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Home > Services > Email Services > Mail.Med Features > Configure Thunderbird
Thunderbird will require that you login with your PennKey using Kerberos through a program called Leash.
To install Leash/Kerberos please visit http://www.med.upenn.edu/somis/installleash.shtml
Symantec Anti-Virus can cause problems with e-mail clients that encrypt their traffic. If you use Symantec Anti-Virus open "Symantec Anti-Virus" in your "Start" menu by choosing "Programs" and then "Symantec Client Security".
Open the "Configure" menu and choose "Internet E-mail Auto Protect"
Turn off "Enable Internet E-mail Auto Protect"
Click "OK"
Click "Exit"
(All data downloaded to your machine will still be scanned for viruses, turning this off just changes the way Symantec Anti-Virus behaves. If you do not turn this off you will not be able to send mail.)
Go to the web page http://www.mozilla.com/thunderbird/
Click on the button labeled "Free Download"
Save the installer on your computer.
Run the downloaded installer by double-clicking on its icon
Follow the on-screen instructions presented by the Thunderbird installer
Click "Standard" when you are asked to "Choose the type of Setup you prefer"
Click "Finish" when the installation is complete, and Thunderbird will open automatically
If Thunderbird is not running open it using either the shortcut on your desktop, or by clicking on its icon in the "Start" menu, in your "Programs" folder, in the "Mozilla Thunderbird" folder.
If you are opening Thunderbird for the first time it will ask if you would like to import data from other applications. If you choose to import data from another application keep in mind that it might not work as intended, and some data may be missing or incorrect. We recommend that you choose to not import data from other programs.
If you have no other data to import, click "Don't import anything" and then click "Next >"
Thunderbird will open "New Account Setup" wizard. Click on the "Email account" button and click "Next >"
Enter your name (as you want it to appear when you send out messages) and your e-mail address and click "Next >"
You have the option of using either POP or IMAP to check your incoming mail. In brief, POP downloads all new mail to your local machine, and then deletes it from the server. IMAP leaves all mail on the server, and functions similar to webmail. If you would like to check your mail from multiple machines or devices you should use IMAP. More information to help you decide between POP and IMAP is available at http://www.upenn.edu/computing/eval/2004/csemail/pop_vs_imap.html
Click "IMAP" or "POP", whichever you choose
Enter "mail.med.upenn.edu" as the "Incoming Server"
Enter "smtp.mail.med.upenn.edu" as the "Outgoing Server"
Click "Next >"
Enter your PennKey name (or the first part of your e-mail address before the @ sign) as the "Incoming User Name" and as the "Outgoing User Name"
Click "Next >"
Enter a name by which you would like to refer to this account in the field "Account Name". This comes in handy if you check multiple accounts using Thunderbird, so you could differentiate between your "mail.med Account" and a "Home Account" account, for example.
Click "Next >"
Click "Finish"
Thunderbird will ask you for your password, click "Cancel"
Open the "Tools" menu and choose "Account Settings"
Click on the "Sever Settings" section on the left side of the "Account Settings" window
Click on "TLS" in the "Use secure connection" section of the "Security Settings"
Click on "Use secure authentication" in the "Use secure connection" section of the "Security Settings"
(if you chose POP you can skip these steps)
In the "When I delete a message" menu we recommend that you choose "Mark it as deleted". (If you mistakenly delete a message you would still be able to see it and "undelete" it if you log into webmail, http://mail.med.upenn.edu/webmail)
Click "Clean up ("Expunge") Inbox on Exit"
Click on the "Advanced" button, an new window will open
Enter Mail in the field labeled "IMAP server directory"
Turn off "Show only subscribed folders"
Click "OK" to close this window
Click on the "Copies & Folders" section on the left side of the "Account Settings" window
Choose "Local Folders" in the pull-down menu labeled "Drafts Folder on:"
Choose "Local Folders" in the pull-down menu labeled "Templates Folder on:"
Click on the "Offline & Disk Space" section on the left side of the "Account Settings" window
Click on "Make the messages in my Inbox available when I am working offline"
Click on "When I create new folders, select them for offline use"
Click on the "Outgoing Server (SMTP)" section on the left side of the "Account Settings" window
Click on the server labeled "[Your Account Name] - smtp.mail.med.upenn.edu (Default)"
Click "Edit" and a new window will open
Enter 587 into the field labeled "Port"
Check "Use name and password" if it is not already checked
Enter your user name in the field "User Name" if it is not already entered
Choose "TLS" for "Use secure connection"
Click "OK" to close this window
Click "OK" to close the "Account Settings" window
Open the "Tools" menu and choose "Options"
Click on the "Advanced" button
Click on the "Config Editor" button
Type "sspi" in the field labed "Filter", this will cause the list of options to be reduced to only "network.auth.use-sspi"
Double-click on "network.auth.use-sspi", this should change its "Value" setting to "false"
Close this window using the "close" box in the upper right-hand corner
Click "OK" to close the "Options" window
You will need to log into Leash before using Thunderbird. If you need help doing this please see the section "Logging in using Kerberos" on the page http://www.med.upenn.edu/somis/installleash.html.
Thunderbird might ask if you would like to use it as your default e-mail application. Answer "Yes" or "No". If you answer "No" you can also click the "Do not display this dialog again" message to keep Thunderbird from asking this question every time it is opened.
If your experience is different from what is described here, or if you need help with something please let us know, e-mail us at medhelp@mail.med.upenn.edu or call (215) 573-4636.