Communicator Help: Installing and Setting Up AOL<sup><font size=-2>®</font></sup> Communicator

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Installing and Setting Up AOL Communicator

Setting Up Mail Accounts

The Account Setup Wizard collects the information required for a new mail account. It runs automatically the first time you install AOL Communicator. You can run it again at any time to add additional accounts.

Before You Begin
Types of Accounts
Starting the Account Setup Wizard
Setting Up an AOL Account
Setting Up an ISP E-mail Account

Related topics:

What to Do If You Forget Your Master Password

Before You Begin

Make sure you have the information required for the type of account you want to set up. (If you're not sure what type of account to set up, see the next section, Types of Accounts.)

You must set up an AOL® member account before you set up any other accounts. To set up an AOL account, you just need your screen name and password.

If you're setting up a POP or IMAP account, you need more information. If necessary, ask your internet service provider (ISP) or your system administrator (if your account is provided by an organization) for the following information:

- Your user name
- Your e-mail address
- Inbound and outbound mail server host names and passwords

You must have the above information for each ISP account you want to use with AOL Communicator.

Organizations with online directories: If you are setting up an account provided by a large organization such as a university or a corporation, ask your system administrator if an online directory is available.

If a directory is available, ask the system administrator for this optional information, which you can specify during account setup to simplify addressing mail messages:

- directory server name
- directory server port number
- directory search root

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Types of Accounts

AOL Communicator Mail supports three types of accounts:

- AOL® member account: A special type of IMAP account provided for all AOL members. You must have at least one AOL member account to use AOL Communicator.
  Every AOL® screen name has a corresponding AOL® mail account. AOL members can have more than one AOL screen name.
  Features of AOL Accounts:
  AOL mail accounts have features similar to those of IMAP accounts.
  In addition, because AOL mail accounts are integrated with the AOL service, they have special capabilities that aren't available for other types of accounts. These include

- The ability to check the status of a message to see whether the recipient has read it yet.
- The ability to "unsend" a message before a recipient reads it (if the recipient is also an AOL member)
- The ability to set a "Mail Away" message that's sent automatically in response to messages you receive while you're away.

- IMAP account: Allows you to store all or some of your messages on the server rather than your computer.
  Features of IMAP Accounts:
  Your messages and any changes to them stay on your server, saving local disk space.
  You always have access to an updated mailbox, and you can get your mail from multiple locations.
  Performance on a modem is faster, since you initially download message headers only.
  Limitations of IMAP Accounts: Not all mail servers support IMAP.
- POP account: Messages must be downloaded to your computer.
  Features of POP Accounts:
  Your messages are downloaded to your local computer all at once.
  You can also specify whether to keep copies of the messages on the server and delete messages on the server when they are deleted locally.
  Most mail servers currently support POP.
  Limitations of POP Accounts:
  If you use more than one computer, messages might reside on one or the other, but not both.
  You can't access all your mail folders from multiple locations.

If you're setting up an ISP account, your ISP can advise you on whether to use IMAP or POP and what settings to use for each.

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Starting the Account Setup Wizard

The Account Setup Wizard launches automatically when you install AOL Communicator for the first time. It takes you through the consecutive windows or "screens" described in the sections that follow.

After you've used the wizard to set up your initial account, you can run it again to set up additional accounts. To do so, open the Edit menu and click New Account.

Click the Next button to continue from one screen to the next.

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Welcome

Use this screen to indicate whether you want to set up an AOL Member account or an ISP account:

- AOL Member account. AOL member accounts are provided to AOL members only. You must set up at least one AOL member account before you can start using AOL Communicator.
  Before you can set up your AOL account, you must know your AOL screen name and password. If you don't, see Contacting AOL Customer Service.
  If you leave this option selected and click Next, you'll see a screen titled AOL Account Setup - Step 1.
- E-mail account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP). This option includes e-mail accounts provided by an organization, an ISP, or any other e-mail hosting services besides AOL.
  Before you can set up an ISP account, you should have all the information described in Before You Begin, and you must have previously set up an AOL member account.
  If you select this option and click Next, you'll see a screen titled ISP E-mail Account - Step 1 of 5.

For more information, see Types of Accounts.

