WiscNet: Wisconsin's Research and Education Network

WiscNetMail is a high quality, state of the art, hosted email service for WiscNet members.

• E-rate eligible
• Administrators at your site can add, delete, and modify user accounts
• Works with any IMAP or POP3 email client -- such as Eudora, Thunderbird, Mail
• Accessible via a web browser
• Built-in protection from spam & viruses
• Sophisticated Mailing List capability (users can subscribe/unsubscribe themselves, list mail can be archived on web)
• 200Mb of account space
• Administrative interface
• Monthly activity reports
• Vacation notification
• Users can change passwords and set email forwarding without the assistance of email administrator
• Backup and archiving ability for additional fees
• Service runs on Sun's I-Planet Messaging server softwareRedundant hardware--8 Sun E420R computers running Solaris

WiscNetMail Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is my email backed up?

A: No, your email is not backed up. If you delete an email, it is gone, and cannot be restored. If you are using the WiscNetMail webclient, look for the message in your trash folder, it may be there.

Q: Is there a way to print out a complete listing of our e-mail users?

A: Unfortunately, not at this time.

Q: Can I use WiscNetMail to host student email accounts? Are there any CIPA issues?

A: Yes, you may choose to provide students with WiscNetMail accounts. However, please be aware that the students' email accounts will have the same exact capabilities as the accounts you make available to your faculty and staff. The "Neighborhood Children's Internet Protection Act" section of CIPA says that a school or library shall adopt and implement an Internet safety policy that addresses "the safety and security of minors when using electronic mail, chat rooms, and other forms of direct electronic communications." Note that this refers just to a policy. Whether an email filter it part of that policy is a local decision. WiscNet recommends that any K-12 school district that offers email to students address the issues regarding student use in its Internet safety policy. More information is available in DPI's CIPA FAQ at http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/dltcl/pld/cipafaq.html

Q: What are the public records implications of using WiscNetMail?

A: Complying with any applicable public records mandates is the responsibility of each WiscNet member organization. To accurately assess how to use WiscNetMail in the context of Wisconsin public records statutes you should consult your organization's counsel.

Q: What will my organization's WiscNetMail address look like?

A: If you are migrating from an existing mail service, your WiscNetMail email addresses will appear exactly as they do now. If you're planning on using a subdomain or adding a domain it is best to discuss your options with Technical Support. You can reach them at support@wiscnet.net or call (608) 265-6761.

Q: What is IMAP?

A: IMAP or Internet Message Access Protocol is a client/server protocol for accessing e-mail that allows e-mail to be stored on the email server. IMAP provides greater flexibility in how you view email messages, allows you to manage your email on the server and even lets you search within messages. Because IMAP servers store email messages they allow users to access all stored email messages from home or from work.

Q: What other considerations do I need to make for using WiscNetMail?

A: If you intend to access WiscNetMail from a web browser, WiscNet InterNet Filtering service users will have to do the following.

1. Verify that your browsers are configured according the instructions in the WiscNet Filtering Manual.
2. Add wiscmail.wisc.edu as an exception in your school's web browsers.

Q: Can I transfer my address books to the web client?

A: Yes.The new Wiscnet Mail has an export/import feature for personal address books.

Q: Can I change a WiscNetMail account name / address?

A: You can simply delete the old account and create a new one using the desired name or e-mail address. Or, add a "mail alternate address" to the existing account with the new name / address and then set the "reply to:" address to this same name. This way the existing account will accept mail to the "new" desired name, and sent messages appear to come from that same address. If you need further details on how to do this, send mail to support@wiscnet.net or call (608) 265-6761.

Q: What is an email quota?

A: Your quota is the total amount of space that you are allowed to use for storing email messages on the WiscMail server.

Q: What is the amount my email quota?

A: All WiscMail users are given 100 MB of storage space. If you need more storage space, contact your member site's WiscNetMail administrator.

Q: What happens if I reach or exceed my quota?

A: A warning message will appear each time you log in to the web client when you are coming close to exceeding your quota. Once you do exceed your quota, an email will be sent to you informing you of such. One email will be sent each day during a 5 day grace period. During the grace period messages coming in to you will be held in the mail queue until you get your mailbox under quota or the grace period ends (5 days). If you still have not gotten under quota once the grace period has ended, messages sent to you will be bounced back to the sender with a message that your mailbox is over quota and not accepting mail. Contact your site's WiscNetMail administrator if you need more storage space.

Q: How can I reduce the amount of my email quota usage?

A: You can reduce your usage in the following ways:
Delete the mail from your sent mail folder that you no longer need. Alternately, do not save sent mail at all. If you are using the WiscNetMail web client and you do not need to keep copies of sent messages you can make this change by going to "Options" and then "Settings" and making sure the "When sending a message place a copy in Sent" check box is -NOT- checked under "Sent Messages". Even if you decide not to save "sent messages" you can still retain copies of important email messages by sending carbon copies to your own email address.  Make sure to empty your web client's trash folder frequently. If you are using the WiscNetMail web client and you do not need to keep the mail you find in the trash folder you can chose to always empty this folder on logout. Go to "Options" and then "Settings" and make sure the "Empty folder on logout" is checked for the "Trash" folder under "Deleting Mail".

Q: Can I / How do I increase the quota available to a WiscNetMail user?

A: Only a Domain Administrator (DA) can increase a user's alloted quota, typically the primary mail contact for your organization is also the DA for your organization. If you are not a DA, please contact your DA and let them know that you are interested in having more space available to you to store email. If you are a DA, please send email to WiscNet Technical Support at support@wiscnet.net or call (608) 265.6761, option two, for information on how to alter user quota limits.

Q: Can I change my 'Preferred Language' when connected via the web client?

A: Currently, 'English' is the only supported language.

Q: How do I set my browser to remember my email web client login name?

A: See below.

1. Open your web browser and go to wiscnetmail.net.
2. Enter your Username, but not your password and click the Login button.
3. Your browser will now display a new login window, with your Username already entered.
4. Go to your browser's Favorites menu and select Add to Favorites. Next time you want to login to the email web client, simply open your browser, click on the Favorites menu and select the favorite that you just added.

For Netscape Navigator:

1. Open your web browser and go to wiscnetmail.net.
2. Enter your Username, but not your password and click the Login button.
3. Your browser will now display a new login window, with your Username already entered.
4. Click on the Communicator Menu and select Bookmarks and Add Bookmark.
5. Next time you want to login to the email web client, simply open your browser, click on the Communicator menu and select Bookmarks and the bookmark that you just added.

Q: Is every piece of email scanned for viruses?

A: No. Email sent from outside your mail domain will be scanned. Email sent from inside your mail domain (co-workers, etc) is not scanned.

Q: How do I set my junk mail filters?

A: See the instructions on the page at http://helpdesk.wisc.edu/page.php?id=2368

Q: Does WiscNetMail support POP clients?

A: No, although most POP clients will work with WiscNetMail, they are not supported.