Sending and Receiving Mail Using SSL With Apple Mail

SSL causes your passwords and the contents of your messages to be transmitted between your computer and the mail server over an encrypted connection.  The illustrations below assume you are accessing your email using the IMAP mail protocol.  If you are using POP, please replace the word "IMAP" in the configuration fields with "POP" instead, and see the accompanying notes.

1.  In Apple Mail, click Mail, then Preferences.  The Accounts window will appear.

If you are using POP to check your mail rather than IMAP, the name of the incoming mail server should be pop-server.its.caltech.edu.

Note:  For security purposes, IMSS does not recommend saving usernames and password information but if you would like to do so, enter your password in the Password: field within the Incoming Mail Server: section.

2.  Within the Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) section, click on the Server Settings… button.  Whether you are using imap-server.its.caltech.edu or pop-server.its.caltech.edu as your incoming email server, smtp-server.its.caltech.edu should be your outgoing email server.

3.  In the Server port: field enter 465.  If  your Internet Service provider blocks port 465, use port 25.

4.  Make sure that the Use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) box is checked.

5.  Click the OK button.

6.  Click on the Advanced tab.

7.  At the bottom of the Advanced tab, be certain the box labeled Use SSL is checked, and that the port changes to 993 if you are using IMAP.  If you are using POP, the port should say 995.  IMAP users should make sure the IMAP Path Prefix field is left blank.  If this field currently says “ ~/mail/ “, delete this and leave the field blank.

8.  Close the Accounts Preferences window and choose to Save the changes when prompted to do so.

9.  Quit Apple Mail and then re-start the program.  You should now be connecting securely to your account via Mail.