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OS X Settings 1: Using Mail, iCal and Address Book with an Exchange Server

This is the first in a series of posts where I will provide settings for installing/setting up Mac OS X applications/hardware. This is my way of giving back for help that I have received, but also to fill in holes that I perceive in current advice. In particular, I will try to provide full setting lists rather than just the most important sections. However, I will provide only the settings themselves, not full blow-by-blow instructions, so you will have to know how to navigate menus, when to press OK etc.

ISSUE: If you are using OS X you can replace Entourage with OSX Mail, iCal and Address Book.

SPECIFICITY: These settings are specifically for faculty and staff of The University of Queensland using Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard). The settings may be different at other institutions, but the principles should be the same.

PRELIMINARIES: The easiest way is to have everything working in Entourage first (set up Entourage 2008 at The University of Queensland), because you can set the calendar and address book to sync with Entourage rather than directly with the Exchange server. <Sigh> Technically iCal can sync with an Entourage server, but I am yet to find the correct settings.

SETTINGS

Mail

Use the new account wizard or go to Preferences–>Accounts and add a new account.

Account Information

  • Account type: Exchange IMAP
  • Description: UQ (Can be anything you like)
  • Email address: a.person@uq.edu.au
  • Full Name: A. Person
  • Incoming mail server: exchange.uq.edu.au
  • Username: nnaperso (Your normal UQ username)
  • Password: (I leave this blank because I prefer to always type it in. You may choose to put it in and have it saved.)
  • Outgoing mail server (smtp): (You will have to create an outgoing mail server identity, which will then be chosen in this preference–see below).
  • Outlook Web Access Server: exchange.uq.edu.au

Advanced:

  • Make sure “Enable this account” is selected
  • Make sure “Include when automatically checking for new messages” is selected
  • Port: 993
  • Make sure “Use SSL” is selected
  • Authentication: Password
  • Make sure “Use IDLE command if the server supports it” is selected

Outgoing mail settings

The settings you will need for the outgoing mail server are:

Account Information

  • Description: UQ (You can use whatever you like)
  • Address: smtp.uq.edu.au

Advanced

  • Make sure the “Use default ports” option is selected
  • Make sure the “Use secure sockets” option is selected
  • Authentication: Password
  • Username: nnaperso (Your normal UQ username)
  • Password: ******** (Your normal UQ password, but you will need to enterĀ  and save it here unless you want to enter it every time you send mail).

iCal & Address Book

In Entourage 2008, go to General Preferences–>Sync Services

  • Make sure “Synchronise Contacts with Address Book and Mobile Me” is selected (You do not need to be using Mobile Me for this to work)
  • Address Book: Contacts [a.person@uq.edu.au] (Choose the name of your Exchange account in Entourage (this will be automatically populated by Entourage with the name of your account, by default ” a.person@uq.edu.au”. The point is not to choose Address Book [On My Computer])
  • Make sure “Synchronise Events and Tasks with iCal and Mobile Me” is selected (You do not need to be using Mobile Me for this to work)
  • Calendar: Calendar [a.person@uq.edu.au] (Choose the name of your Exchange account in Entourage (this will be automatically populated by Entourage with the name of your account, by default ” a.person@uq.edu.au”. The point is not to choose Calendar [On My Computer])

ADDITIONAL SETTING OPTIONS

You may also want to prevent Mail from automatically syncing with all the Public Folders on the Exchange Server, which wastes time, slows down Mail, and wastes space.

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