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Tuesday November 24th, 2009 » Fall Quarter, Week 9

 

OIT > E-mail > Webmail FAQ

Webmail Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Summary: OIT offers a Web based e-mail client for use with our mail servers. Login with your UCInetID and password for access to your e-mail anywhere with a browser and Internet connection.

Related Information

Webmail Questions

  1. I want to use the Trash folder when I delete a message instead of automatically deleting it forever. Is there a way to change this?
  2. Webmail keeps "timing out" and I lose my connection. Is there a solution?
  3. Where are my folders in Webmail?
  4. My e-mail is not on the OIT servers. Do you have a list of other Webmail servers?
  5. Can I use Webmail with my phone or PDA?
  6. How do I use the UCI directory with Webmail?
  7. I'm over quota and Webmail won't let me delete my messages. Is there a way to fix this?
  8. How can I view HTML formatted e-mail in Webmail?
  9. How can I display images in Webmail?

General Email Questions

  1. How do you sign up for e-mail at UCI?
  2. What are the quota limits for e-mail accounts?
  3. How do I check my e-mail quota?
  4. What is the maximum amount of data I can send in e-mail?
  5. I want to have my UCI e-mail delivered or forwarded to another address. How may I set that up?
  6. I want to check my e-mail with an e-mail program like Thunderbird, Outlook, Apple Mail, etc. Where can I find configuration instructions?
  7. I have created a new folder for my e-mail using IMAP, but I can't see it.
  8. Where can I set up spam filters?
  9. I am going to be away from my e-mail. Can I set up a message letting people know I'll be away?
  10. Can I set up an e-mail address based on my full name?
  11. What are some things I can do to use e-mail more safely?

Webmail Questions

1. I want to use the Trash folder when I delete a message instead of automatically deleting it forever. Is there a way to change this?
In order to use "Trash", you will need to update your preferences by visiting "Options" > "Folder Preferences" > "Special Folder Options". There you will be able to select the "Trash" folder from a drop-down menu.
2. Webmail keeps "timing out" and I lose my connection. Is there a solution?
You can make the following changes to your Webmail preferences.
1. Click on the "Options" link at the top of the screen.
2. Click on the "Folder Preferences" link.
3. Select the item, "Auto Refresh Folder List" and choose a time in minutes. The folder list will be refreshed every X amount of minutes and the system will not time out.
Caution: Make sure to log out or quit your Web browser when you are done to prevent others from using your e-mail account.
3. Where are my folders in Webmail?
In the new Webmail, your existing mail folders should be visible in the "Folders" list on the left-hand side of the display. If your folders are not immediately visible, click "refresh folder list." (Figure 1)
Refresh Folder List
Figure 1
If your folders still do not appear, it may be necessary to "subscribe" to your folders. Do the following:
Webmail Folders Link
Figure 2
  1. Click on the "Folders" link at the top of the page. (Figure 2)
  2. Under the "Unsubscribe/Subscribe" section, select one or more available folders.
    Windows - Control click to select multiple folders. Shift click to select contiguous folders.
    Macintosh - Command click to select multiple folders. Shift click to select contiguous folders.
  3. When finished, click "Subscribe".
  4. Click "refresh folder list" in the blue "Folders" section and your subscribed folders should appear.
4. My e-mail is not on the OIT servers. Do you have a list of other Webmail servers?
Many departments who operate local mail servers have established web-based interfaces (Webmail) for those servers. Contact the e-mail administrators in your department for details.

For a list of other known Webmail servers at UCI visit the Webmail Login page.
 
5. Can I check mail with my cell phone or PDA?
An alternate Webmail interface is optimized for a mobile setting; you cannot create or send new messages, and only messages in the Inbox are available to be read. To login via this interface, please point your device's WML browser to: http://www.oit.uci.edu/wml/
6. How do I use the UCI directory from Webmail?
When you compose a message, you can search your personal address book or the UCI directory.
  1. Click "Compose" to begin a new e-mail message.
    Webmail Compose
  2. In the Compose screen, click the "Addresses" button to search for an e-mail address.
    Webmail Addresses
  3. Type in the name of the person you are searching for and select "All address books". Both your personal address book and the UCI directory will be searched.
    Webmail Search Addresses
  4. Select the name of the person you are searching for and click the "Use Addresses" button.
7. I'm over my e-mail quota but Webmail won't let me delete my messages. Is there a way to fix this?
You will need to contact the OIT Response Center at (949) 824-2222 to temporarily increase your quota. This will allow you to delete messages and get back under quota.
8. How can I view HTML formatted e-mail in Webmail?
By default, Webmail will not display the formatted versions of HTML messages. To view the HTML formatting of an individual message, click the View as HTML options link at the top of the displayed message.

