Technology
Help Desk
Set Up Email Software to Access Simmons Account
You may access your Simmons email account from any computer with an Internet connection using our web-based client. If you have your own computer, however, it may be more convenient to use a more fully featured email client supported by Simmons (Mozilla Thunderbird, Microsoft Outlook, Apple Mail), or any other standards-based email software. If you have any other email accounts, you may already be using email software; most email clients allow you to access more than one account simultaneously (except AOL's proprietary software).
Please note: your Simmons email account has a quota of 100MB (login to check your quota).
The settings you need to set up your email software to access your Simmons account appear below on this page. If you need guidance setting up your email application to use your Simmons account, please call the Help Desk: 617-521-2222. Help Desk staff are well versed in Apple Mail, Microsoft Entourage/Outlook/Outlook Express, and Mozilla Thunderbird, and will do their best to assist with other software.
POP vs. IMAP: which should I use?
You may use any email software that is based on either the POP or IMAP standard protocol to access your Simmons account. There is no stock answer as to whether you should use IMAP or POP.
If you use POP, all of your email will be downloaded to your computer and be removed from the server either immediately or after a specified number of days. You configure that number of days to "leave on server" in your email software's account settings or preferences. If you read your email on only one computer or only occasionally use WebMail to read the most recent (e.g. past 15 days) email, POP is probably for you. Because your email is stored locally, you are unlikely to reach your email quota. However, all of your email is stored locally, so if your messages are important to you, be sure to back up your email directory so if your computer fails you will not lose all of your email. For links to more than you might want to know about POP, see whatis.com.
IMAP allows you to create server-based folders you may access through any IMAP client including WebMail, and all messages stay on the server until you delete them (and, in most cases, empty your trash). If you read your mail from multiple computers, IMAP is probably for you. With IMAP your messages stay on the server, so your email messages are automatically backed up. If you use IMAP, you run the risk of consuming your email quota; consider creating folders local to your computer into which you can move email from the server for long-term storage. A tip sheet about managing your IMAP email account is forthcoming. For links to more than you might want to know about IMAP, see whatis.com.
Settings
| Real name/your name | What you would like to appear in the from field on your outgoing messages |
| User name/login name | your login name; same as for WebMail or Simmons Vista |
| Mail server (incoming) | mail.simmons.edu In order to protect your information and the security of Simmons data, please choose the option in your email client for "use SSL," "use secure connection (SSL)," or "this server requires an encrypted connection (SSL)." Finding the place to set this may require clicking "more settings" or "advanced." See Securing Email (SSL) for instructions and more information. |
| Return/reply-to address | What you would like people to use as your email address; e.g. jane.doe@simmons.edu |
| SMTP server (outgoing)/mail relay | smtp.simmons.edu port 587 Please note: you can use the Simmons SMTP server from off-campus, using the SSL, "username and password," and port 587 options in the SMTP server settings. See Off-campus: sending mail. |