, SBC Yahoo! DSL, McLeod Flexabit, Sol Tec, and Volo Wireless, among many others. Contact your ISP if you do not know the name of its outgoing mail server.
Click Next.
6. On the User Names screen, you should already have your NetID filled in for the Incoming User Name and Outgoing User Name. If not, then enter your NetID in both boxes. Then click Next.
7. The Account Name helps differentiate your Express Email account from any other account you might access through Thunderbird. You can enter any name you like in the Account Name box (i.e., "Express Email", "school", "work", etc.). Click Next.
8. You will see a Congratulations screen that summarizes your account settings. Click Finish.
9. Thunderbird might automatically try to connect to your Express Email account. After several seconds, you might see a message that says: "Alert. Connection to server express.cites.uiuc.edu timed out." It's ok to see this message because you still have some configuration to do in the next steps before Thunderbird can successfully access your Express Email account. Click OK.
10. Click Tools on the Thunderbird menu and select Account Settings.
11. The Account Settings window will open. Click Server Settings, listed in the left navigational menu.
12. At the top of the Server Settings screen, Thunderbird displays information that you entered during the first steps of these directions. Verify that the information is correct:
Server Type: This should be listed as "IMAP Mail Server".
Server Name: You should see "express.cites.uiuc.edu" in this textbox.
User Name: Your NetID should be displayed in this textbox.
Port: The Port number might be set to 143. After you complete the following step the Port number will automatically change to 993, which is the correct number. Do not change the Port number yourself.
13. In the section "Security Settings" select SSL next to Use secure connection. This setting is required for Thunderbird to successfully connect to your Express Email account. The Port number near the top of the window should change to 993 automatically.
14. Several additional settings can be configured in the "Server Settings" section. Although these settings are optional, some can make Thunderbird much more useful.
Check for new messages at startup: If this box is checked, Thunderbird will automatically check your account for new messages when you first open the program. Otherwise you will need to manually click the Get Mail button after Thunderbird opens.
Check for new messages every 10 minutes: If you would like Thunderbird to automatically check your Express Email account for new messages, then make sure that this box is checked. You can change how frequently Thunderbird will check for new messages by entering a different number.
15. Click on the Advanced... button located on the right side of the Account Settings screen.
16. Enter INBOX. into the box next to IMAP server directory. If you plan to use more folders for organizing email than Inbox and Sent, then uncheck the box next to Show only subscribed folders. By doing so, Thunderbird will automatically show all of your folders each time you open Thunderbird. If you leave Show only subscribed folders checked, then you will need to subscribe individually to each of your folders. Click OK to save your settings and return to the Account Settings window.
17. Click OK to close the Account Settings window.
18. Thunderbird is now configured to access your CITES Express Email account via IMAP. When you start Thunderbird after finishing these directions, you will be prompted for your password. At that point, enter your CITES Express Email password. If you do not know your CITES Express Email password, reset it at the Password Home Page or contact the CITES Help Desk:
CITES Help Desk
- phone: (217) 244-7000, (800) 531-2531
- email: consult@illinois.edu
- walk-in: 1211 Digital Computer Lab, 1304 W. Springfield Ave., Urbana, IL 61801