Configuring Outlook Express to Connect to Exchange

You can use these instructions to create a secure connection to the University of Kansas Exchange email servers. This document is divided into two sections: one contains instructions for configuring a new account and the other for reconfiguring an existing account.

These instructions assume that the user is using Outlook Express 6.

Norton Antivirus software users: You will have to disable email scanning before you will be able to send email from your account. Go to http://symantec.atgnow.com/consumer/results.do to search for the article explaining how to disable mail scanning in Norton Internet Security 2005. Search for 2003020715374936 (the article number) and carefully follow the steps outlined there before continuing.

Updating Outlook Express:

Outlook Express should be at the latest version before configuring a connection to Exchange. Here's how to update it:

  1. In Internet Explorer, open the Tools menu and choose Windows Update.
  1. Click Custom to be able to see all updates. Once Windows has checked for updates, there will be a list of High Priority, Software, and Hardware updates on the left side of the screen.
  1. Select all updates in the High Priority category that are for Internet Explorer or Outlook Express and install them. Look at the Software category for any additional updates for Internet Explorer or Outlook Express and install them if they apply to you.

New account:


  1. To create a connection to an Exchange account, open Outlook Express. From the Tools pull-down menu, select Accounts.
  2. Click on the Mail tab. The resulting screen should look like this:

  1. Click on Add, then Mail to add a new account. The following screen will appear. Type your name in the Display Name field and click Next.

  1. Type your email address in the E-mail address field and click Next.

  1. At the next screen, at the My incoming mail server is a _____ server prompt, select IMAP. In the Incoming mail (POP3, IMAP or HTTP) server field, type imap.ku.edu. For Outgoing mail (SMTP) server, type authsmtp.ku.edu, even if you use Sunflower or SBC for your Internet Service Provider. Click Next to continue.

  1. At the next screen, type your account name (imajhawk, in this example) in the Account name: field. You may type your password in the Password: field, but it would be more secure to leave it blank and to uncheck the Remember password field. Requiring the password every time Outlook Express starts ensures that anyone that has access to your computer cannot get into your email account without your permission. Click Next to continue.

  1. You've completed the first part of configuring Outlook Express. Click Finish to return to the Internet Accounts screen.

  1. There is still more configuration to be done so don't choose Close yet.

  1. Click on imap.ku.edu to select the connection that you just created, then click on Properties. If the Properties button is greyed out, make sure you put your mouse pointer directly on top of "imap.ku.edu" before clicking.

  1. Click on the Servers tab. At the bottom of this screen, click in the box next to My server requires authentication so that it is checked.

  1. Click on the Advanced tab. Under Outgoing mail (SMTP), click on This server requires a secure connection (SSL). Note: If you are an AT&T/SBC DSL customer, you will need to change the number next to Outgoing mail (SMTP): from 25 to 587. Otherwise, leave it at 25.

Under the Incoming mail (IMAP), click on This server requires a secure connection (SSL). Click OK to save the changes you made and return to the Internet Accounts screen.

  1. There's more configuration to do, so don't click Close yet. Next, you will need to set up access to the KU Address Book. This will allow you to find the email addresses of most people on campus. In the Internet Accounts window, click on the Directory Service tab, and then Add > Directory Service.

  1. At the following screen, in the Internet directory (LDAP) server: field, type whitepages.ku.edu and click Next to continue.

  1. At the next screen, you're asked Do you want to check addresses using this directory service?. If you prefer to use your Contacts for your main address list, choose No. If you want to use the KU Address Book as your main address list, choose Yes. Click Next to continue.

  1. At the next screen, click Finish. But you're not done yet...

  1. Back at the Internet Accounts window, make sure you have selected directory.ku.edu, as shown, then click Properties.

  1. Click on the General tab and enter the following information:
  • Directory Service Account = KU Address Book (You can type anything here; this is what will appear in your list of directory services.)
  • Server name = whitepages.ku.edu
  • Check the Check names against this server when sending mail checkbox

  1. Click on the Advanced tab and fill in the fields as follows:
  • Server Port Number > Directory service (LDAP) = 636
  • Check the This server requires a secure connection (SSL) checkbox.
  • Search Base = ou=people,dc=ku,dc=edu

    Click OK to save your changes.

