IMAP and POP instructions for Bearmail

For those students wanting to use their own email client like Outlook Express or Netscape,  IMAP and POP are enabled on the student email server BLUE and are alternate ways to access your student email at UNC.

IMAP is an acronym for Internet Message Access Protocol
POP is an acronym for Post Office Protocol

We will assume, if you are going to use these methods of access, you know what they are and are also proficient at using them so we will not explain them in depth here.  If you want to know more information you can always search the internet.

Basically, IMAP is accessing your email account remotely using your email client.  The email stays on the server, which means it will get backed up every night. 

POP also uses the email client, but this method of access downloads the email to your PC or laptop.  Because, by default, the email is no longer on the server it will NOT get backed up at night and it is up to you to make copies or run backups of data or you will risk loss of email if your PC or laptop has problems.  POP can also be set up to leave a copy of emails on the server.  With email quotas for students at 30Mb, it is up to you to decide how to manage your email if you choose to POP.

For these instructions we will assume the user is a fictitious student Bob R. Roberts with email account robe1111 and he is going to use Outlook Express as his email client and set up IMAP and then POP.

Setting up IMAP:

Setting up POP:

These setups will be similar with most email clients so it will be up to you to figure out the setup IMAP or POP for your particular email client and as stated before, it will also be up to you to learn how to effectively learn how to use IMAP and POP with your
email client if you choose to access Bearmail this way.

Page Last Update:  10/24/2006