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Configuring Outlook Express (6.x) for Windows for UW Email

Summary: Microsoft Outlook Express 6 (OE6) is the mail program that comes with the Web browser, Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 (IE6). This page provides two methods for quick and easy configuration of Outlook Express (OE) 6 for use with UW Email.

Also provided are the steps and settings for configuring OE6 manually. (The configuration values listed work with earlier releases of OE, but the windows are slightly different.)

Topics on this page

Getting Configured Quickly and Easily

Two simple methods are available for setting up OE6 - obtaining a preconfigured copy in the UWICK or (if you already have the OE6 program) running an online program that makes the settings for you. These are the recommended methods for most people. These are the recommended methods for setting up OE6 and should work well for most people.

Option One: Get the UW Internet Connectivity Kit (UWICK)

You can get a copy of OE6 already configured for use with UW Email by purchasing the UW Internet Connectivity Kit (UWICK) and loading it on your PC. This is the easiest way to get started with UW Email using your desktop computer and OE6. Plus, the UWICK contains other pre-configured software to make interfacing with the UW network easy to accomplish. More information about the UWICK and its contents is available from UW Technology's online Software Guide.

Option Two: Use the online configuration program

You can use the online configuration program provided by UW Technology to set up your OE6 "Internet mail" accounts for use with UW Email. (This software also sets up news accounts for use at the UW.). To use the online program that configures OE6, follow these steps:

  1. Exit Outlook Express if it is running.
  2. Click this link to start the program: OE6 Configurator.
  3. When you see the pop-up window that asks whether you'd like to open the file or save it to your computer, click Open.
  4. When the next window appears, enter your name and email address (your_uwnetid@u.washington.edu where your_uwnetid is your own UW NetID).
  5. Start Outlook Express 6.
  6. Use the newly modified or created "UW Internet Mail" account.
  7. If previously you have configured other accounts to receive mail from UW Email, delete those accounts by right-clicking the account name(s) and selecting Delete account.

Technical Details of OE6 Configuration

Most people do not need to read this section. They should just use one of the two options above. If, however, you need to know specific steps and settings, this section is for you.

Summary of Settings

If you are experienced configuring Web and email client software, just use the values in the table below. Otherwise, proceed to the directions for creating a new account.

Use These Values to Configure Your Outlook Express
When you are asked: Enter:
Your Name Your Name
E-mail Address your_uwnetid@u.washington.edu
Include this account when receiving
mail or synchronize?		 UNCHECK the box
To verify you're using IMAP select IMAP*
Incoming (IMAP) mail server your_uwnetid.deskmail.washington.edu
Outgoing (SMTP) mail server smtp.washington.edu**
Directory (LDAP) server directory.washington.edu
LDAP search root o=University of Washington, c=US
News (NNTP) server name news.u.washington.edu

*Warning! The POP default setting on OE removes email messages from your UW Email Inbox. That is, your inbox on Pine, WebPine, or any desktop application configured to work with UW Email. To configure OE to work with UW Email, select IMAP for incoming mail server.

**If you use an Internet Service Provider (ISP) other than the UW, you may prefer using the SMTP server name and settings recommended by your ISP. Contact your ISP for this information. For details, read Using an Outside ISP and About SMTP.

Creating a New Account in Outlook Express

  1. Start Outlook Express.
  2. Click Tools and select Accounts.
  3. Click Add and select Mail.
  4. In the "Internet Connection Wizard" window that appears, enter Your Name (e.g., Jane Doe) and click Next.
  5. In the window that appears, enter your_uwnetid@u.washington.edu (e.g., jdoe@u.washington.edu) and click Next.
  6. In the window that appears,
    • Select IMAP in the line beginning with "My incoming mail server..."
    • Enter your_uwnetid.deskmail.washington.edu in the box under "Incoming mail...."
    • Enter smtp.washington.edu in the box under "Outgoing mail...."

      Note: If you use an Internet Service Provider (ISP) other than the UW, you need to use the SMTP server name it provides. Contact your ISP for this information. For details, read Using an Outside ISP and About SMTP.

    • Click Next
  7. Enter your UW NetID in the box next to "Account name:"
  8. Enter your UW NetID password in the box next to Password:
  9. uncheck "Remember password"
  10. uncheck "Log on using Secure Password Authentication (SPA)"
  11. Click "Next"
  12. Click "Finish" on the Congratulations page. (But you are not finished yet!)
  13. Continue with the directions in the following section.

