• Defining IMAP
• POP3 / IMAP Comparison
• Configure or Set Up IMAP For Outlook 2000/2003 for Windows
• Configure or Set Up IMAP Accounts on Netscape Mail for Windows
• Using server-based (IMAP) email accounts
• To show and hide IMAP folders
• To specify what you want to download
• To read and reply to IMAP messages

Defining IMAP - Internet Mail Access Protocol

IMAP is server-based mail. IMAP was developed at Stanford University in 1986. 

With IMAP, wherever you go, you can see your mail just how you left it. In this mobile world, that has become important.

IMAP4 is an Internet (TCP/IP) protocol used to access your internet email on its MDA (Mail Delivery Agent) server. It can also create and manipulate mail folders as well as share folders with other users. IMAP also enables you to see folders shared by other users with Access Control Limits (ACLs). 

The acronym IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol. It is fairly similar to the more well-known mail protocol called POP (or Post Office Protocol). The main advantages of IMAP are: It is much faster and it is accessible from anywhere because the messages and folders are kept on the server.

Under IMAP, the email client synchronizes the messages with the server by downloading the subject and header information from the new messages (not the entire email message). If the user has the email client sorting messages into folders, the client then does this on the server, not on the users computer. When a message is read for the first time, the remainder of the message is downloaded from the server.

By downloading only the header information, IMAP makes getting email much faster than POP3. You can then choose which messages to read without wasting time on ones you don't. By keeping folder and messages on the server, your email will look the same from any computer even if you use an IMAP client somewhere else (such as a computer lab, laptop, palm pilot, school, library, or a friend's computer).

Outlook 2000/2003 for Windows

• Open Outlook 2000/2003
• Open the Tools menu and choose Accounts...
• Click Add then click Mail...
• Enter your Display name which is the name you want other people to see when they receive your email. Click Next.
• Enter your Email address this should be in the form username@SpiderMonkey.ca where username is your username. Click Next.
• Select the type of incoming Mail server. Select IMAP from the pull down menu.
• The Incoming mail server (IMAP) name is SpiderMonkey.ca
• Type in the Outgoing mail server (SMTP) name; IMAP. SpiderMonkey.ca, then click Next.
  
• Fill in your Account name - your username goes here.
• Enter your Password. Click Next.
• Now fill in your Account name, which you will use to identify the account (such as CanadaEmails.com or email).
• Click Finish, and then close the Accounts window.
• Outlook is now configured to check your mail!

Configure IMAP on Netscape Mail for Windows:

1. Open Netscape Messenger
2. Open the Edit menu and choose Preferences
3. Choose Identity from the list
4. Enter Your name the way you want other people to see when they receive your email.
5. Enter your Email address this should be in the form username@SpiderMonkey.ca.
6. Choose Mail Servers from the list and click the Add button.
7. Type in the Server Name. This needs to be set to IMAP. The Incoming mail server (IMAP) name is IMAP. SpiderMonkey.ca
8. Fill in your User Name, then click OK.
9. Type in the Outgoing mail server (SMTP) name; IMAP. SpiderMonkey.ca, then click Next.
10. Click OK, to close the Preferences window.
11. Netscape Messenger is now configured to check your mail!

Using server-based (IMAP) email accounts

To show and hide IMAP folders

When you first synchronize your Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) account, all the messages in all your folders will be downloaded unless you hide some of them or change their synchronization settings (for example, from All Messages to Headers Only).

1. While you are online, click an IMAP server in the Folders list.

   Your email folders will be displayed in the main window.

2. Click IMAP Folders.
3. In the Show/Hide IMAP Folders dialog box, select a folder, and click Hide to prevent downloading its contents. Click Show to view the folder and download its contents.

   Only the displayed folders will be downloaded when you synchronize the account.

To specify what you want to download

You can make all messages, only headers, or only new messages available for offline viewing by changing the synchronization settings for IMAP, HTTP, or news server folders.

1. From the Folders list, select an IMAP server, an HTTP server, or a news server.
2. In the main window, select one or more folders or newsgroups.
3. Click Settings, and then click to change the setting to one of the following:
   • All Messages
   • New Messages Only
   • Headers Only

   If you do not want messages from a particular folder or newsgroup to be downloaded, click Don't Synchronize.

To read and reply to IMAP messages

1. In the Folders list, click the folder that you want to read.
2. In the message list, click a message to display it in the preview pane, or double-click it to open it in its own window.
3. In the message window, click Reply, Reply all, or Forward to respond to a message. When your reply is finished, click Send.