Grinnell College encourages the use of Microsoft Web Access (http://mail.grinnell.edu) for mail access from off campus.
The connection can be made through any modern web browser, and will be a secure SSL connection, with no configuration needed, no matter what computer you may be using to access.

We also recognize that for some users, a third party mail client may be preferred for access. For those users, we provide secure SSL connectivity through IMAP and SMTP.

Virtually all modern mail clients should be able to be configured to properly access our servers from off campus, with the notable exception of Microsoft Outlook Express for the PC (and older version on the Macs). Both the PC and MAC versions of Microsoft Outlook Express are not able to use SSL for SMTP, and as such, will not be able to be used to connect to the college mail servers.
Clients that will work include Mozilla Thunderbird for PC, Mac and Linux, Microsoft Outlook (version that is part of Microsoft Office), Microsoft Entourage for Mas, Mas OSX Mail, and Eudora for the PC and Mac.

For all other mail clients, the settings needed are:

Incoming mail server type: IMAP (not POP3)
Incoming mail server: imap.grinnell.edu
Use SSL and port should be set to 993 (should default to this with change to SSL)

Outgoing mail server: smtp.grinnell.edu (do not use your ISP's mail server, use Grinnell's mail server)
Use SSL, and manually change port to 587 (port will need to be manually changed from port 25 to 587).However, if TLS is an option, for example with the Thunderbird Mail Client, select "TLS" instead of "SSL". The port number remains 587. Put your username in the "secruity and authentication" set up box. Please see the instructions or setting up Thunderbird at www.grinnell.edu/its/email/tbird