Email (or e-mail) stands for electronic mail. It is the exchange of computer-stored messages by telecommunication, primarily over the Internet. Email messages are usually text. However, you can also send non-text files, such as graphic images, sound files, and other attachments.

Generally, you use an email program (such as Netscape Mail and Newsgroups or Webmail) on a computer to compose an email message (email). The email program usually contains a text editor and allows you add attachments to the email.

You need to know the email address of the person you want to send the email message to (such as John.Citizen@uts.edu.au). The email address is usually comprised of the name or nickname of the person (eg "John.Citizen") followed by the "@" (at) sign and then the organisation (eg "uts.edu.au"; in this example the organisation is made up of "uts"=University of Technology, Sydney, which is an "edu"=educational institution, in "au"=Australia).

When you have composed the email and entered the email address, your email program will communicate with an email server. The email server knows who you are and provides you with an email account. The details of the email server (eg "postoffice.uts.edu.au") and the details for your email account (eg Username and Password) are configured in the email program. This email server acts like a post office in that it accepts and delivers the email to the person you want to send it to - the recipient.

If the email address is correct, then somewhere in the world there will be an email server which will accept the email and place it in a mailbox for the recipient. The recipient's email program will have the details of the email server containing their mailbox (eg "mailbox.uts.edu.au"). When the recipient checks for new email using their email program they will see the email you sent them.

At your own computer: you can install an email program such as Netscape 7.1. You will need to configure your email program with your personal details including your Username and Password, and the details of the UTS Email Server. See "About Netscape 7.1" below.

From any Internet-Connected Computer: you can use UTS Webmail from any web browser connected to the Internet, anywhere in the world. This includes UTS Computer Laboratories on all UTS Campuses. Using UTS Webmail you can access your email which is stored on the UTS Email Servers in your "mailbox". All you need to do is visit the UTS web site (www.uts.edu.au), click on "Your UTS Email", and enter your Username and Password to access UTS Webmail. See "About UTS Webmail" below.

IMAP/POP3 Server: mailbox.uts.edu.au
SMTP Server: postoffice.uts.edu.au Requires Authentication if used from outside the UTS Network.

If you are a UTS student (with a Student Number): you will automatically be given a UTS Email Account.

If you are UTS Staff (with a staff number), An email account will be automatically generated for you when your employment contract begins.

UTS Alumni can get an Email Forwarding Acount from Graduate Connections.

Other members of the university should contact their academic supervisors to arrange an email account through the IT Support Centre.

In all cases, your UTS Email Address will be generated automatically. Your email address will be based on your given and family names (eg "John Robert Citizen" might be given the email address "John.Citizen@uts.edu.au").

Before using your account, it must be activated. If you have not already done so, click the Account Activation link on the left.

No.

At the time of writing, Student mailboxes are limited to 20 megabytes, and Staff are limited to 50 megabytes.

If you exceed this storage limit, you will need to remove some mail from the server before any new mail will be delivered to you.

The current maximum size of a single email (including any attachments such as documents or pictures) is 5MB. If you try to send an attachment larger than 5MB the email server will inform you that your email is too big and that it can't be sent.

You should call or visit the IT Support Centre for assistance. Students are required to visit in person with their current student card before any changes can be made to their accounts.

Yes. Here they are.

You can set your vacation message from within UTS Webmail. Log in to your account and click on the "Options" tab and then select "Vacation Message". You can "Enable automatic vacation reply", enter a text message, and press "Save".

See: Online Webmail Training

You can set your forwarding options from within UTS Webmail. Log in to your account and click on the "Options" tab and then select "Settings". You can enter the email address to which you would like your email forwarded in the "Mail Forwarding" section, and press "Save".

Any email that is sent to your UTS Email Account will be automatically forwarded to the email address(es) you enter in this section.

See: Online Webmail Training

Yes. This is a good idea if you want all of your mail to go to a single location.

UTS Webmail is a product which allows you to access your UTS Email Account using a web browser. If you are have your own computer you would probably use an email program such as Netscape Messenger when you are at your computer and then use UTS Webmail as an alternative method for when you are not at your computer.

UTS Webmail can be used from any computer which is connected to the Internet and has a compliant web browser. This includes all UTS Computer Labs. As long as you can see the UTS web site you can access your email account using UTS Webmail.

UTS Webmail is not an "email program" which needs to be installed on your computer. It is more like a web site and web pages (with security) which allows you to access your email account on the UTS Email Servers. It provides similar functionality to an "email program".

Generally, if you do not have a computer of your own you would use UTS Webmail from any computer with a web browser. Alternatively, if you do have a computer but are frequently away from your computer (for example you are on a different campus or on the other side of the world) you can use UTS Webmail whenever you need to access your email account.

You will need:

1. A computer connected to the Internet with a Web Browser installed.
2. Your UTS Email Account must be Activated.
3. You must be able to access the UTS web site at www.uts.edu.au.
4. You can then click on "Your UTS Email" and enter your Username and Password into the UTS Webmail login screen.

