VUB/ULB Computing Centre

How to configure your mailprogram
for POP access

Topics handled in this document

How does an email arrive on your computer

When an email is sent to your email address, it first arrives on a mailserver where it is stored temporarily until it is picked up with a mailprogram. (Well-known mailprograms for PC and Macintosh are Eudora, Outlook Express and Netscape Messenger though other mailprograms exist.)

In order to receive the messages on your local computer, you need to install and properly configure such a mailprogram. Elements you will have to specify are the incoming mailserver (POP or IMAP server), outgoing mailserver (SMTP server), your email address and your account name (username) on the server. Other parameters are to be filled in as well, though they are not essential to receive your email.

The difference between POP and IMAP

POP and IMAP are different ways (protocols) of managing your email. The biggest difference is that with POP all your messages will eventually be stored on your local computer while with IMAP your mail will be stored on the mailserver. This means that if you use IMAP to manage your mail your storage capabilities will be restricted to what you have on the server, whereas with POP you will in most cases be restricted to the capacity of the harddisk on your computer.

If you wish to use IMAP, it is also best to have a permanent network connection, as you will have to be online while managing your mail and mailboxes on the server. With POP, you connect once to the server to download newly arrived messages to your computer and to send new messages yourself, after which you close the network connection and do all management (moving messages to folders, deleting messages, etc...) offline.

IMAP is more ideal if you access your mail from (many) different computers, as all mail is stored on the server, and from wherever you connect to the server, you will see all your messages. If you manage your mail with POP, messages are transferred to your local computer, and, by default, removed from the server, though you can instruct your mailprogram to leave the messages on the server, in case you should wish to access your mails from another computer as well (e.g. the one at the university and the one at home).

If you access your mail from different computers, make sure that you do not access them from more than one computer at the time, or you will risk to loose messages. (make sure to close your mailprogram on one computer if you intend to access your messages from another computer later, e.g. the one at home and at the university)

Accessing your mail with Webmail

Webmail is a WWW interface for your mailbox on the server. You can read and send messages, and manage your mail in different folders from any computer connected to the Internet. The address of this webinterface is
http://webmail.ulb.ac.be/

Do note that if you only use Webmail to manage your mail you will have to save your messages into folders if you wish to keep particular messages, as the messages in the In folder (the incoming mailbox) will be removed by the system after a couple of weeks. Full details about this can be found in the Computing Centre's Mail Expiration Policy document.

Read also the section about accessing your mail from different computers/programs about the behaviour of other programs and the effects on your incoming mailbox on the server.

How to configure Eudora 3.1.3  or older

First this. The configuration settings on PC are indicated in the menu Tools/Options. The configuration settings on Mac are indicated in the menu Special/Settings. For the rest, all settings are the same.

Personal Information

  1. POP-account : username@pop.vub.ac.be or username@pop.ulb.ac.be
  2. Real Name: Your name (see Eudora 1.5.4 remark)
  3. Return Address: your email address, i.e. username@vub.ac.be or username@ulb.ac.be or, if you have one,  your alias (Firstname.Lastname@vub.ac.be or Firstname.Lastname@ulb.ac.be)
  4. Dialup Username: leave empty

Hosts

  1. SMTP host : if your computer is physically located at the university, please use smtp.vub.ac.be or smtp.ulb.ac.be ; if not, please use the outgoing mailserver of your Internet provider1
  2. PH server : ph.vub.ac.be or ph.ulb.ac.be
  3. Finger : leave empty

The ph server allows you to lookup names and phonenumbers in the electronic phonebook of the VUB or ULB (Windows/Directory services).

Remark for Eudora 1.5.4 users: do NOT include accents in the Real Name field. It will garble up your email address, and people will have trouble replying to you.

Also see the section below when you want to consult your email from different computers or with different mailprograms.

How to configure Eudora 4 and above

How to configure Eudora 4 and above for Macintosh

The preferences can be found in the menu Special/Settings.

Getting started

  1. Real name: Your name
  2. Username: your username/loginname on the server (example: dpeeters)
  3. Mail host: pop.vub.ac.be or pop.ulb.ac.be
  4. Return address: your email address, i.e. username@vub.ac.be or username@ulb.ac.be or, if you have one,  your alias (Firstname.Lastname@vub.ac.be or Firstname.Lastname@ulb.ac.be)

Hosts

  1. Mail: pop.vub.ac.be or pop.ulb.ac.be
  2. SMTP: if your computer is physically located at the university, please use smtp.vub.ac.be or smtp.ulb.ac.be ; if not, please use the outgoing mailserver of your Internet provider1
  3. Directory Services: ph.vub.ac.be or ph.ulb.ac.be
  4. Finger: leave empty

The ph server allows you to lookup names and phonenumbers in the electronic phonebook of the VUB or ULB (Windows/Directory services).

