Library & Technology

Frequently Asked Questions


How to set up Netscape 4.5 and newer versions to access UF Law School or Gatorlink email.

There are two email standards in use to check email via the Internet. They are POP3 and a newer standard called IMAP. The email client software that is built into Netscape 4.5 and greater (the current shipping 4.x version at this date is 4.79) has the ability to use either method.

The College of Law supports the IMAP and the POP3 standards. The preferred standard for the Law School is the IMAP standard.

Gatorlink supports the newer standard called IMAP (or IMAP4) only.

"What is the difference between POP3 and IMAP?

POP3 services transfer your e-mail messages to the hard drive of your computer when you request your mail. This means that your mail resides on your computer at home once you request to view it. POP3 is the older method and is most suitable for those who check their mail from one location (only).

IMAP4 services allow you to read and manipulate your mail messages while keeping them on the remote mail server. IMAP4 is the newer protocol and is useful for accessing mail from various locations." GatorLink Services

To set up the Law School or Gatorlink IMAP email settings:

Open Netscape. Go to the Edit menu and choose Preferences.

  1. On the left side of the Preferences screen, click on the [+] next to Mail and Newsgroups. It should expand into a list of option screens.
  2. Click on the option called Identity. Enter the information for your name and email address. The other fields are optional.
  3. Click on the option called Mail Servers. Click on the button called Add. A box will pop up. Click on the tab called General.
  4. Click in the box called Server Name and type in: imap.ufl.edu if you are setting up for Gatorlink, or type in: mail.law.ufl.edu if you are setting up for your Law School e-mail.
  5. Click on the box called Server Type and choose IMAP Server if it doesn't already say that.
  6. Click on the box called Username and type in your username (use your "Username" that coincides with the Server that you used in Step 4 above).
  7. You may want to click on the tab called IMAP. Look at the settings under When I delete a message. The default setting is Mark as Deleted. This means that the message will stay in the folder (even after you delete it) until you choose Compact Folders from the File menu.

    8. To make a message move out of the way when you delete it, you may want to change this to Move it to the Trash Folder. This will move messages that are deleted to a folder called Trash. If you regret deleting the message, you can open the Trash folder and move the message into another folder for safekeeping. You may also want to check the Empty Trash on Exit box. This can also save storage space.

  8. Click OK to save your settings.
  9. Click in the box called Outgoing Mail (SMTP) server. Type in: smtp.ufl.edu (this pertains to both Gatorlink and Law School setups).

    *IMPORTANT NOTE: SMTP ONLY works if you have dialed directly in to the Gatorlink or NERDC modem banks. Any other connection requires a different SMTP server based on the ISP. For instance, the SMTP server entry into this field for Cox Digital Express is mail.ncf.coxexpress.com.
  10. On the left side of Preferences, click on the option called Formatting. At the top of the box, under Message Formatting, click on Use the Plain text editor to compose messages.

Click on the OK button at the bottom to save your settings.

To set up Netscape's built-in email client for the College of Law's POP3 server:

Open Netscape. Go to the Edit menu and choose Preferences (located at the bottom of the menu).

  1. On the left side of the Preferences screen, click on the [+] next to Mail and Newsgroups. It should expand into a list of options.
  2. Click on the option called Identity. Enter the information for your name and email address. The other fields are optional.
  3. Click on the option called Mail Servers. Click on the button called Add. A box will pop up. Click on the tab called General.
  4. Click in the box called Server Name. Type in : mail.law.ufl.edu
  5. Click on the box called Server Type and choose POP3 server.
  6. Click in the box called Username and type the username that you use to log into the lawschool network with.
  7. Check the box called Automatically download any new messages.
  8. Click on the Tab called POP. Check the box called Leave Messages on Server. This will ensure that a copy of any messages that are downloaded will be left on the mail server. If you leave this box unchecked, then the only copy of the message will be sent to your computer.
  9. Click OK to save your settings.
  10. Click in the box called Outgoing Mail (SMTP) server. Type in: smtp.ufl.edu
    *IMPORTANT NOTE    : SMTP ONLY works if you have dialed directly in to the Gatorlink or NERDC modem banks. Any other connection requires a different SMTP server based on the ISP. For instance, the SMTP server entry into this field for Cox Digital Express is mail.ncf.coxexpress.com.
  11. On the left side of Preferences, click on the option called Formatting. At the top of the box, under Message Formatting, click on Use the Plain text editor to compose messages.
  12. Click on the OK button at the bottom to save your settings.

To Access Your Email:

There are four ways to get into the email portion of Netscape to send or receive messages:

  1. Click on the "Inbox" icon. It will either be on the stand alone toolbar (if it's visible), or in the bottom right corner of the Netscape window next to the ships wheel icon. The icon for mail looks like several envelopes bunched together.
  2. Click on the Communicator menu item at the top of Netscape and choose "Messenger".
  3. Press Ctrl-2 when Netscape is the active program.
  4. Double click on the Netscape Messenger icon in the Netscape program group.
  5. When the email client appears, click on the button called "Get Mail". Netscape will ask for your email password, then check and display your email.

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