Yes. UTS Webmail is a web application. You can only interact with it when you are connected to the Internet using your web browser.

UTS Webmail has a comprehensive context sensitive "Help" system which will answer most of the questions you may have. Within Webmail, press the Help button to access this help.

There is also On-line Training for UTS Webmail which contains screenshots of how to do common operations.

UTS Webmail will be useful if you are not at your computer. Using UTS Webmail, you can access your mail on the UTS email system from any computer worldwide. UTS webmail can be used in conjunction with client-side mail programs such as Netscape Mail and Newsgroups(Netscape 7.1).

A number of free web email facilities are available. Your UTS Email Account and UTS Webmail offer the following benefits:

1. UTS Email accounts are one of the offical ways of the university to communicate with staff and students on news, events and information concerning study and university life.
2. UTS Webmail is considerably more reliable than most free web mail services, especially for mail within UTS.
3. All web email type products have a quota for the amount of email you can store. UTS Webmail has a quota which is greater than other free web email products.
4. All email in your UTS Email Account which is accessible through UTS Webmail is backed-up for disaster recovery purposes.
5. Free web email facilities are usually "free" because of the advertising they show you, usually in a frame at the top of your web browser. The advertising is downloaded first and slows down your access to your email. There is no advertising overhead in UTS Webmail and you should notice that Webmail usually has a faster response , particularly if you are on UTS campuses.

The Personal Address Book allows you to store the names and email addresses of your friends and colleagues so that you do not have to remember their email addresses.

Within UTS Webmail, When viewing an email message, simply click the name and address you want to add. Alternatively, Click the "Addresses" tab and add the address book entry using the "New Contact" Button.

See: Online Training for Webmail.

When composing an email message, click the 'Address' button, then add the contacts as 'To', 'Cc', or 'Bcc' recipients.

See: Online Training for Webmail.

See: Online Training for Webmail.

Netscape 7.1 is the currently supported version.

You will need:

1. A computer on which you are able to install a copy of Netscape 7.1.
2. You must have activated your UTS Email Account.
3. You must install Netscape 7.1 and configure it with your personal details, and to use the UTS Mail Server settings. See "Configuring Netscape" below.

AARNet provides a comprehensive mirroring service whch provides fast downloads to Australian users. You can download Netscape from there.

Netscape Mail and Newsgroups(Netscape 7.1) is the recommended and supported email program for UTS. This decision was made after consiering all of the Free mail programs available at the time, and Netscape was chosen for its Security, ease of use, and integration with the UTS mail system (e.g. Autocompletion of Names and Email addresses using the UTS LDAP Directory).

Yes. See "Configuring Netscape" below.

UTS provides Online Training for Netscape. Netscape also has comprehensive online help available from the Help menu.

The following instructions show step by step how to configure a newly installed copy of Netscape 7.1 for use with the UTS Email System.

Before following this procedure, you should have activated your UTS Email and General Access account.

1. Make sure you are in the mail window by selecting "Mail and Newsgroups" from the "Window" menu.
   
2. If the "New account setup" wizard appears, proceed to Step 5.
3. Select " Mail & Newsgroups Account Settings" from the "Edit" menu.
4. Click the " Add Account" button on the left hand side.
5. Select the default option, " Email Account" and press Next.
6. Enter your full name and email address which was given to you when you activated your UTS Email and General Access Account. Press Next.
   
7. Choose the IMAP method for accessing your mail.
   
8. The incoming mail server name is "mailbox.uts.edu.au", and the outbound mail server is "postoffice.uts.edu.au". Click Next.
   
9. When prompted for your "User Name", enter your student or staff number. If you do not have a student/staff number, use the username you have been issued. Enter your "User name" and click Next.
10. When prompted for an " Account Name", accept the default by clicking Next.
11. You will now be presented with a summary screen to confirm the details. Click "Next", and you're now ready to send and receive email with Netscape Mail and Newsgroups.
12. Advanced users may wish to Customize the behaviour of the mail client. This can be done with two Menu items in the account menu: "Preferences" and "Mail and Newsgroup Account Settings".
13. IMAP Users: On the left hand side of the Mail and Newsgroups window, you will see a mail account (usually named the same as your email address).Clicking this name will log into your email account.
14. POP Users: Click the "Get Msgs" toolbar icon to download your mail.
    
15. When you click the "Get Msgs" button or when you start "Mail and Newsgroups" you will be asked to login.
    

The Netscape Address book can look up the UTS Staff Directory to locate UTS staff and can also be used as a phone directory for extension numbers. The following will show how to enter the UTS Staff Directory settings.

1. Click on "Address book" from the "Window" menu.
   
2. Click File, New, LDAP Directory
3. Enter the settings as shown in the screenshot.
4. You're done. When composing an email, you should be able to partially type the name or email address of a staff member and have their email address looked up against the UTS directory server automatically.