Mail Setup Instructions: Netscape 4.x IMAP-SSL

Instructions
Converting from POP to IMAP


Netscape 4.x with SSL-IMAP

IMAP is a mail download protocol which allows you to keep folders on the server and access these folders from multiple computers. This is great for users who don't use just one computer to check their email. With IMAP, users download a local copy of their mailbox and folders from the server. If you create folders on your computer, you must sync up with the server. However, you're not required to create folders. You can work with just one mailbox (your INBOX) if you like.

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences
  2. In the left window pane, click on the plus (+) box next to Mail and Newsgroups. If there is a minus (-) sign, skip this step.
  3. Click on Mail Servers
  4. Click on Add... to add disorder as your new mail server.
  5. Under General tab, make sure the following is set: Server Name: disorder.primate.net Server Type: IMAP Server User Name: your-name (e.g., adent) Remember Password: Checked if you want Netscape to remember your password for you. Check for Mail every: 10 minutes (recommended. 5 minute minumum)
  6. Click on IMAP tab, make sure the following is set: Check Use Secure connection (SSL) Check Move it to the Trash Folder Check Empty Trash on exit if you want to remove deleted messages when you exit Netscape.
  7. Click on Advanced tab, make sure the following is set: IMAP Server Directory: mail/ Show only subscribed folders: Unchecked Allow Server to override these namespaces: Uncheck This will save all the folders you create under the "mail" directory in your home directory.
  8. Click OK
  9. Making sure disorder.primate.net is selected, click Set as Default.
  10. Under Outoing SMTP server text box, you need to type in the mail server name of your ISP (Pacbell, AtHome, AOL, Earthlink etc).
  11. Click OK again.
  12. Check for mail. When you do, Netscape will connect to our IMAP server securely. Since we are not paying one of the certificate signing authorities, our certificate will not be recognized by Netscape. However, you may still use the certificate for encrypting the traffic between your client and the mail server. To accept the new certificate when you're prompted: Click Next> Click Next> Check Accept this Certificate forever (until it expires) Click Next> Click Next> Click Finish
  13. Check mail, enter your password when prompted.
  14. You can go ahead and delete the old server setting if everything works and you see all your mailboxes and INBOX. If you're converting from POP/IMAP, read the next section first before you remove the old server setting.

Converting from POP to IMAP

In Netscape Mail, the Mailbox window (left pane) contains two sections.  The section
labeled "Local Mail" can be thought of as your local hard drive.  It
contains all the mail you downloaded via POP.  The section labeled
'disorder.primate.net' is your IMAP server drive.  Therefore, it is
important that you know where you are going to create any new mail
folder.  If the new mail folder is under "Local Mail", then it's a local
folder.  This means that if you access your mail from another computer
via IMAP, you will not see this folder.

If you're migrating from POP to IMAP AND you DID NOT leave your mail
on the server, you may want to transfer existing Local Mailboxes to
the IMAP server.  This will allow you to see the contents of these
mailboxes when accessing mail from other machines.  If you will always
check mail from one machine, you do not have to do this.

Transfering Local Inbox
  • Open the local Inbox mailbox (the one under "Local Mail") and mark all of the messages by using the Select -> All Messages feature from the Edit menu.
  • From the Message menu select Copy Message, and then select Inbox. The mailboxes are listed in the order of the mailserver definitions you see on the left pane window. Choose Inbox corresponding to disorder.primate.net
    Transfering Other Local Mailboxes
  • Create a new mailbox on the IMAP server. Right clicking on <username@disorder.primate.net> and choose New Folder
  • Enter the name of the new mailbox, for example OldMail. Note that the name of the mailbox you are creating may be the same name as the mailbox on the local hard drive.
  • Open the local mailbox and mark all of the messages by choosing the Select All from the Edit menu.
  • From the Message menu, select Copy Message, select the mail server name (disorder.primate.net), then select the mailbox you just created. All messages are moved to the mailbox on the IMAP server.
  • The transfer may take some time depending on the number and size of messages being transferred.
  • Verify that the procedure has completed successfully by opening the newly created mailbox under disorder.primate.net
  • Continue for all mailboxes you wish to transfer.