If you don't have an AOL account or an AOL screen name, you can get one right away by clicking the links provided:

- Sign up with AOL! Click this to sign up for an AOL member account with full access to membership services, including AOL® Instant Messenger™ (AIM®) services. You must have at least one AOL member account before you can start using AOL Communicator.
- Get an Instant Messenger screen name: Click this to sign up for an Instant Messenger screen name that you can use from any AIM® client software. As long as you set up at least one regular AOL member account in AOL® Communicator Mail, you can use one or more Internet screen names with Instant Messenger™ for AOL® Communicator.

Different kinds of screen names: Screen names for AOL member accounts are different from AIM ® ("Internet") screen names:

- AOL member: AOL member accounts have access to the entire AOL service, including all its features.
- AIM service: AIM screen names can be used with the AIM service, but not to sign onto the AOL service.

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Setting Up an AOL Account

Tutorial movie:
Add Accounts for Other AOL Screen Names

After you select AOL Member Account on the first Account Setup screen, follow these steps in the remaining screens to set up your AOL account.

AOL Account Setup - Step 1
AOL Account Setup - Step 2
Launch Options - Step 3
Confirm Settings

Related topics:

Before You Begin
Starting the Account Setup Wizard

AOL Account Setup - Step 1

This screen collects the basic information about your account:

- Account Description: The description you want to use to identify this account, such as My AOL Account
  This description can be anything you want—it identifies the account in the main Mail window. If you leave this field blank, your screen name will be used to identify the account.
- Your Name: The name you want to associate with this account.
  The name you type here will show up as the sender's name in e-mail messages you send.
- Organization/Institution: An appropriate organization name, if any, for this account (optional).
- Screen Name: Your AOL screen name. Type it carefully. You must type a valid name and password to proceed to the next screen.
  If you don't know your AOL screen name or password, see Contacting AOL Customer Service.
- Password: Your AOL® password. Type it carefully.
- Remember password. Leave this option selected if you don't want to be prompted for your password every time you launch AOL Communicator.
  Note: If you leave this option selected, other people with physical access to your computer may be able to access your AOL account.

When you click Next, the Account Setup Wizard verifies that the screen name and password you typed are valid.

If you typed a valid screen name but the wrong password, you'll see a message asking you to type the correct password.

If the screen name you typed doesn't correspond to an active AOL member account, you'll see a message telling you so. In this case, type your screen name and password again, or ask AOL® Customer Service to check the status of your account.

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AOL Account Setup - Step 2

This screen lets you select performance-related options:

AOL Account Options:

- Make my mail in this account available offline. By default, the AOL service stores your messages on the server. If you select this option, AOL Communicator also stores a copy of your messages on your computer, so you can read them when you're offline.
  If you have a slow connection and a lot of messages stored on the server, the initial copying process may take a long time.
- Check for Spam messages in this account. When this option is turned on, Communicator Mail downloads the content of each message to determine whether the message is spam.
  After a short period during which you teach Communicator Mail which messages it correctly marks as spam and which messages it incorrectly marks, the program automatically marks and sorts your spam messages for you.
  This feature is useful if you get a lot of spam messages. However, it can also make collecting mail noticeably slower over a slow connection.
  The slowdown is proportional to the number of messages in your Inbox—the more you have, the longer spam filtering takes. If you typically have fewer than a hundred or so messages in your Inbox at a time, you probably won't notice any slowdown if you select this option.

Click Next to continue.

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Launch Options - Step 3

This screen appears only when you set up your first AOL member account. It allows you to choose which applications you want to launch automatically whenever you launch AOL Communicator.

Select the applications you expect to use every time:

- Mail: Organize your e-mail accounts and messages the way you want.
- Instant Messenger: Communicate with online-buddies and check your new mail messages at the same time.
- My AOL: Launch your customized My AOL web page.
- Address Book: Keep your contact information up-to-date and at your fingertips.
- Radio: Listen to and keep track of your favorite music on Radio@AOL.
- My AOL Today Ticker: Stream your customized My AOL headlines across the top of your screen.

You can change these settings later if you want—just click the AOL® icon in your system tray and choose Launch Options.

Click Next to continue.

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Confirm Settings

This screen summarizes the information that the wizard has collected about your new account.

Check the summary field on the right to make sure you entered all the information correctly. If anything needs to be fixed, click the Back button to return to the screen where you entered it and make any necessary corrections.

When you are sure that everything is correct, click Complete Setup.

AOL Communicator automatically synchronizes your new AOL® Communicator Address Book with your AOL® Address Book and collects messages for your AOL member account.

AOL Communicator Mail then opens, displaying the account you just created in the left pane. Instant Messenger for AOL Communicator also opens and attempts to sign on with the screen name and password you specified for your AOL account.

