Email: add BSC mail to a computer

BSC email works in Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, or any other desktop mail app on Windows or Mac. The settings are the same for all of them. On a Chromebook, use webmail instead.

Before you start

Set your BSC password first if you haven't already. You'll need it here, and the setup won't complete without it.

Choose IMAP, not POP

When your mail app asks which type of account to add, choose IMAP.

IMAP keeps your mail on the server, so your computer, phone, and webmail all stay in sync. POP downloads messages to one device and can remove them from the server, which means they stop appearing anywhere else.

Settings

The username fields need the whole address, not just the part before the @ sign. That's the most common thing to cause the email setup to fail.

Where to find these settings in each app

Every mail app words this differently, but the path is roughly the same.

• Outlook: File, then Add Account. Enter your address, choose Advanced options, then Let me set up my account manually, then IMAP.
• Apple Mail: Mail, then Add Account, then Other Mail Account.
• Thunderbird: Account Settings, then Account Actions, then Add Mail Account. Choose Configure Manually when it offers.

If your app offers to find the settings for you, let it try. If it can't, look for a manual setup or advanced option and use the table above.

On a Chromebook

Chromebooks don't run desktop mail apps, so the settings above don't apply. Use webmail at b-sc.edu:2096 instead. There's nothing to install and nothing to configure.

If your Chromebook can install Android apps from the Play Store, you can also add BSC mail to the Gmail app using the Android steps.

If it won't connect

Check the username first, since it needs to be the full address including @student.b-sc.edu.

Check that encryption is set to SSL/TLS on both servers rather than STARTTLS or None.

If your app connects for receiving but won't send, the outgoing server is missing your username and password. Some apps treat those as optional and leave them blank.

If you've recently reset your password, the app may still be holding the old one. Removing the account and adding it again clears that up.

Still stuck, email helpdesk@b-sc.edu with the app you're using and the exact error message.

On a shared or lab computer

Don't add your account to a computer you don't control. A mail app stores your password and keeps a copy of your messages on that machine, and both stay there after you walk away.

Use webmail instead and sign out when you're done.

Also on your phone

iPhone: Apple Mail or Outlook.

Android: Gmail app, Samsung Email, or Outlook.