Configuring Apple's OS X Mail

Problem: How do I set up Apple's OS X Mail for use with Cornell's IMAP and POP environments?

Solution:

OS X Mail is included with Mac OS X and works with Cornell's e-mail environment. OS X Mail is not supported by CIT, but if you would like to use it, here is how to configure it for use by one person on a personal computer.

You can have OS X Mail handle your mail by using POP or using IMAP. To decide which one is better for you, see http://www.cit.cornell.edu/computer/email/imap-pop.html

Set up OS X Mail using: POP | IMAP

Set up OS X Mail using POP

Set Your Mail Preference in Who I Am

Before you can access your Cornell e-mail account, you need to specify that you want to receive electronic mail via Cornell's postoffice system. If you are already set up to receive e-mail, you need to know which postoffice you're currently on. Find out at Who I Am.

Configure OS X Mail for Use with POP

1. Start OS X Mail. In the Mail menu, choose Preferences.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click the Add (+) button at the bottom.
4. Select the Account Information tab.



5. Set the Account Type to POP.
6. In the Description box, enter a name for this account (for example, Cornell POP).
7. In the Email Address box, type your NetID plus @cornell.edu (for example, ewe2@cornell.edu). This is your e-mail address.
8. In the Full Name box, type your full name as you want it to appear in messages you send out. You can use both upper- and lowercase letters here.
9. In the Incoming Mail Server box, type the postoffice part of your address as it appeared in Who I Am.
10. In the User Name box, type your NetID (for example, ewe2).
11. Leave the Password box blank.
12. Select Add Server in the Outgoing Mail Server box. A new dialog will come up.



1. In the Outgoing Mail Server box, type authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu.
2. The Server Port box should say 25.
3. Make sure the Use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) box is NOT checked.
4. In the Authentication popup, select Kerberos Version 5 (GSSAPI).
5. Make sure your User Name is set to your Cornell NetID.
6. Leave the password field blank.
7. Click OK.
13. Now select the Advanced tab.



14. Check the boxes for Enable this account and Include when automatically checking for new mail.
15. Select the options you would like for Remove copy from server after retrieving a message.
16. Click on the Choose button to select your mail directory only if you want to use a directory other than the default directory, which is your home directory on the Mac followed by /Library/Mail.
17. a. If you want to use Kerberos: In the Port box, type 110. Set Authentication to Kerberos Version 5 (GSSAPI).
    b. If you want to use TLS (SSL): Select the check box that says "Use SSL". The port number should change to 995.
18. Click OK, then close the Accounts dialog box.

Set up OS X Mail using IMAP

Set Your Mail Preference in Who I Am

Before you can access your Cornell e-mail account, you need to specify that you want to receive electronic mail via Cornell's postoffice system. If you are already set up to receive e-mail, you need to know which postoffice you're currently on. Find out at Who I Am.

Configure OS X Mail for Use with IMAP

Some of your information may already be filled out. Check to see that your entries match the guidelines given here.

1. Start OS X Mail and go to OS X Mail's Preferences.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. If you previously set up a Cornell POP mail account, you can't convert it here to IMAP. Select the account description and click on the Edit button. Select the Advanced tab and uncheck the Include when automatically checking for new mail box. Click OK.
4. Click the Add (+) button at the bottom.
5. Select the Account Information tab.



6. Set the Account Type: to IMAP.
7. In the Description box, enter a name for this account (for example, Cornell IMAP).
8. In the Email Address box, type your NetID plus @cornell.edu (for example, ewe2@cornell.edu). This is your e-mail address.
9. In the Full Name box, type your full name as you want it to appear in messages you send out. You can use both upper- and lowercase letters here.
10. In the Incoming Mail Server box, type your postoffice address (for example: postoffice8.mail.cornell.edu).
11. In the User name box, type your NetID (for example, ewe2).
12. Leave the Password box blank.
13. Select Add Server in the Outgoing Mail Server box. A new dialog will come up.



1. In the Outgoing Mail Server box, type authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu.
2. The Server Port box should say 25.
3. Make sure the Use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) box is NOT checked.
4. In the Authentication popup, select Kerberos Version 5 (GSSAPI).
5. Make sure your User Name is set to your Cornell NetID.
6. Leave the password field blank.
7. Click OK.
14. Now select the Advanced tab.



15. Check the boxes for Enable this account and Include when automatically checking for new mail.
16. Click on the Choose button to select your mail directory only if you want to use a directory other than the default directory, which is your home directory on the Mac followed by /Library/Mail.
17. Under Keep copies of messages for offline viewing, select the option you would like to use.
18. In the IMAP Path Prefix box, type INBOX. Use all uppercase letters.
19. a. If you want to use Kerberos: In the Port box, type 143. Set Authentication to Kerberos Version 5 (GSSAPI).
    b. If you want to use TLS (SSL): Select the check box that says "Use SSL." The port number should change to 993.
20. Click OK, then close the Accounts dialog box.

Important note for IMAP users behind a NAT or router

The default Kerberos preferences file CIT distributed in the past ("edu.mit.Kerberos" in the /Library/Preferences folder) does not include a setting needed to get Kerberos version 5 credentials from behind a NAT or router.

Kerberos 5, by default, tries to be more secure by comparing your computer's IP address at your end to the IP address the server sees. If you are behind a NAT or router (such as a broadband router or wireless access point) that gives you a dummy local-network address, the addresses won't match.

An updated Kerberos preference file will be on the Bear Access web page, but is not there yet. If you use multiple Kerberos realms (you need Kerberos credentials in other than the CIT.CORNELL.EDU realm), do not download this file. You will lose your special realm setups.

To modify the Kerberos preference file you already have, add "noaddresses = true" to your "edu.mit.Kerberos" preference file's [libdefaults] section. It should end up looking like this:

[libdefaults]
default_realm = CIT.CORNELL.EDU
ticket_lifetime = 600
default_tkt_enctypes = des-cbc-crc
default_tgs_enctypes = des-cbc-crc
noaddresses = true