Skip Navigation

Configure for UMail: Thunderbird for Linux

Software: Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0

Operating System: Linux

Note: These instructions follow the version of the software noted above. For other versions, there may be some variation, but the information below should serve as a guide to get you started. To identify the version of your software, look for the About link in the software's main or Help menu.

  1. Open Mozilla Thunderbird. The first time you launch Thunderbird, the Import Wizard will ask you if you want to import Options, Account Settings, Address Book and other data. Click Don't import anything, then Next.
    Note: If this is not the first time you open Thunderbird, to access the Account Wizard:
    • Go to Edit > Accounts Settings. The Account Settings window will open.
    • In the Account Settings window, click Add Account. The Account Wizard will open.

  2. In the Account Wizard, under New Account Setup, select Email account and click Next. The Identity screen will open.
  3. On the Identity screen:
    • In the Your Name field, enter your name.
      Note: This will appear in the From field of your outgoing messages.
    • In the Email Address field, enter your UMail address (e.g., xxyy@student.umass.edu).
    • Click Next. The Server Information screen will open.
  4. On the Server Information screen:
    • Under Select the type of incoming server you are using, select IMAP.
    • In the Incoming Server field, enter mail-?.oit.umass.edu where ? is the first letter of your OIT Account NetID.
    • In the Outgoing Server field, enter mail-auth.oit.umass.edu.
    • Click Next.The User Names screen will open.
  5. On the User Names screen:
    • In the Incoming User Name: field, enter your NetID.
    • In the Outgoing User Name: field, enter your NetID again.
    • Click Next. The Account Name screen will open.
  6. On the Account Name screen, in the field next to Account Name:, enter a name for your account (e.g., My UMail) and click Next. A Congratulations! screen will open.
  7. On the Congratulations screen, verify your information, then click Finish. You will return to Thunderbird.
  8. In Thunderbird, go to Edit > Account Settings...
  9. In the Account Settings window, in the panel at left under the heading for your UMail account, click Server Settings. The Server Settings screen will open.
  10. On the Server Settings screen, under Security Settings, select SSL. The Port number will change to 993.
  11. Still in the Account Settings window, in the panel at left, click Outgoing Server (SMTP). The Outgoing Server (SMTP) Settings screen will open.
  12. On the Outgoing Server (SMTP) Settings screen, select the outgoing server for your account (mail-auth.oit.umass.edu) and click Edit. The SMTP Server window will open.
  13. In the SMTP Server window, under Use secure connection:, select SSL. The port number above will change to 465. Click OK. You will return to the Account Settings window.
  14. In the Account Settings window, click OK. You will return to Thunderbird.
  15. To view your email messages, click Get Mail (upper left corner in the Mozilla Thunderbird main window). You will be prompted for your OIT Account password.
    Note: We recommend that you do not select Use Password Manager to remember this password. If you do, anyone who has access to your computer can read your email, delete and send messages in your name.
  16. To check that your outgoing mail settings are correct, use Mozilla Thunderbird to send a message to your UMail address. The message should appear momentarily in your Mozilla Thunderbird inbox.

Congratulations! Mozilla Thunderbird is now configured to send and receive messages for your UMail account.

Now that you've finished setting up your Mozilla Thunderbird to access UMail, we suggest that you configure your software to look up UMass Amherst email addresses. To learn how, follow the link under Related Pages, below.

Related Pages

Need Help?

If you encounter problems, submit an online Help Request.
- or -
Contact the OIT Help Desk at 545-9400.

Last revised September 25, 2009