Technology

Thunderbird FAQ

  1. What is Thunderbird?
  2. How is Thunderbird different from Netscape?
  3. Do I need to import my email from another application?
  4. How do I set up my Simmons email with Thunderbird?
  5. How do I transfer my existing mail into Thunderbird?
  6. How do I transfer my Address Books into Thunderbird?
  7. How do I set Thunderbird to use the same Sent mail folder as Webmail?
  8. Can I check my email quota in Thunderbird?
  9. Where can I find more information about Thunderbird?
  1. What is Thunderbird?
    Thunderbird is a free, open-source and cross-platform email application for most operating systems including Windows XP, Linux and Macintosh OSX. Thunderbird was created by a company called Mozilla and has a very similar look and feel to Netscape's email application. To learn more about the features of Thunderbird check out Mozilla's Thunderbird product page.
  2. How is Thunderbird different from Netscape?
    Thunderbird uses the same "underlying code" as Netscape so the look and feel of Thunderbird is very similar to that of Netscape Mail.  But one enhancement is that Thunderbird is faster than Netscape Mail. The reason for this is that while Netscape needed to "check-back with the server" for some processing Thunderbird does that processing locally, meaning on your computer.

  3. Do I need to import my email from another application?

    Do you access Simmons email via "IMAP"?
    If you or the Help Desk has configured your email software to use "IMAP" to access your email account and you have not moved any email to "local" folders stored on your computer, then you do not need to import your mail from another application. However, most people who use IMAP also store mail in local folders and so need to convert those local folders in order to access that stored mail through Thunderbird.

    To determine whether you use IMAP, look at the account settings in your email software, or call the Help Desk (617-521-2222). For more information about IMAP, please see Setting Up Simmons Email Through Email Software.

    Follow steps in Question 4 below to set up a Simmons email account in Thunderbird. Follow the tip sheets under "How do I set up Thunderbird to access my Simmons email" below to transfer mail from local folders to Thunderbird.

    Do you only use WebMail to access Simmons email?
    If you only use WebMail to access your Simmons mail, then you do not need to import your mail from another application. Follow the tip sheets under "How do I transfer my mail into Thunderbird" below to transfer mail from local folders to Thunderbird.

    Do you access Simmons email via "POP"?
    If you are using a POP account (your messages are downloaded to your computer and do not remain on the server), then you will need to follow the steps for importing your messages from the application you were previously using. Follow steps in "How do I transfer my mail into Thunderbird" below to transfer mail from local folders to Thunderbird.

  4. How do I set up Thunderbird to access my Simmons email?
    If you want to use Thunderbird on your Simmons-owned computer, you may follow these instructions, or request that the Help Desk set up Thunderbird for you.
    1. Open Thunderbird.
    2. The New Account Setup Wizard opens. If you do not see this, click Tools Account Settings. Click the Add Account button.
    3. Select Email Account and click Next.
    4. Type your name and your Simmons email address in the appropriate fields. Use the format firstname.lastname@simmons.edu. Click Next.
    5. Select either POP or IMAP for account type. If you are unfamiliar with the differences between POP and IMAP accounts, please read POP vs. IMAP: which should I use?
    6. For Incoming Server, type mail.simmons.edu.
    7. For Outgoing Server, type smtp.simmons.edu. Click Next.
    8. For both Incoming User Name and Outgoing User Name, type your Simmons username. Click Next.
      Note: If you do not know your username, please call the Help Desk at 617-521-2222, option 8.
    9. In the Account Name field type something that will help you identify this account, such as "Simmons." Click Next.
    10. Click Finish.
    11. Go to the Tools menu, and choose Account settings. Under the name of the account you just created, click Server settings. Under the heading "server settings," click the box next to "use secure connection (SSL)." This secures your password and your email messages as they traverse the Internet.
    12. Click Outgoing Server (SMTP) at the bottom of the list in the Account Settings window. Change the Port: setting from its default of 25 to 587.
    13. Click OK to close Account Settings and save your changes.
    14. To receive your email, in the top left of your screen click the Get Mail button. When prompted, in the box that appears, type your email password.
  5. How do I transfer my mail into Thunderbird?
    If you are using a Simmons-owned computer, you can follow these instructions, or request an appointment with a Help Desk technician to help you transfer your mail.
  6. How do I transfer my Address Books into Thunderbird?
    If you have imported your Mail from Netscape, Outlook or Outlook express, your Address Books have already been imported into Thunderbird and no further action is necessary for you to use them in Thunderbird.

    If you are using a Simmons-owned computer, you may follow these instructions, or request an appointment with a Help Desk technician to help you transfer your address books.

  7. How do I set Thunderbird to use the same Sent mail folder as Webmail?
    1. Open Thunderbird.
    2. From the top menu bar click Tools. From the drop down menu, click Account Settings. The Account Settings window opens.
    3. From the column on the left, click to highlight your email account. Your email account is probably the first one listed.
    4. Below your highlighted account click the option for Copies & Folders. If you do not see this option, click the plus sign to the left of your email account name (on a Mac, click the arrow to the left of your account name).
    5. Locate the section titled "When sending messages, automatically:"
    6. Check the box for "Place a copy in:"
    7. Click to select the radio button next to "Other." From the drop down menu to the right of "Other" click the option for "sent-mail."  This is the folder in which WebMail stores your sent messages.  Thunderbird will now automatically save all sent messages into this folder.
  8. Can I check my email quota in Thunderbird?
    You can check your email quota in Thunderbird by following these steps. This is only applicable if you are using an IMAP email account. You may also check your quota online at preferences.simmons.edu.

    1. Open Thunderbird, if it is not already open.
    2. In the column on the left, right-click (Control + click on a Mac) on your Inbox. From the drop down menu, click Properties.
    3. In the Properties window, click the tab for Quota.
    4. The quota tab shows you the percentage of space you have used. This includes attachments, and mail stored in the trash (until you empty it).
    If you would like to see how much is in a given folder, add quota information to the status bar by adding the display quota extension to Thunderbird.
  9. Where can I find more information about Thunderbird?