How to Use Netscape with Mailshell IMAP access

These instructions will show you how to perform basic tasks when using Netscape 6 with Mailshell IMAP access. (Please note that other versions of this program may have a slightly different interface.)

Getting Started
Managing Messages
Managing Folders
Other
Getting Started

How does IMAP work, in general?

Most users are familiar with POP access-the most common type of email setup, used by most ISP's and other email providers-in which you download messages to the Inbox on your computer and then read them there. IMAP works very differently: instead of downloading messages and storing them on your hard drive, you actually access the server remotely and read and manipulate messages there. This means that you can actually see all of your folders (not just your Inbox, as with POP), move messages between them, etc., and any changes you make will also be reflected on Mailshell's website, but it also means that you must be online to perform many operations (e.g., moving or deleting messages).

After I set up my client, how do I get my messages?

When you complete the basic setup, Netscape will display your Inbox folder. You can see messages in your Inbox by clicking on it-you'll be asked to enter your password, after which the messages will be displayed. (You can also optionally have Netscape remember your password by clicking the "Use Password Manager to remember this password" box. If you click it, you will not need to enter your password again to check for new messages.)

To see messages in the rest of your folders, you'll need to "subscribe" to them: right click on the account name or Inbox folder and select "Subscribe," then click the small arrow to the left of the "INBOX" entry. You can remove folders you don't want included by selecting them and clicking the "Unsubscribe" button. (This won't delete the folders; it only means you won't see them in Netscape.) When you're done, click the "OK" button. Your list of folders should appear under your Inbox.

You can then see the messages in any folder by clicking it. (Depending on the speed of your connection and the number of messages in a folder, it may be a few moments before the messages appear.)



Managing Messages

How do I check for new messages?

You can check for new messages by clicking the "Get Msg" button in the top toolbar.

How do I move messages between folders?

To move a message, open the folder the message is in and drag the message to the destination folder, or right-click the message and select Move To > destination folder.

Note that, depending on your account preferences, the message may only be marked for deletion in the folder it was originally in, but will not be removed entirely. To remove it entirely, go to the main menu and select File > Compact This Folder. (You can edit your preferences for deleted messages by going to the main menu and selecting Edit > Mail/News Account Settings, selecting "Server" for the account, and using the "When I delete a message:" menu.)

How do I compose a new message from one of my Mailshell addresses?

You can send a message by clicking the "New Msg" icon in the top toolbar. If you just send it normally, it will come from whatever email address you specified during setup (you can change which email address this is by going to the main menu and selecting Edit > Mail/News Account Settings, selecting the account, and modifying the "Email Address" field). To send from your Mailshell addresses, be sure to use remote compose format. (If you want your incoming messages automatically modified to remote compose format so you can easily reply to them without having to worry about entering the format manually, you should turn on Email Address Redirection.)

How do I reply to a message?

You can reply to a message normally by selecting or opening the message and clicking the "Reply" or "Reply All" icons in the top toolbar.

If you just reply to a message normally, it will come from whatever email address you specified during setup (you can change which email address this is by going to the main menu and selecting Edit > Mail/News Account Settings, selecting the account, and modifying the "Email Address" field). To send from your Mailshell addresses, be sure to use remote compose format. (If you want your incoming messages automatically modified to remote compose format so you can easily reply to them without having to worry about entering the format manually, you should turn on Email Address Redirection.)

How do I delete a message?

You can delete a message by selecting it and clicking the "Delete" key on your keyboard or by right-clicking the message and selecting "Delete." Note that, depending on your account preferences, the message may only be marked for deletion but will not be removed entirely: to remove it entirely, go the main menu and select File > Compact This Folder.

You can change how Netscape handles deleted messages by going to the main menu and selecting Edit > Mail/News Account Settings, selecting "Server" for the account, and using the "When I delete a message:" menu.



Managing Folders

How do I create a new folder?

There are two ways you can create a new folder:

  • In Netscape, right-click the Inbox folder and select "New Folder" or select the Inbox folder, go to the main menu, and select File > New > Folder. Enter the name of the folder and click the "OK" button. The new folder will be added to your list under Inbox and will also appear on Mailshell's website.


  • You can also go to Mailshell's website, sign in to your account, and create a folder there as you would normally. Then, to make the new folder appear in Netscape, you'll need to subscribe to it: right-click any folder and select "Subscribe," click the arrow to the left of the INBOX entry, select the new folder, and click the "Subscribe" button, then click the "OK" button.

Note that you can also use Netscape to create subfolders, which aren't currently supported by Mailshell's website. To do this, right-click the folder you want the new folder to be under and select "New Subfolder," enter the name of the subfolder, and click the "OK" button. The new folder will be added to your list under the folder you originally selected. If you go to Mailshell's website, the folder will be listed in the form Folder.Subfolder (e.g., if you created a "Jane" subfolder under your "Friends" folder, it would appear on Mailshell's site as Friends.Jane); you can deliver messages there as you would to any other folder, but it won't appear as a subfolder in any visual way.

How do I rename a folder?

There are two ways you can rename a folder:

  • In Netscape, right-click the folder and select "Rename Folder," then enter the new name and click the "OK" button. (The new name will also appear on Mailshell's website.)

  • You can also go to Mailshell's website, sign in to your account, and rename the folder there as you would normally. Then, to make the change appear in Netscape, you'll need to re-subscribe to the folder: right-click any folder and select "Subscribe," click the arrow to the left of the INBOX entry, select the renamed folder, and click the "Subscribe" button, then click the "OK" button.

How do I delete a folder?

There are two ways you can delete a folder:

  • In Netscape, select the folder and click the "Delete" key on your keyboard or right-click the folder and select "Delete." (The folder will also be deleted on Mailshell's website.)

  • You can also go to Mailshell's website, sign in to your account, and delete the folder there as you would normally. Then, to make the change appear in Netscape, you'll need to re-subscribe to your folders: right-click any folder and select "Subscribe," then click the "OK" button.


Other

What if I have more questions?

If you have additional questions about how to use Netscape, we recommend you consult Netscape's help documentation by going to the main menu and selecting Help > Help Contents. If you are having problems that relate directly to Mailshell (e.g., Mailshell is rejecting your password, or you are using Mailshell's SMTP server and messages aren't being delivered properly), contact the Mailshell Support Desk. Your question should be answered within two business days.