You may also change your settings so that all HTML messages are displayed with formatting. Go to Options > Display Preferences and select HTML Version by Default. Click the Submit button at the bottom of the Options page. Because HTML messages are a common way of getting people to execute malicious code on their computers, it is a good idea to be very careful in viewing HTML messages from senders you do not know.
9. How can I display images in Webmail?
By default, when Webmail displays a message with HTML formatting, it will not display images which are linked from other web sites, but instead replaces them with the words "This image has been removed for security reasons." Linked images can be use to verify your address or indicate you have read a message, which some consider to be a privacy concern, but in sometimes can also cause malicious code to be executed on your computer (see also http://squirrelmail.org/wiki/UnsafeImages).

 To view the linked images in a displayed message, click the View Unsafe Images options link at the top of the displayed message.  You may also click the Always trust images from this sender options link so that linked images in all future messages from this sender are displayed.  To change your general settings so that linked images are displayed in some or all HTML-formatted messages, go to Options->Unsafe Image Rules and select the set of rules that you wish, then click the Submit button at the end of the options page.

General E-mail Questions

10. How do you sign up for e-mail at UCI?
OIT provides basic e-mail services (OIT MailBox Services) for all faculty, staff and students. People with Sponsored UCInetIDs can also get an e-mail account. To sign up for e-mail, you need to activate your UCInetID. Some departments also provide e-mail accounts locally. Check with your Computing Support Coordinator.
11. What are the quota limits for e-mail accounts?
Quota limits differ for faculty, staff and students. Information on quota limits can be found on the Quota web page.
12. How do I check my e-mail quota?
Login to My Email Options to check your quota and see how much of your Inbox and Home Directory space you are using. If you are at or near the limits, you should delete old messages or move them to your local computer.
13. What is the maximum amount of data I can send in e-mail?
You can send up to 30 MB in e-mail, but this includes your e-mail message and any attachments.
14. I want to have my UCI e-mail delivered or forwarded to another address. How may I set that up?
If you want to have your UCI e-mail delivered to another address, you need to change your "delivery point" through PhUpdate. We have instructions available to help you change your delivery point.
[ Email Delivery Point Instructions ]
15. I want to check my e-mail with a program like Thunderbird, Outlook, Apple Mail, etc. Where can I find configuration instructions?
Another way of checking your UCI e-mail is through a software program. We have written instructions to help you set up your software.
[ Email Software Setup Instructions ]
16. I have created a new folder for my e-mail using IMAP, but I can't see it.
IMAP folders are stored on the server. We have instructions to help you subscribe to your IMAP folders if they are not showing up automatically. You may have to subscribe to the spam folders set up by my Email Options if they do not appear automatically.
17. Where can I set up spam filters?
We check incoming e-mail to try to determine if it is spam. Login to My Email Options to set up filter preferences to move them out of your Inbox into a new "SPAM" folder. No automated technique can determine with 100% accuracy if a message is spam. Check your "SPAM" folder regularly for legitimate messages that were incorrectly marked as spam, as well as to delete the actual spam.
18. I am going to be away from my e-mail. Can I set up a message letting people know I'll be away?
You can create an automated reply message when you are away using Vacation Response on My Email Options. You will need to remember to turn your Vacation Response off when you return.
19. Can I set up an e-mail address based on my full name?
Faculty, Staff and Graduate Students can choose an additional e-mail address based on their full names using My.Name. (Login Required)
20. What are some things I can do to use e-mail more safely?
What are some things I can do to use e-mail more safely?
We recommend the following safety tips for using e-mail.
1. Don't open unexpected attachments.
2. Use spam filters.
3. Beware of spoof or phishing e-mails.
4. Don't send sensitive data in e-mail.
5. Avoid clicking on links in the body of a message.
More detailed information can be found on the Safe Computing Web Site.