Configuring Email in Linux
Once you've set up a email account, you can simply log into it via your browser. This, however, is a little tiresome, so most Linux distros normally ship with a default email client: for Ubuntu and Fedora, this is Evolution. To configure Evolution, it's basically a case of starting it up for the first time and following the installation wizard.
To start Evolution under Ubuntu, click on the envelope icon at the top right of the screen and choose “Mail”:
To start Evolution under Fedora, search for the string "evol" in the "Applications" area:
You will see the Evolution wizard start up - click "Forward" to continue:
You may see the following dialogue box, if you are re-installing. This is only of any use if you previously made a backup of your configuration. For new installations, just click "Forward" (-without checking the restore box) to continue:
You will then be asked to enter the email account details that you created in the previous section. When ready, click "Forward" to continue:
The "Receiving E-mail" dialogue will display:
Type in the following details:
Server: pop.gmail.com
Server Type: POP
Username: <your email>@gmail.com
Use Secure Connection: No encryption
Remember Password (checked)
Once entered, click "Forward" to display the second "Receiving Options" dialogue:
Type in the following details:
Check for new messages every: set to how often you want it t check with the mail server)
Server Type: POP
Leave messages on server: leave unchecked if you want emails to be deleted from the server after downloading into Evolution or leave it checked to retain them
Disable support for all POP3 extensions (unchecked)
Once completed, click "Forward" to display the "Sending Options" dialogue:
Type in the following details:
Once completed, click "Forward" to display the "Account Management" dialogue:
Set a friendly name for this account to be known as (-this is really only useful if you have multiple accounts you need to check) and click "Forward":
The above dialogue will display if all went well.
If you see an error similar to the one shown below when trying to send an email:
Error while performing operation.
MAIL FROM command failed: Must issue a STARTTLS command first (etc)
..then you may need to update the profile to use SSL to talk to the mail server. To do this,start up Evolution and select:
Edit → Preferences
A dialogue box will open: click on the email account you are using, then click on the “Edit” button:
A new dialogue box will display: click on the “Sending E-mail” tab:
Make sure that the “Use Secure Connection” field is set to “SSL Encryption”:
Click “OK” to close this dialogue box and “OK” again to close the first dialogue box. You should now find yourself back at the main Evolution screen.
To test things, click on your “Outbox” tab:
You should see any unsent emails listed in the right hand pane. Now click on the “Send/Receive” button at the top of the screen:
A dialogue box should display listing progress: if all when well, any unsent messages will disappear from your “Outbox”.