Also see the section below when you want to consult your email from different computers or with different mailprograms.

How to configure Eudora 4 and above for PC

The preferences can be found in the menu Tools/Options.

Getting started

  1. Real name: Your name
  2. Return address: your email address, i.e. username@vub.ac.be or username@ulb.ac.be or, if you have one,  your alias (Firstname.Lastname@vub.ac.be or Firstname.Lastname@ulb.ac.be)
  3. Mail server (incoming): pop.vub.ac.be or pop.ulb.ac.be
  4. Login name: your username/loginname on the server (example: dpeeters)
  5. SMTP server (outgoing): if your computer is physically located at the university, please use smtp.vub.ac.be or smtp.ulb.ac.be ; if not, please use the outgoing mailserver of your Internet provider1

To add the VUB or ULB phonebook server to the list of directory services (Tools/Directory services), you will have to proceed as follows:

  1. Select Tools/Directory services
  2. Select Ph in the "Protocols" window, and make a "New Database"
    1. Enter VUB or ULB as Server Name
    2. Enter ph.vub.ac.be or ph.ulb.ac.be as Hostname
    3. Port number is 105
  3. Then select VUB or ULB in the "Database" Window with Configured Servers.

Also see the section below when you want to consult your email from different computers or with different mailprograms.

How to configure more mailboxes in Eudora on one computer (Mac)

This explanation describes the different steps for installing separate mailboxes for different users on one computer. It assumes that Eudora user files are installed in the standard place, which normally is in the System Folder/Eudora Folder.

For each user who wishes to read his/her mail on the particular computer, every user needs to create a directory of himself in the System Folder/Eudora Folder, f.i. System Folder/Eudora Folder/Yourname

Then copy the file System Folder/Eudora Folder/Eudora Settings (note that "Settings" is part of the filename !) to each of the created user directories, and make an alias (Command-M) of that newly created Eudora Settings file. You can put this alias in the Apple menu or simply on the Desktop.

If you wish to start Eudora with a particular mailbox, simply double-click the alias icon. When you do this the first time, do not forget to configure your personalised Eudora settings as you would normally do so.

How to configure more mailboxes in Eudora on one PC

This explanation describes the different steps for installing separate mailboxes for different users on one computer. It assumes that Eudora has been installed into its standard place on the computer, that is C:\Eudora If this is not the case, change references to C:\Eudora by the one available on your computer.

For each user who wishes to read his/her mail on the particular computer, every user needs to create a directory of himself, f.i. C:\Eudora\Yourname

Then copy a file 'C:\Eudora\Eudora.INI' to each of the created user directories.

To have easy access to the mail of a particular person, you need to create a new "shortcut" by clicking the right mouse-button while being on the desktop. A window will open and you can type the following command on the Command Line of that shortcut:

C:\Eudora\Eudora.exe C:\Eudora\Yourname\Eudora.INI

Then click on the next button. Now you can give the shortcut a name , f.i. "Eudora Yourname". Click on finish and the setup is complete.

If you wish to start Eudora with a particular Mailbox, simply double-click the shortcut icon. When you do this the first time, do not forget to configure your personalised Eudora settings as you would normally do so.

How to configure Outlook Express on PC

Version 4, 5 and 6

Open the Tools/Accounts (Outils/Comptes) menu, and select the Mail (Courrier) item. Then either Add a new Mail entry, or modify an existing one by selecting it and then choosing Properties (Propriétés).

Adding a new entry

Adding a new entry runs through a registration procedure where you have to fill out the following details:

  1. Display Name: Your name (or email address if you have multiple addresses)
  2. E-mail address: your email address, i.e. username@vub.ac.be or username@ulb.ac.be or, if you have one,  your alias (Firstname.Lastname@vub.ac.be or Firstname.Lastname@ulb.ac.be)
  3. Incoming mail (POP) server: pop.vub.ac.be or pop.ulb.ac.be
  4. Outgoing mail (SMTP) server: if your computer is physically located at the university, please use smtp.vub.ac.be or smtp.ulb.ac.be ; if not, please use the outgoing mailserver of your Internet provider1
  5. Log on using
    • POP account name: your username/loginname, example dpeeters
  6. Internet mail account name: some name
  7. I will establish my Internet connection manually (this should leave the network settings unchanged)

All other options which are not mentioned above can be left as they are (default).

