Using LDAP with Your Email Client

This page contains information about using LDAP with your email client to look up names that correspond to email addresses and vice versa.

What LDAP and ED Do for Email Users

The largest service LDAP and ED provide for email users is the @uiuc.edu redirection. There are many different mail servers on campus, and users with multiple accounts can define which mail server they want to use as their primary mail server. Then all mail sent to that user @uiuc.edu is redirected to his or her primary mail server, whether that is @students.uiuc.edu or @ews.uiuc.edu or @vetmed.uiuc.edu or some other location.

If you change groups or departments, getting @uiuc.edu mail redirected to your new primary mail server is as simple as updating your ED entry. This is why it is recommended to give your email address as @uiuc.edu rather than the full server name; changing your ph entry will not redirect mail that has been sent specifically to @students.uiuc.edu. Similarly, it is recommended to send mail to others @uiuc.edu rather than at a specific server; LDAP and ED will know what that user's primary mail server is and redirect it accordingly.

Configuring specific email clients to use UIUC LDAP

This is not a comprehensive list; if you have other email clients than those shown here, you may be able to connect to the LDAP server also. These specific clients were chosen to give a small range of commonly used email clients and platforms.

The email clients are presented in alphabetical order.

Apple Mail

  1. Go to Mail -> Preferences....
  2. Select Composing.
  3. Check the option Automatically complete addresses.
  4. Click on Configure LDAP....
  5. Click on the + button. A window called Server Info should appear.
  6. Enter the following:

    • Name: UIUC LDAP
    • Server: ldap.uiuc.edu
    • Search Base: dc=uiuc,dc=edu
    • Port: 389
    • Scope: Subtree
    • Note: SSL does not need to be checked, Authentication should be set to "None" and User name and Password need not be entered.
  7. Click Save.
  8. Click Done.
  9. Close the Mail Preferences pane.

Looking up email addresses

To use the new directory service, click Mail's Window menu and choose Address Book.

In the Address Book window, select Directories, then UIUC LDAP.

Use the search feature in the top right area of the window to look up email addresses.

(If your information is not returned to you, contact the Help Desk at 244-7000 or consult@illinois.edu for assistance.)

CITES Express Email web interface

See How to Configure and Use LDAP

Outlook 2003 for Windows

  1. Select Tools -> E-mail Accounts....
  2. Select Add a new directory or address book and click Next.
  3. Select Internet Directory Service (LDAP) and click Next.
  4. By Server Name: type ldap.uiuc.edu
  5. Click More Settings....
  6. Under the Connection tab, type in a Display Name (such as ldap.uiuc.edu).
  7. Under the Search tab, type the following in Search base: dc=uiuc, dc=edu
  8. Click OK, and follow the instructions to finish the wizard.

Looking up email addresses

To use the new directory service, start a new email message and click To….

In the "Show Names from the:" list, select ldap.uiuc.edu.

Click Advanced -> Find... and type in the name you're looking for.

(If your information is not returned to you, contact the Help Desk at 244-7000 or consult@illinois.edu for assistance.)

Outlook 2007 for Windows

  1. Select Tools -> Account Settings.
  2. Select the Address Books tab and click the New button.
  3. Select the item titled Internet Directory Service (LDAP), and click Next.
  4. In the Server Name: field, type ldap.uiuc.edu and click on the More Settings...button.
    (Note: Clicking the More Settings... button may cause an Add E-mail Account warning to appear. Click OK to continue.)
  5. On the "Microsoft LDAP Directory" screen, click on the Search tab at the top.
  6. In the Search Base section, click Custom: and enter dc=uiuc, dc=edu in the text field.
  7. Click the OK button.
  8. Click Next > and then Finish, and then close the "Account Settings" window.
  9. Restart Outlook.

Looking up email addresses

To use the new directory service:

  1. Go to Tools -> Address Book.
  2. Open the Address Book's Tools menu and select Options.
  3. Choose ldap.uiuc.edu from the list of options available under the "Show this address list first" menu.
  4. Use the up and down arrows to position ldap.uiuc.edu at the top of the list of address books.
  5. Click OK.
  6. When you're composing a message, click the To button to open the Select Names window.
  7. Use the search function in the Select Names window to identify your email recipients.

(If your information is not returned to you, contact the Help Desk at 244-7000 or consult@illinois.edu for assistance.)

Thunderbird

  1. Open Thunderbird.
  2. Go to Tools -> Options. (If you are using a Mac, go to Thunderbird -> Preferences.)
  3. In the Options window, click the Composition icon.
  4. Click the Addressing tab.
  5. Place a checkmark by Directory Server.
  6. Click the Edit Directories button.
  7. Click Add.
  8. In the General tab, enter:

    • Name: UIUC LDAP
    • Hostname: ldap.uiuc.edu
    • Base DN: dc=uiuc,dc=edu
  9. Click OK.
  10. Click OK again.
  11. Make sure that Directory Server is checked and UIUC LDAP is selected in the drop down menu.
  12. Click OK.
  13. Thunderbird is now configured for LDAP.

Looking up email addresses

In Thunderbird, addresses that match the pattern you've typed so far will be listed below the field you're typing in (typically the "to:" and "cc:" fields of a new email message). You can select one from the list of available options.

(If your information is not returned to you, contact the Help Desk at 244-7000 or consult@illinois.edu for assistance.)