AOL Communicator Mail also asks if you want to set up another account. Click Yes if you want to do so right away.

You can wait if you prefer. It's possible to add a new account at any time. To do so, open the Edit menu and choose New Account.

Connect to the Internet first: AOL Communicator does not automatically connect your computer to the Internet. Before you attempt to use the program, use your AOL client software or connection method provided by your Internet service provider to connect to the Internet.

If you can't sign onto the AIM service: If you've never used AIM client software before, or if for some reason your AIM® password is not the same as your AOL member password, you may not be able to sign on successfully using Instant Messenger for AOL Communicator.

If this is the case, go to AOL Keyword: AIM Password and reset your password. You should then be able to sign on using the new password.

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Setting Up an ISP E-mail Account

Tutorial movies:

Set up POP3/SMTP Mail Accounts
Set up IMAP/SMTP Mail Accounts

After you've set up at least one AOL member account, you can set up mail accounts you may have with ISPs, institutions, and so on. To begin setting up a new account, follow the instructions at Starting the Account Setup Wizard.

After you select "E-mail account with an Internet Service Provider" on the first Account Setup screen, click Next to proceed through the rest of the screens.

- These screens collect information about your ISP that you should have already gathered, including the names of the incoming server (for mail you receive) and outgoing server (for mail you send).
- For a complete description of the information you need, see Before You Begin. If you don't have this information, ask your ISP or check the ISP's web site before attempting to set up the new account.

To finish setting up an ISP account, follow these steps in the remaining screens:

ISP E-mail Account - Step 1 of 5
ISP E-mail Account - Step 2 of 5
ISP E-mail Account- Step 3 of 5
ISP E-mail Account - Step 4 of 5
Confirm Settings - Step 5 of 5

Related topics:

Importing Local Mail from Netscape 7.0
Importing Contact Information

ISP E-mail Account - Step 1 of 5

Fill in the following information:

- Account Description: The description you want to use to identify this account, such as Personal Account.
  This description identifies the account in the main Mail window. If you leave this field blank, your e-mail address will be used to identify the account.
- Your Name: The name you want to associate with this account.
  The name you type here shows up in the list of accounts you can choose from when you send a mail message.
- E-mail Address: The e-mail address you use with this account. Example: jnm@example.net
- Organization/Institution: An appropriate organization name, if any, for this account (optional).

Click Next to continue.

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ISP E-mail Account - Step 2 of 5

Fill in the following information about the ISP server from which you collect mail:

- Account type: Make sure the type of account you select is available from your mail server. For information on the differences between IMAP and POP accounts, see Types of Accounts.
  ISPs almost always support POP, but not all ISPs support IMAP. If you're not sure which type of account your ISP uses, check with your Internet service provider or system administrator.
- Inbound Host Name. The name of the server that your ISP provides to collect messages for this account.
  The host name must be spelled correctly or you will not be able to collect any messages.
  Example: pop.isp-name.net
  To specify a nonstandard port number (required by some ISPs), type a colon after the host name, followed by the number:
  Example: pop.isp-name.net:123
- User Name. Typically, everything to the left of the "@" sign in your e-mail address.
  For example, if your e-mail address is jnm@example.net, your user name could be jnm or jnm@example.net
- Password. The password for the user name specified above. Type it carefully—if you make a mistake, you won't be able to collect your mail from this account.
- Remember password. Leave this option selected if you don't want to be prompted for your password every time you launch AOL Communicator.
  Note: If you leave this option selected, other people with physical access to your computer may be able to access your ISP account.
- Filter Spam: This option is on by default for POP accounts only. Leaving it on for a POP account does not affect performance.
  When you select this option for an IMAP account, AOL Communicator Mail downloads the content of each message to determine whether the message is spam. This is very useful if you get a lot of spam messages. However, it can also make collecting mail from IMAP accounts noticeably slower over a slow connection.
  The slowdown is proportional to the number and size of messages in your Inbox—the more you have, the longer spam filtering takes. If you have fewer than a hundred or so messages in your IMAP Inbox at any given time, you probably won't notice any slowdown if you select this option.
- Use a secure connection (SSL) for this mailbox (IMAP Only): A secure connection means that all communication between your computer and the mail server is encrypted. A secure connection does not protect messages sent to you before they reach the server.
  Not all mail servers support SSL. If you're not sure, check with your service provider.
- Make my mail available offline (IMAP only): IMAP servers store your messages and folders on the server. If you select this option, Communicator also stores a copy of all your folders and messages on your computer, so you can read them when you're offline.
  If you have a slow connection and more than a hundred messages stored on the server, the initial copying process can take a long time.

