MSLN E-mail

Schools and libraries may set up and manage their own e-mail servers. The choice to maintain a local server allows schools and libraries to act on their preferences for a particular e-mail system. If an e-mail system is already in place, its use may be continued if the system can support Internet mail. Since the management of e-mail is local, decisions on who gets an id and when the account should be terminated are made and executed locally within MSLN guidelines.

The central servers maintained by the MSLN project are available to serve e-mail to schools and libraries who choose not to maintain their own mail systems. The mail through these servers will be delivered through POP (post office protocol), IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) or via web mail.

Who Can Have E-mail?

E-mail on local servers at schools and libraries is managed at the school and libraries themselves. Technical coordinators may give E-mail accounts to members of the site's constituencies (faculty, staff, students, patrons). The network is not intended to offer services to the general public.

Technical coordinators may give E-mail accounts on the central MSLN servers to faculty, staff, students or patrons. Technical coordinators can create e-mail ids on the central servers using the procedure outlined in E-mail on the MSLN Servers.

Sites with direct connections, may also provide dial-up access by modem to their networks. However, MSLN Advisory Board guidelines restrict access to the Internet e-mail over dial-up to faculty and staff. Students with special needs, such as illness, may have access through dial-up as deemed appropriate by the school. Please note that these modems are provided at sites that have direct connections, NOT dial-up access as provided through Access Tier Option Two .

Appropriate Use of E-mail

The technical coordinator should make sure users know, before using e-mail, how to conduct themselves in a manner considered appropriate. For information on what kinds of problems a technical coordinator might encounter in administering e-mail and how an "acceptable use policy" may help, see: Non-Technical Issues of Internet Service at MSLN Sites.

Setting Up a Local E-mail Server

If you're interested in setting up your own mail server and would like some advice, feel free to send us e-mail at msln@maine.edu. Be sure to tell us about your computing environment and about any file servers you are running. There is e-mail server software available for just about any file server platform. For those sites that aren't currently running a file server, there is also e-mail server software available for PC or Macintosh workstations.

E-mail on the MSLN Internet Servers

In order to use the central server,

1. you must have a connection to the MSLN Network by either dial-up or dedicated line,
2. you must have informed MSLN technical support that you intend to use the central server, and
3. you need to verify that your domain and "MX" record have been set up properly.

With these done, you are ready to set up e-mail accounts on the MSLN server.

E-mail ids are created on the MSLN central servers through the network management tool. There are several things you should check before creating any mail ids.

Is there a Mail Accounts Button?

The Mail Accounts button is located on the first page of NM. If you don't have one, you need to call 1-888-FOR-MSLN or send mail to msln@maine.edu to let the MSLN Network Managers know you'll be using the central mail servers.

Is the Domain What You Expected it to Be?

If the domain shown in NM isn't what you wanted it to be, please call 1 888-FOR-MSLN or send e-mail to msln@maine.edu to have it corrected.

Is there an MX Record?

The MX (mail exchange record) must be filled in to receive mail through the central mail servers. To see if there is an MX record take the following steps.
 

1. On the first page of NM, click on the "Domains" button.
2. Click on the domain for which you wish to check the MX record.
3. If there is an "@" symbol in the first entry of the table, then an MX record has been established. To check the MX record, click on the "@" symbol.
4. If there isn't an "@" symbol, you'll need to create an MX record.

Editing the MX Record

On this screen you will see a "Name" box, a list of the Domains you support, and further down on the screen, a box labeled "Deliver mail for this host to Mail Exchangers(MX):". You will need to check all of these fields to make sure that they are correct. If they aren't, you can fix the "Name" and"MX" boxes. If domain isn't correct, you'll need to call 1-888 FOR-MSLN or send e-mail to msln@maine.edu. If you don't know what information should be in the Name Box or MX record, see Create an MX Record.

Before editing the Name Box and MX record make sure you have the correct domain selected.

Creating an MX Record

Now that you have verified the MX record, the Name box and domain, you are ready to create mail ids. Start by adding just a few. Note: Userids must be unique for all mail ids on the MSLN mail server. If you get an error saying you have created a duplicate id, the duplicate id may not be at your site but at another MSLN site. You will have to create a different id. If there is an ID you particularly want (i.e. principal, librarian, postmaster, jim, etc.) but is not available, you can create a mail alias, see Creating Mail Aliases.

Test one or two to make sure they work, then add the rest. The ids are active as soon as they are created. If you haven't had to adjust the MX record, you can test the ids as soon as you create them. To test, send mail to an id you have created, from which you can also receive mail, such as your own. Send the mail and wait a bit. Connect to the mail server and retrieve the mail. Note that sometimes the mail.msln.net mail server is very busy and may not accept mail right away. A mail client generally gives you a message indicating that its in a wait state. This is usually caused by the mail server being busy. Most mail clients will, after a period of time (45 secs to a minute), come back with a message and ask you if you wish to retry.

Creating Mail Aliases on the MSLN Server

Any other message you receive is an error in the "to" address, such as a misspelling of the userid or domain, or the pop client isn't set up properly. In any case, no matter what the error message, don't throw the bounced message away! The technical support folks may need information in the message to determine what's wrong.