Configuring Thunderbird for Rutgers-Camden Email	Printer Friendly
Computing Services Information Document	PC/Windows

Existing Users and Secure Services

If you have already setup Thunderbird for use with Rutgers-Camden email servers, then you should simply confirm your settings for incoming and outgoing email. This can be accomplished as follows (whether you use POP or IMAP):

1. Launch Thunderbird.
2. Go to the "Tools" menu and select "Account Settings..."
3. In the left column, click the "Server Settings" under the appropriate account.
4. On the right side, select the SSL radio button.
5. In the left column, click the "Outgoing Server (SMTP)" entry.
6. On the right side, select the appropriate account entry and then click the "Edit..." button.
7. Select the TLS radio button.
8. NOTE: If you are using email.clam.rutgers.edu or email.crab.rutgers.edu for your "Server Name:" entry, then make sure to do all of the following as well:
   1. Check the Use name and password box.
   2. Enter your personal NetID (all lowercase, i.e., netid) in the "User Name" field.
9. Click the "OK" button to close this small window.
NOTE: Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) insist that you use their own SMTP servers for sending mail. If, after using the settings above, you find that you can not send email (especially if you can receive/read emails), please contact your ISP for the required SMTP settings.
10. Click the "OK" button to save your settings and close the settings window.

If you are moving from the use of POP to IMAP, you should check with your departmental UCS/IT support staff before doing so!

New users, or users setting up Thunderbird for use with Rutgers-Camden email servers for the very first time, should follow the instructions below.
Faculty/staff should use email.crab.rutgers.edu for their email server. Screenshots (below) are of student settings.

General Information

This web page contains instructions for configuring the Mozilla Thunderbird email program for use with Rutgers-Camden mail servers. The instructions below will setup an IMAP account using secure connections for sending and receiving email. The instructions also include the use of SMTP Authentication, so that Rutgers-Camden mail servers can be used to both send and receive email. For general information on email at Rutgers, please visit the main email web page found here.
Please note that the information in this document is based on Thunderbird v2.x for Windows; however, the settings described below may apply equally to other versions of Thunderbird on Windows. Using the latest available version of Thunderbird is highly recommended, and can be found here.

Follow the below instructions after downloading and installing Thunderbird.

Getting Started

If you are converting from a different email program, you may have the option of importing your existing email. Further information is provided in step #2 of "Configure Thunderbird," below, and near the end of this document.

If you are upgrading an existing version, the newer version should automatically use your old settings.

If you are moving from the use of POP to IMAP, you should check with your departmental UCS/IT support staff before using these instructions.

In any case, make sure that any other email programs are closed/quit before proceeding.

Configure Thunderbird

1. Launch Thunderbird.
2. If you have never opened or configured Thunderbird before, you will be shown an optional import prompt. Importing from another email program, if applicable, is up to you, keeping in mind that not all programs or file types are supported for importation.
   If you already have an existing Thunderbird account, you should use the "File" menu and select "New" and then "Account" to create a new Rutgers-Camden account.
3. The next screen will ask you to setup a new account. Choose "Email Account" and click the Next > button.
4. The "Identity" screen should be setup using your name and email address, i.e., netid@camden.rutgers.edu and replacing "netid" with your personal NetID (all lowercase).

Here is a sample screenshot:

5. Click the Next > button.
6. The "Server Information" screen should be setup as follows:
   1. Students (clam users):
      • Type of server = IMAP
      • Incoming Server: email.clam.rutgers.edu
      • Outgoing Server: email.clam.rutgers.edu
   2. Faculty/Staff (crab users):
      • Type of server = IMAP
      • Incoming Server: email.crab.rutgers.edu
      • Outgoing Server: email.crab.rutgers.edu

Here is a sample screenshot:

7. Click the Next > button.
8. Enter your personal NetID (all lowercase, i.e., netid) in the "User Names" screen.

Here is a sample screenshot:

9. Click the Next > button.
10. Enter a name for this account (i.e., Rutgers-Camden) in the "Account Name" screen.

Here is a sample screenshot:

11. Click the Next > button.
12. Confirm your information at the summary page and click the Finish button.

Here is a sample screenshot:

13. Thunderbird will open the main mail window and prompt you for your password. Enter the password for your personal NetID and click the OK button. Checking the box to save your password is optional, but not recommended.

Here is a sample screenshot:

14. Click on your Rutgers-Camden account in the left column and then click the "View settings for this account" link on the right.
    NOTE: You can also reach this area by selecting "Account Settings..." from the "Tools" menu.

