Windows Mail

You need to configure Windows Mail with the secure settings described on this page.

If you would also like to be able to look up Cambridge email addresses automatically, please see the page on configuring Windows Mail to use the University LDAP Directory. Do this after you have set up access to Hermes.

Server settings

These instructions assume you have not yet created an account to use with Hermes.

Select Tools->Accounts. Select Add. When prompted for Account type select E-mail Account then select Next. You will be prompted for your name and your email address (your CRSid@cam.ac.uk), then select Next. On the Set up e-mail servers screen:-

Select IMAP from the pull-down menu for Incoming e-mail server type then set:-

• Incoming mail (POP3 or IMAP) server to imap.hermes.cam.ac.uk
• Outgoing e-mail server (SMTP) to smtp.hermes.cam.ac.uk

POP is available, but note that POP will, by default, download your email from Hermes to the computer you are using. This means that you will only be able to access your messages from that one computer, and Hermes webmail will not be useful to you. If your computer breaks or is stolen you will lose your messages. However, if you must use POP, then set your incoming e-mail server type to POP3 and use pop.hermes.cam.ac.uk

Tick Outgoing server requires authentication and select Next.

On the Internet Mail Logon screen check that your E-Mail username is set to your CRSid. Untick the Remember password box - for security reasons your password should not be saved. Also do not, at this point, enter your password. Select Next, then tick the Do not download my e-mail and folders at this time box, then select Finish.

You will now find yourself back at the Internet Accounts screen. Choose the email account you have just created and select Properties.

• Under the General tab you can choose a name to refer to this account.
• On the Servers tab
  • make sure that Incoming Mail (IMAP) is set to imap.hermes.cam.ac.uk and that Outgoing mail (SMTP) is set to smtp.hermes.cam.ac.uk.
  • Make sure that Log on using Secure Password Authentication is not ticked. This is a different authentication system and is not used by Hermes. If you have this selected you will not be able to connect to Hermes.
  • Under Outgoing Mail Server check that My server requires authentication is ticked.
  • Select the Settings button and check that Use same settings as my incoming mail server is ticked, then select OK.
• Now select the Advanced tab.
  • Tick both This server requires a secure connection (SSL) boxes.
  • Check that SMTP is set to 587 (you may have to change it from the default 25). The IMAP number should have changed to 993.
• On the IMAP tab:-
  • check that the Root folder path is blank. ~/mail used to be needed to define the path to mail folders on Hermes for IMAP mail clients, but is now obsolete and should be removed from the settings (if you use POP this will not affect you as your mail folders are saved on your local system).
  • Untick the Check for new messages in all folders box

Click Apply then OK and then Close to finish. Your Hermes account should now be setup correctly.

The Microsoft Windows Mail Junk E-mail and Phishing Filter

The Computing Service does not necessarily recommend that you run the Microsoft Windows Mail Junk E-mail and Phishing Filter. If you do decide to run it you need to exercise considerable caution and may need to modify its spam defaults. For example if you keep the default spam settings then communications from the postmaster, and similar messages from list management software (e.g. Mailman which is used by the Computing Service's mailing list system), may well end up in Windows Mail's spam folder. See FAQ: How do I stop Windows Mail from putting genuine email into the Junk Email folder? for further advice.