    From now on, Outlook Express will look up names and email addresses in the KU Address Book automatically when sending email. If you want to check an email address or name while you’re composing, click the Check icon in the toolbar.

  1. You're almost done!Next, you need to make sure that you can see all of the email folders in your account. Click Close to return to the main Outlook Express screen. To the left, you will see your KU account, listed as imap.ku.edu. Click on imap.ku.edu to select it, then select IMAP folders on the right side of the screen.

  2. In the resulting screen, you will see a list of all of your email folders. Those with an icon to the left of the folder name will appear in Outlook Express. To display other folders, click on the name of each folder that you want to see so that the icon appears. Do not click on Calendar or Contacts. When you're finished selecting all the email folders, click OK. You're DONE!

  3. If you have any questions, please contact the IT Customer Service Center by phoning 864-8080 or sending a message to itcsc@ku.edu.

Editing an existing account:


As of July 10, 2006, existing connections to Exchange through Outlook Express will need to be configured so that they can connect securely. Here's how to do this:

  1. At the main Outlook Express screen, click on Outlook Express in the list on the left side of the screen, then go to the Tools menu at the top of the screen and choose Accounts.

  1. On the resulting screen, click on the Mail tab. Select your KU email account (imap.ku.edu, in this example) from the list and click Properties. If the Properties button is greyed out, make sure you put your mouse pointer directly on top of "imap.ku.edu" before clicking.

  1. From the resulting screen, click on the Servers tab. Change the Outgoing mail (SMTP) server to authsmtp.ku.edu. At the bottom of this screen, click in the box next to My server requires authentication so that it is checked. Once you're done, click Apply to save your change. Then click on the Advanced tab to continue.

  1. On the Advanced tab. Under Outgoing mail (SMTP), click on This server requires a secure connection (SSL). Note: If you are an AT&T/SBC DSL customer, you will need to change the number next to Outgoing mail (SMTP): from 25 to 587. Otherwise, leave it at 25.

Under the Incoming mail (IMAP), click on This server requires a secure connection (SSL). Click OK to save the changes you made and return to the Internet Accounts screen.

  1. If you don't already have access to KU's global address list, skip to #6 now to set that up.

If you do already have access to KU's global address list, you're done reconfiguring your account and you can click Close to exit to the main Outlook Express screen. If you made a change to the SMTP server, the following message may appear. Click Yes to continue. You're DONE!

  1. Next, you will need to set up access the KU Address Book. This will allow you to find the email addresses of most people on campus. In the Internet Accounts window, click on the Directory Service tab, and then Add > Directory Service.

  1. At the following screen, in the Internet directory (LDAP) server: field, type whitepages.ku.edu and click Next to continue.

  2. At the next screen, you're asked Do you want to check addresses using this directory service?. If you prefer to use your Contacts for your main address list, choose No. If you want to use the KU Address Book as your main address list, choose Yes. Click Next to continue.

  3. At the next screen, click Finish. But you're not done yet...

  4. Back at the Internet Accounts window, make sure you have selected directory.ku.edu, as shown, then click Properties.

  5. Click on the General tab and enter the following information:
  • Directory Service Account = KU Address Book (You can type anything here; this is what will appear in your list of directory services.)
  • Server name = whitepages.ku.edu
  • Check the Check names against this server when sending mail checkbox

  1. Click on the Advanced tab and fill in the fields as follows:
  • Server Port Number > Directory service (LDAP) = 636
  • Check the This server requires a secure connection (SSL) checkbox.
  • Search Base = ou=people,dc=ku,dc=edu

    Click OK to save your changes.

    From now on, Outlook Express will look up names and email addresses in the KU Address Book automatically when sending email. If you want to check an email address or name while you’re composing, click the Check icon in the toolbar.

 

  1. Click Close at the Internet Accounts screen to exit to the main Outlook Express screen. If you made a change to the SMTP server, the following message may appear. Click Yes to continue. You're DONE!

  2. If you have any questions, please contact the IT Customer Service Center by phoning 864-8080 or sending a message to itcsc@ku.edu.