Here is a sample screenshot:

15. Click on the appropriate name in the left column to open each category settings.
16. The account settings should already be partially completed. You can add/edit other information optionally, but make sure that the following is entered:
    • Your Name: your name as you wish it to appear on outgoing email.
    • Email Address: netid@camden.rutgers.edu, with netid being replaced by your personal NetID.

Here is a sample screenshot:

17. The "Server Settings" should already be partially completed. You can add/edit other information optionally, but make sure that the following is entered/selected:
    • Server Name:
      • Students (clam users) enter email.clam.rutgers.edu
      • Faculty/staff (crab users) enter email.crab.rutgers.edu
    • User Name: Your personal NetID (all lowercase, i.e., netid).
    • Select the SSL option.
    • DO NOT CHECK the "Use secure authentication" box.
    • NOTE: Thunderbird should find and use a remote/server "Trash" folder, if you have one. If not, Thunderbird will automatically create this folder for you. By default, Thunderbird will move deleted messages to this folder. If you encounter any errors, please contact help@camden.rutgers.edu.
    • The following are recommended, and will purge deleted messages when you close Thunderbird:
      • Clean up ('Expunge') Inbox on Exit
      • Empty Trash on Exit
      • NOTE: If you do not select the above, you should be sure to use the "File" menu to "Empty Trash" for each Trash folder ("Local Folders," "Rutgers-Camden" and/or any others).

Here is a sample screenshot:

18. By default, Thunderbird sets the "Copies & Folders" options to create and use a "Sent," "Drafts" and "Templates" folder under your "Rutgers-Camden" folder list, instead of those in the "Local Folders" list (the latter being stored and only available on your local computer system, rather than on the Rutgers server). Before continuing, you should note that additional mail stored on the server will count towards your account quota limit. For more information on managing your quota, please see the Managing Your NetID (account) Quota document. For information on how to adjust these settings and the ramifications of same, please see the Advanced Thunderbird Settings page.
19. Other settings screens are completely optional, and can be left alone; however, you must edit the "Outgoing Server (SMTP)" settings.
20. The "Outgoing Server (SMTP)" settings should already be partially completed. You can add/edit other information optionally, but make sure that the following is entered/selected by highlighting the "Rutgers-Camden" entry and clicking the Edit... button:
    • Server Name:
      • Students (clam users) enter email.clam.rutgers.edu
      • Faculty/staff (crab users) enter email.crab.rutgers.edu
    • Check the "Use name and password" box.
    • User Name: Your personal NetID (all lowercase, i.e., netid).
    • Select the TLS option for the "Use secure connection" area.
      NOTE: Norton/Symantec products may interfere with your ability to send email. If you have trouble sending email, and are using Norton Anti-Virus or SystemWorks (or similar), you will need to disable outgoing email scanning. We highly recommend the use of "RADS", available free to the Rutgers community. If switching, you may wish to uninstall Norton/Symantec products before installing any replacements.
    
    NOTE: Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) insist that you use their own SMTP servers for sending mail. If, after using the settings above, you find that you cannot send email (especially if you can receive/read emails), please contact your ISP for the required SMTP settings.

Here is a sample screenshot:

NOTE: After clicking the OK button, your settings will be updated on the "Outgoing Server (SMTP)" screen.
Here is a sample screenshot:

21. Click the OK button to save your settings.
22. Select "Junk Mail Controls..." from the "Tools" menu.
23. By default, Thunderbird's built-in "Junk Mail Controls" are enabled, but they are not set to move or delete junk/spam messages. Although Rutgers email servers already utilize spam filtering, you may find the additional use of Thunderbird's filtering useful. For more information on university-based spam filtering, and your individual use of same, please see the Spam Filtering page. For information on how to adjust Thunderbird's Junk Mail settings and the ramifications of same, please see the Advanced Thunderbird Settings page.
24. Click the OK button to return to the main Thunderbird window.

Using Thunderbird

You may wish to quit and relaunch Thunderbird to make sure that your new settings fully take effect.

If you wish to import existing email or address books, go to the "Tools" menu and choose the "Import..." option. Follow the prompts, keeping in mind that not all programs or file types are supported for importation.
If your email program is not listed, please contact help@camden.rutgers.edu for more information.

Some advanced topics are addressed on the Advanced Thunderbird Settings page.

Questions/Comments/Concerns

Additional information on configuring and using Thunderbird beyond the above can be found by going to the "Help" menu in Thunderbird.

If you have any difficulty with any of the above, please contact help@camden.rutgers.edu for more information.