Checking or Re-configuring Your Existing Settings in OE6

  1. Start Outlook Express, if necessary.
  2. Click Tools and select Accounts.
    • Select the account you created previously (perhaps just now) and click Properties.
    • Note the six tabs at the top of the page.
  3. Click the General tab to reveal a window similar to that pictured below, and make the following entries (or check that yours are correct):

    [Properties - General Tab]

    • In the box following Mail Account and some text, OE has filled a name for your UW Email server as it will appear in Outlook Express. You can change the name to something else if you'd like. (e.g., "UW Email").
    • If your name is not entered correctly, correct it.
    • If your Email address is not correct (your_uwnetid@u.washington.edu), correct it.
    • UNCHECK "Include this account when receiving mail or synchronizing"
  4. Click the Servers tab, to reveal a window similar to that pictured below and make the following entries:

    [Properties - Servers Tab]

    • Be sure that "My incoming mail server is a IMAP server." Note that you CANNOT change this setting here. The choice of IMAP vs POP can ONLY be made when creating an account. If you created an account using the incorrect setting, you must delete that account and create a new one.
    • The box next to "Incoming mail (IMAP):" should say your_uwnetid.deskmail.washington.edu
    • The box next to "Outgoing mail (SMTP):" should say smtp.washington.edu

      Note: If you use an Internet Service Provider (ISP) other than the UW, you need to use the SMTP server name it provides. Contact your ISP for this information. For details, read Using an Outside ISP and About SMTP.

    • Under "Incoming Mail Server"
      • The box next to "Account name:" should say your UW NetID
      • The box next to "Password:" should say nothing.
      • uncheck "Log on using Secure Password Authentication (SPA)"
    • Under "Outgoing Mail Server"
      • check My server requires authentication
      • Click on Settings and verify that the outgoing server uses the same logon information as the incoming mail server, click OK
      Note: If you are using Norton Antivirus software, be sure the "Scan Outgoing Email" feature is turned off before connecting to the UW SMTP server.
  5. Click the Advanced tab, to reveal a window similar to that pictured below and make the following entries:

    [Properties - Advanced Tab]

    • Under the line "Outgoing mail (SMTP):" check This server requires a secure connection (SSL)
    • In the box beside "Outgoing mail (SMTP):" enter 25. (Some ISPs block 25 - If 25 does not work, try 465)
    • Under the line "Incoming mail (IMAP):" check This server requires a secure connection (SSL)
    • In the box beside "Incoming mail (IMAP):", confirm that 993 appears.
  6. Click the IMAP tab, to reveal a window similar to the one pictured below and make the following entries:

    [Properties - IMAP Tab]

    • "Root folder path:" mail (OE and Pine(s) will use the same folders)
    • uncheck "Check for new messages in all folders"
    • check "Store special folders on IMAP server"
    • "Sent-items path:" sent-mail (OE and Pine(s) will use the same sent-mail folder)
    • "Drafts path:" Drafts (OE and Pine(s) CANNOT effectively share a "drafts"/postponed messages folder)
  7. Click OK
  8. (now back in the Accounts window) Click Close
  9. OE will ask if you want to download folders from the server you just added, click Yes.
  10. When OE has downloaded the list of folders (the SAME folders that you previously created with any version of Pine should appear), you may be given a window to add or remove folders from the OE "view". Adjust if desired, then click OK.

Configuring Outlook Express to Use the UW Directory Service (LDAP)

  1. Click Tools and select Accounts: Internet Accounts
    1. Click Add, Directory Service. Internet Connection Wizard -> Internet Directory Server Name
    2. Internet directory (LDAP) server: enter directory.washington.edu
    3. Decide if you want to check addresses using this directory service.
    4. Click Finish.
    5. Back at the Internet Accounts window, click the directory.washington.edu account you just created
    6. Click Properties. You should see the server you set up, and the check box for using this server.
  2. Click the Advanced tab and enter the following for the search base: o=University of Washington, c=US

UnPOPing an accidently POPped Inbox

A common occurence for people doing their own configuration is to identify the incoming mail server as a POP server rather than IMAP. The first time they connect to their UW Email their Inbox disappears.

This mysterious event occurs because the Outlook Express default settings for POP mail include the option to remove the messages from the server and put them in a folder on your local computer. To get those messages back to UW Email, perform the following steps:

  1. Start Outlook Express.
  2. Remove the POP account (Tools, Accounts, select the POP account, click Remove),
  3. Create a New Account in Outlook Express (using IMAP, as above).
  4. Go to the Inbox that contains the messages (should be the top one, under Local Folders), and drag the messages you need to the IMAP account inbox (under your UW email account).
  5. When all the messages have been moved, connect to your email host (Homer/Dante) and use Pine to verify that the email has been copied to your account.
  6. You can now safely delete the messages from the OE local inbox.

Changing Your Password

If you have saved your email account password as part of the configuration of your Outlook Express email program, then you will need to change that stored password to match your mail account password whenever you change the password associated with your UW NetID. If you don't change this stored password, you will get a "password error" when you attempt to connect to the mail server (because it is using the old stored password). Since regularly changing your UW NetID password is a recommended procedure, we do not advise you to store your password within your email program.

To change the password stored in Outlook Express:

  1. Start Outlook Express. Select "Tools" -> "Accounts"

  2. Select "Mail" tab.

  3. Your OE window will look similar to the image below. Select your UW account and press "Properties" button.

  4. Select the "Servers" tab to get to a screen similar to the image below:

  5. Replace the entry in the "Password" field (which will always be shown as big "dots" with your new/current password.

  6. Click "OK", then close the window to apply this change. Verify that the UW e-mail is accessible now.

Links to Additional Information

Getting Help

To get help or make comments about the information on this page, use the Send a Question to UW Technology site.