# Setting up your personal email account

> All your emails at Example orga is accessed from your user account at **mail.example.org**

As a user at Example orga,
you can use your [[account]] to send and receive emails.

All emails you receive will end in your account at **mail.example.org**.
You can access them using either a web browser or a dedicated email application.


## Special strings

NB! This documentation includes the following special strings
used e.g. when generating a documentation website:

organisation: Example orga
webmailhost: mail.example.org
domain: example.org

contact_sysadmins: contact sysadmins


## Addresses

Your account name is used as your default email address -
i.e. if your account is **janedoe**
then you have the email address **janedoe@example.org**.

You can have additional addresses.
Please contact sysadmins if you need that.

All emails sent to you will be received at your personal account,
no matter which of your email addresses was used.


## Webmail setup

Webmail is probably the simplest way to reach your emails. Somewhat like
HoTMaiL but without advertisements.

The website <https://mail.example.org/> offers several webmail applications,
each with different strengths and weaknesses.

The topmost of the webmail applications, IMP, is recommended, due to its most
complete functionality. It provides access to changing your account
[[password]].

Same website also lists some alternative websites also offering webmail access
to accounts at Example orga. Save those addresses on your own
computer, for the case of the primary webmail service one day being out of
order.

Entering webmail, step by step:

 1. Go to <https://mail.example.org/>
 2. Pick the topmost webmail application, IMP
 3. Login using your personal username and password


## Recommended setup of local email program

If you have a computer of your own, it is recommended to use a "real" email
application in favor of webmail. It works faster and is more stable. It is also
puts less burden on the server.

 1. Download [Mozilla Thunderbird](http://www.mozilla.com/thunderbird)

    (!) Other email programs work too, but Mozilla Thunderbird is considered
    most reliable, while still both userfriendly and
    [free](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software).

 2. Create an "imap" account

    (!) The alternative, pop3 (suggested by default in many applications), is
    less flexible - e.g. does not work well concurrently with webmail access to
    your emails.

 3. Use your provided username and **mail.example.org** as both
    incoming and outgoing server
 4. Enable encryption for incoming mail (imap or pop3):
    * Enable "SSL" (also called "secure connection")
 5. Enable encryption for outgoing mail (smtp):
    1. Enable "SSL"
    2. Change port number from the standard 25 to 465 (Mozilla Thunderbird does
       this automatically)
    3. Enable authentication, using same username and password as for your
       incoming mail

    /!\ Avoid "TLS" (also called "secure *passwords*") - it does not work
    together with SSL.

Many email applications help you setting up your account using a "wizard".
Unfortunately security setup is often left out from such routines.  
If you are guided by a wizard, you therefore afterwards need to manually check
that the configuration produced match the above instructions.

/!\ Some applications stash away security options (SSL, password etc.) below 
"advanced settings" or similar.


## Special quirks with Apple Mail

The default setting for some versions of Apple Mail is to leave a copy of all
your emails on the server, even when deleted in the application.

If you use Apple Mail, you need to avoid filling up your
[[allowed disk space|quota/intro]] by changing that behaviour:

 1. Open "Mail"
 2. Go to Preferences > Accounts > Advanced
 3. Check "remove copy from server after retrieving a message"


## External links

The help texts at riseup.net is generally good, as their system works much like
this. Just remember to use **mail.example.org** whenever
"mail.riseup.net" is mentioned.

 * [Setting up email applications](http://help.riseup.net/mail/mail-clients/)
 * [Avoiding "leave on server" with pop3](https://support.tigertech.net/mac-mail-lmos)