Setting up your personal email account
As a user at this system you have been given a single [[account]]. Tied to this account is an email address (or possibly more than one).
All incoming emails are delivered to the inbox of your personal account (ie. same location no matter if you have more addresses attached).
Webmail setup
Webmail is probably the simplest way to reach your emails. Somewhat like HoTMaiL but without advertisements and with fewer spam mails.
One common website (contact your technicians for its location) offers several webmail applications, each with different strengths and weaknesses.
The topmost application, IMP, is recommended, due to its most complete functionality. It provides access to changing your account [[password|password.en]].
Same website also lists some alternative websites also offering webmail access to Homebase accounts. Save those addresses on your own computer, for the case of the primary website one day being out of order.
Entering webmail, step by step:
- Go to the webmail website (contact your technicians for its location)
- Pick the topmost webmail application, IMP.
- 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 instead webmail. It works faster and is more stable. It is also puts less burden on the server.
-
Download Mozilla Thunderbird.
(!) Other email programs work too, but Mozilla Thunderbird is considered most reliable, while still both userfriendly and free.
-
Create an "imap" account.
(!) The alternative, pop3 (suggested by default in most applications), is less flexible - e.g. does not work well concurrently with webmail access to your emails.
-
Use your provided username, and the hostname provided by your technicians, as both incoming and outgoing server.
-
Enable encryption for incoming mail (imap or pop3):
- Enable "SSL" connection (also called "secure connection")
- Enable encryption for outgoing mail (smtp):
- Enable "SSL" connection.
- Change port number from the standard 25 to 465 (Mozilla Thunderbird does this automatically)
- 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 such routines often ignores security aspects required at this system.
So most probably you will have to first use the wizard and then manually enter "advanced settings" and enable some security options.
When you enable the improved security, the email application might complain that it does not trust the mail server.
You then need to accept the "security certificate" used at this system (see external reference to riseup.net at the bottom of this page). This is not needed with Mozilla Thunderbird.
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 deleted ones.
If you use Apple Mail, you need to avoid filling up your [[allowed disk space|quota/intro.en]] by changing that behaviour:
- Open Mail
- Go to Preferences > Accounts > Advanced
- Check √ 'remove copy from server after retrieving a message'
External links
Help texts at riseup.net (whenever "mail.riseup.net" is mentioned, use the mailserver hostname of this system instead):
