Configuring Outlook 2007 For The Rutgers Network

Important Notice: This document was tested for accuracy and technical quality assurance using Microsoft XP Professional with Service Pack 2. If your results do not match those here, please consult your department computer support person or contact your campus Help Desk for assistance in obtaining updates and patches for your computer. You can also update your computer by visiting http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and http://officeupdate.microsoft.com. Please note you will need to use Internet Explorer to obtain the updates.


In establishing criteria for e-mail software at Rutgers, the University Office of Information Technology (OIT) uses two special security measures to help protect the University community using the Rutgers Network: SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and SMTP Authentication, often called SMTP "Auth" for short.

SSL encrypts and protects messages while in transit between computers and prevents electronic "eavesdropping." It does not protect information while it resides on a machine, just while it is in transit. SMTP Auth verifies that any mail the server is instructed to deliver actually originates from a valid Rutgers user account. Most newer versions of e-mail software utilize SMTP Auth, which can be configured in e-mail settings by sending an e-mail username and encrypted password before transmitting outgoing messages. It also helps protect e-mail from viruses and hackers who are looking to steal people's private information. Laptop users who travel frequently will find SMTP Auth especially helpful. Once configured, the e-mail software will not have to be reconfigured at each new location or connection method.

OIT also strongly recommends Outlook be used with the IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) software protocol for sending and receiving e-mail. IMAP permits a "client" e-mail program like Outlook to retrieve and manipulate messages from a desktop computer at home, a work station at the office, or a laptop computer while traveling without the need to transfer messages or files back and forth between those computers as required by the older and less efficient POP (Post Office Protocol) program.

1. Start Outlook by clicking on the Start button and navigating through the menus to Programs to select Microsoft Outlook. If this is your first time using Outlook, the wizard will guide you through the setup. 

2. A "wizard" dialog box will appear and begin the email account setup.

3. Click the Next button.

4. Select the check box at the bottom of the following dialog box “Manually configure server settings”:

5. Click the Next button.

6. In the Choose Email Service dialog box, choose the Internet E-mail button and click next:


7. The next dialog box window should look like this one. Enter the settings below:

  • In the Your Name text field, enter your full name as you would want others to see it, such as "Jane Smith"
  • The Incoming mail server (IMAP) should read rci.rutgers.edu (or for the Rutgers machine upon which you have an account.
  • Enter your Rutgers e-mail address, e.g. jsmith@rci.rutgers.edu
  • The Outgoing mail server (SMTP) should read smtp.rutgers.edu. Note: If you use RULink to relay your e-mail, leave the Outgoing mail server set as rulink.rutgers.edu.
  • Under Logon Information, enter your Rutgers NetID in all lower-case letters


Click the More Settings button to continue:

8. Click on the Outgoing Server tab, and make sure that My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication, and Log on using is checked. In the User Name field enter your Rutgers NetID. The Office of Information Technology strongly encourages that the Remember Password box remain unchecked to protect your security:

9. Next click on the Advanced tab and make sure the following are set:

  • Make sure the Use the following type of encrypted connection pulldown menu has SSL selected for the Incoming server (IMAP) . The Server Port Number should automatically set itself to 993
  • Use the pulldown menu for Use the following type of encrypted connection to select TLS for the Outgoing server (SMTP). (TLS is a form of SSL.) Make sure the Outgoing server (SMTP) port number is 25.

10. Once this is done click Ok to continue.

11. At the Add New E-mail Accounts screen, click Next.



12. The wizard should present you with a Congratulations dialog verifying your set up was successful. Click the Finish button and Outlook 2007 is ready to use on the Rutgers Network.

Important Notes:

  • If you are connecting to the Internet through an Internet Service Provider (ISP) (e.g., Verizon, AOL, Comcast, Cablevision, Patriot Media, or similar company) instead of the Rutgers network, you may be required to send mail only through the ISP's mail servers. Contact your ISP to get the exact information.
  • Some people at Rutgers have multiple e-mail accounts (e.g., on both Eden and RCI). If you are such a person, always use your faculty/staff password when prompted for a password to send e-mail, even when sending a message from your student account. The table below lists the order in which passwords are used for SMTP Authentication:

Priority

Machine

Campus

1

RCI

New Brunswick

2

Eden

New Brunswick

3

Crab

Camden

4

Clam

Camden

5

Andromeda

Newark

6

Pegasus

Newark
    • Authorized users of departmental (on RCI) or organizational (on Eden) accounts should log into those e-mail accounts the same as before. However, when prompted for a user name and password to send e-mail messages, users will need to enter their personal RCI or Eden NetIDs and the case-sensitive password associated with each account. That is, they should not use the departmental or organizational account name (with its associated password) when sending e-mail.

Need Help with Outlook 2007?

Contact the Computing Help Desk on your campus:

Last Updated: 02/24/2007