Configuring Email Programs to Read SSCC Email

Thunderbird and Outlook Express for Windows, PINE for Linux, and our web-based mailer, Squirrel, are the most popular email programs at the SSCC and the ones SSCC staff know best. If you would like to use one of them, Configuring Thunderbird to Read SSCC Email or Configuring Outlook Express to Read SSCC Email will give you step-by-step instructions for setting them up (PINE and Squirrel need no configuration). However you are free to use any email program you prefer. This article contains the settings needed to connect to the SSCC's email server, independant of any particular program. Different email programs may use slightly different names for some of the items, but with some persistence, and perhaps some experimentation, you should be able to get most email programs to work. The main exception would be older email programs that only support POP mail, as our server only supports IMAP.

Email Settings

Your email address is username@ssc.wisc.edu. Typically your user name will be the first letter of your first name followed by your last name out to a maximum of eight characters. For example, Russell Dimond's email address is rdimond@ssc.wisc.edu. Use your SSCC username and password for both checking your mail and sending mail.

The SSCC's incoming mail server is imap.ssc.wisc.edu. It is an IMAP server, not POP. It requires SSL/encryption/secure connection/etc. (different email programs call it different things).

The SSCC's outgoing mail server is smtp.ssc.wisc.edu. It also requires SSL/encryption/secure connection/etc.

Your IMAP directory/location prefix/etc. should be left blank.

Other settings will usually work fine if left at their defaults.

Instructions for Various Programs from DoIT

Recall that we have step-by-step instructions for setting up Thunderbird and Outlook Express. DoIT has instructions for setting up several other email programs, including Mac versions, in order to read DoIT email. You can follow these instructions with the following changes:

  • Use your SSCC user name and address (@ssc.wisc.edu, not @wisc.edu)
  • Replace wiscmail.wisc.edu with imap.ssc.wisc.edu
  • Replace smtpauth.wiscmail.wisc.edu with smtp.ssc.wisc.edu
  • Be sure to follow the instructions for Manual IMAP, not EMU or POP.

If you have difficulties please contact the Help Desk, and we'll assist you as best we can.

Last Revised: 4/16/2009