Configuring Macintosh OS X Mail (10.3) with SMTP Authentication


Configuring Macintosh OS X Mail (10.3) with SMTP Authentication
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Important Notice: This document was tested for accuracy and technical quality assurance using Macintosh OS X 10.3. If your results do not match those here, please consult your department computer support person or contact your campus Help Desk for assistance in obtaining software updates for your computer.

In early 2006 a security feature called SMTP Authentication will be implemented on the New Brunswick/Piscataway central e-mail systems RCI, RULink and Eden. SMTP Authentication allows e-mail to be sent only when it is verified with a valid NetID and password. This mechanism is being put in place to prevent the e-mail systems from being used to send out viruses or junk e-mail messages. At that time those who use RCI and Eden to send out their e-mail will be required to use smtp.rutgers.edu as the outgoing mail server. This document illustrates how to change the configuration of Macintosh Mail to use SMTP Authentication at Rutgers University.

Open the Applications folder and start the Mail program, or click on the shortcut in the dock:
Pull down the Mail menu and select Preferences...
That will open the Preferences window in the Accounts category. Select the account name listed under Description and click Edit to open the Add/Edit account window:

On the Add/Edit account screen check to make sure the Incoming Mail Server is entered as rci.rutgers.edu (New Brunswick/Piscataway faculty and staff), eden.rutgers.edu (New Brunswick/Piscataway students). Then in the Outgoing Mail Server section click on the Options button.

On the SMTP Server Options screen please make sure the following settings are selected:
- The Outgoing Mail Server should be set to smtp.rutgers.edu.
- Make sure the Server Port is set to 25
- Check the box next to Use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
- The User Name box should be filled in with your Rutgers NetID
  
  Note: If you use RULink to relay your e-mail, leave the Outgoing Mail Server name set as rulink.rutgers.edu.
Click OK to return to the Edit/Add Accounts window.

Note: The Office of Information Technology recommends you leave the Password box empty, as supplying your password allows anyone with access to your computer to also have access to your mail. The program will prompt you for a password the first time you send a mail message. It will remember the password as long as this mail program session is running.

Note: some people at Rutgers have multiple e-mail accounts (e.g. on both Eden and RCI). If you are such a person, always use your faculty/staff password when prompted for a password to send e-mail, even when sending a message from your student account. The table below lists the order in which passwords are used for SMTP Authentication:

Untitled Document

Priority Machine Campus

1 RCI New Brunswick

2 Eden New Brunswick

3 Crab Camden

4 Clam Camden

5 Andromeda Newark

6 Pegasus Newark

Authorized users of departmental (on RCI) or organizational (on Eden) accounts should log into those e-mail accounts the same as before. However, when prompted for a user name and password to send e-mail messages, users will need to enter their personal RCI or Eden NetIDs and the case-sensitive password associated with each account. That is, they should not use the departmental or organizational account name (with its associated password) when sending e-mail.

In the Edit (or Add) Accounts window, click the Advanced tab:

Check that the box marked Use SSL is selected and then click OK.

Close the Accounts window.

Macintosh Mail should be ready to receive and send messages with SMTP Authentication.

Need Help with Macintosh Mail?

Contact the Computing Help Desk at 732-445-HELP (4357) or send e-mail to help@nbcs.rutgers.edu

For more information contact helpdesk@nbcs.rutgers.edu
Last updated: January 30, 2006, 1:37 pm