Click Next to continue.

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ISP E-mail Account- Step 3 of 5

Fill in the following information about the ISP server that sends your outgoing mail:

- Outbound Host Name: The name of the server to which your outgoing messages will be sent.
  The host name must be spelled correctly or you will not be able to send any messages.
  Example: smtp.isp-name.net
  To specify a nonstandard port number (required by some ISPs), type a colon after the host name, followed by the number:
  Example: pop.isp-name.net:123
- Use authentication when sending mail. Select this checkbox if the outbound host server requires name and password authentication each time you send mail.
  If you're not sure, check with your ISP or system administrator.
- SMTP User: This field is required only if you select "Use authentication when sending mail" above.
  Your SMTP user name is typically identical to the user name you specified in ISP E-mail Account - Step 2 of 5 .
  For example, if your e-mail address is jnm@example.net, your SMTP user name could be jnm or jnm@example.net
- SMTP Password: The password for the SMTP user name specified above. Type it carefully.
  If the SMTP user name is the same as the user name you specified in the ISP E-mail Account - Step 2 of 5 screen, the password will also be the same as the password you specified there.
- Remember SMTP password. Leave this option selected if you don't want to be prompted for it.
  Note: If you leave this option selected, other people with physical access to your computer may be able to access your ISP account.
  If you deselect this option and you selected Use authentication when sending mail above, you will be prompted for the password the first time you send mail after launching AOL Communicator.
- Use secure connection (SSL) when sending mail: Choose the secure connection (SSL) option you want from the drop-down list.
  A secure connection means that all communication between your computer and the mail server is encrypted. A secure connection does not protect your outgoing messages after the server directs them to their recipients.
  Not all mail servers support secure connections. If you choose Always and the server doesn't support SSL, you will not be able to send mail. If you're not sure, check with your Internet service provider or system administrator, or choose When Available.

Click Next to continue.

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ISP E-mail Account - Step 4 of 5

You can use this optional screen to set up your organization's directory for use with this account.

If you don't want to set up a directory right now, click Next to continue. You'll see the screen titled Confirm Settings - Step 5 of 5.

If you want to set up a directory and you have your organization's directory information available, read the instructions that follow.

When configured for use with an LDAP directory, AOL Communicator can fill in names and addresses automatically when you address a message, and you can use Instant Messenger™ software to monitor mail from anyone listed in the directory.

- For this account, use a directory for type down addressing: If your organization has an LDAP directory, select this option.
  If you have previously configured any directories, you can select the one you want from the drop-down list.

To configure a new directory, click New Directory and fill in the New Directory information. If you aren't sure what values to provide, check with your system administrator:

- Directory Name: The name you want to assign this directory in your Address Book. For example: Corporate Directory
  LDAP Server: The name of the server for this directory.
  Port: For most directories you can leave the default value of 389.
  If you select "Use a secure connection (SSL)" below, the default value changes to 636.
  Search Root: This important information is directory-specific. Example: dc=com
  Maximum Results: This setting controls the maximum number of matching addresses that will be displayed.
  Typing delay: This setting determines the delay between keystrokes (while you are addressing a message) before Mail starts looking for matches in the configured directory. Some people prefer a shorter delay, such as 100.
- Use a secure connection (SSL): Select this option if you want communication between your computer and the directory to be encrypted.
  Not all directory servers support secure connection. If you select this option and the server doesn't support SSL, you will not be able to use the directory. If you're not sure, check with your system administrator.

When you have filled in the requested information, click OK. Verify that the directory you want to use with this account is selected from the drop down-list.

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Confirm Settings - Step 5 of 5

This screen summarizes the information that the Account Setup Wizard has collected about your new account.

Check the scrolling summary field on the right to make sure you entered all the information correctly. If anything needs to be fixed, click the Back button to return to the screen where you entered it and make any necessary corrections.

When you are sure that everything is correct, click Complete Setup.

The Mail window then appears, with the account you just created in the left pane (along with other accounts you have previously created).

Connect to the Internet first:
AOL Communicator does not automatically connect your computer to the Internet. Before you attempt to use the program, use your AOL client software or connection method provided by your Internet service provider to connect to the Internet.

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Last Updated September 16, 2003