Also see the section below when you want to consult your email from different computers or with different mailprograms.

Modifying an entry

Changing an entry allows you to modify the settings of a particular "account":

  1. General section
    • Name: your name
    • E-mail address: your email address, i.e. username@vub.ac.be or username@ulb.ac.be or, if you have one,  your alias (Firstname.Lastname@vub.ac.be or Firstname.Lastname@ulb.ac.be)
    • Reply address: leave empty (unless you wish people to reply to a different email-address than the one entered in the E-mail address field)
  2. Servers section
    • Outgoing mail (SMTP): if your computer is physically located at the university, please use smtp.vub.ac.be or smtp.ulb.ac.be ; if not, please use the outgoing mailserver of your Internet provider1
    • Incoming mail (POP3): pop.vub.ac.be or pop.ulb.ac.be
    • Log on using
      • Account name: your username/loginname, example dpeeters

All other settings can be left as they are (default).

Also see the section below when you want to consult your email from different computers or with different mailprograms.

How to configure Outlook Express on Mac

Version 4 & 4.5

First open the preferences dialog box (Edit/Preferences menu), and select in the Accounts section the item E-mail. Then select one of the accounts in the small pop-up menu Mail accounts, or create a new account by clicking the New Account button , and fill out the following fields:
  1. Full name: Your name
  2. E-mail address: your email address, i.e. username@vub.ac.be or username@ulb.ac.be or, if you have one,  your alias (Firstname.Lastname@vub.ac.be or Firstname.Lastname@ulb.ac.be)
  3. SMTP server: if your computer is physically located at the university, please use smtp.vub.ac.be or smtp.ulb.ac.be ; if not, please use the outgoing mailserver of your Internet provider1
  4. Account ID: your username/loginname, example dpeeters
  5. POP server: pop.vub.ac.be or pop.ulb.ac.be
  6. Account name: your email address

Also see the section below when you want to consult your email from different computers or with different mailprograms.

Version 5

Open the Tools/Accounts menu and select Mail section. Then select one of the accounts in the small window and click on Edit to modify the settings, or create a new account by clicking the New button , and fill out the following fields in the Account Settings:
  1. Account name: your email address (this is just a reference)
  2. Name: Your name
  3. E-mail address: your email address, i.e. username@vub.ac.be or username@ulb.ac.be or, if you have one,  your alias (Firstname.Lastname@vub.ac.be or Firstname.Lastname@ulb.ac.be)
  4. Account ID: your username/loginname, example dpeeters
  5. POP server: pop.vub.ac.be or pop.ulb.ac.be
  6. SMTP server: if your computer is physically located at the university, please use smtp.vub.ac.be or smtp.ulb.ac.be ; if not, please use the outgoing mailserver of your Internet provider1

Also see the section below when you want to consult your email from different computers or with different mailprograms.

How to configure more mailboxes in Outlook Express on one computer

Outlook Express offers two ways of managing several mailboxes. There is the notion of 'accounts' which allows one person to manage more than one account in the same mailbox (if you have 2 mailboxes on different servers f.i.). More details on creating new accounts are described higher (PC or Macintosh).

The other notion are Identities. Each identity is a different person, and you can switch between identities. Identities are ideal for different persons to read and send mail on the same computer. You can even protect, in a limited form, access to an identity by a password.

Switching identities is done through the File menu. You can create a new identity, and switch from one identity to the other. After creating a new identity, you can then create a new account for this identity (PC or Macintosh) and you are set. In the top right corner of the mailbox (on PC), you will see which identity is currently working.

Note: you should not manage mailboxes from different persons by creating other accounts in the Main Identity. You should instead create another identity.

How to configure more mailboxes in Outlook Express on one PC

...

How to configure Outlook on PC

We're sorry, but we do not support Outlook for PC. Perhaps you may be confusing Outlook with Outlook Express for which you find the information higher up in this document. See below to find out the generic settings to configure your mailprogram.

Generic settings to configure your POP mailprogram

For those mailprograms that we cannot support, here is the required information to configure other mailprograms. If you know where to change the configuration settings of your mailprogram, you can use the specifications below.

Also see the section below when you want to consult your email from different computers or with different mailprograms.

How to access your mail from a computer not at VUB/ULB

The settings to access your incoming mail from the server at the university are the same as when accessing your mail at a VUB/ULB computer, except for the SMTP server. Use the SMTP server of your provider.

Note: if your provider is the university itself, just use smtp.ulb.ac.be or smtp.vub.ac.be as the SMTP server.

Alternatively, use Webmail to access your incoming mailbox.

Do note the remarks made in the next section about accessing your incoming mailbox from a second computer.

Note: some Internet providers do not allow you to send email with another address than the one they provided !

How to access your mail from a second computer or mailprogram

As explained earlier, POP programs such as Eudora and Outlook Express normally remove the messages from your incoming mailbox on the server once they have been transferred to your local computer (see How does mail arrive on your computer). If you plan to read your mail from different computers, or with different mailprograms (such as Eudora, Outlook, and Webmail) this may be very inconvenient.

Most mailprograms offer the possibility of leaving already read mail on the server. While we prefer that you do not select this option, it is more or less required to do so if you read your mail from different computers. The next paragraphs explain where you can find the relevant options. Please also activate options to keep the messages on the server for a limited number of days.

Important: Never access your mail on the server with two different programs at the same time, especially when using Webmail2 and a POP-based mailprogram such as Eudora or Outlook, or your mailbox on the server may become unreadable and you may lose email.

Eudora (all versions)

In the configuration, select the item 'Checking Mail'. There you will find the following options:

To prevent Eudora from removing mail from the server once the messages have been transferred to your personal computer, select the option 'Leave on server'.  Eudora 3 and higher allows you to specify the maximum number of days for messages to remain on the server. If you have Eudora 3 or higher, please use this option and set it to the period that you will need to retrieve all messages on both computers (preferably less than 15 days).

The option 'Delete from server when emptied from Trash' removes messages from the server when *you* delete them from Trash. This is also helpful to remove messages that you do not wish to keep at all on either computer.

Outlook Express PC (all versions)

To leave messages in the incoming mailbox on the mailserver, change a setting in the Outlook Express Account Preferences. Do as follows:

  1. Select Tools/Accounts (Outils/Comptes) (a window will open)
  2. Choose Mail (Courrier)
  3. Select the mail account of your choice, and click on Properties (Propriétes) (another window will be shown)
  4. Select the advanced section (Avancé)
  5. See the item Delivery (???), and select the item 'Leave a copy of the messages on server' (???)
  6. If possible, specify a number of days to limit the size of your mailbox on the server (Remove from server after ... days (???)), e.g. 7 or 15 days

Outlook Express Mac version 4

To leave messages in the incoming mailbox on the mailserver, you have to change a setting in the Outlook Express Account Preferences. Do as follows:

  1. Select Edit/Preferences (a window will open)
  2. In the Accounts/E-mail select the Mail account of your choice
  3. Select the Advanced section
  4. In Server Settings, make sure the item 'Leave a copy of the messages on server' is selected

Outlook Express Mac version 5

To leave messages in the incoming mailbox on the mailserver, change a setting in the Outlook Express Account Preferences. Do as follows:

  1. Select Tools/Accounts (a window will open)
  2. Choose the Mail section
  3. Select the mail account of your choice, and click on Edit (another window will be shown)
  4. Select the Options
  5. See the item Server Options, and make sure the item 'Leave a copy of each message on the server' is selected
  6. If possible, please also specify a number of days to limit the size of your mailbox on the server (Delete messages from the server after ... days), f.i. 7 or 15 days

Making back-ups of your mail

If you use a POP program such as Eudora and Outlook Express, you will manage all your mail on your local computer. As a result, you will have to make back-ups of your mailfolders yourself.

If you use IMAP to manage your messages, your messages are stored on the server. It then depends on the administrators on the server if your messages are backed up or not. On MACH (aka imap.vub.ac.be/imap.ulb.ac.be aka pop.vub.ac.be/pop.ulb.ac.be) your folders and mailboxes are backed up. (the default IMAP server for ULB's Webmail is MACH so your folders are backed up on the server)

Note: if your mailfolders are stored on a server such as an NT or UNIX server, your folders could be backed up by the server. At the university this is the case for computers in the public computerrooms in buildings B, K and D (Jette).

How to forward your mail to another email address

If you have several email addresses, you might wish that all your mail arrives at the same place. Some mailprograms do allow you to retrieve mail from different servers (through Accounts or Personalities), but you may also want to send all your mail to one address and retrieve it there. To do the latter, "forward" your mail to another address.

On the MACH/POP/IMAP mailserver you have this option. For all details on how to do this, please see the following webpage

http://www.vub.ac.be/BFUCC/doc/faq/qna/forward.html
VUB/ULB Computing Centre,
Created: 16 October 2000, Last update: 21 September 2004
Email: support@vub.ac.be