Configuring email software for use with BEV

BEV is not adding services for new customers at the current time. We are continuing to support existing customers.

Email Settings

At least four settings need to be configured to use your BEV email:

• Email address: This is your full BEV email address. For example: johndoe@bev.net. 
• Username and password: Username may also be referred to as a PID or POP login name. The username is case-sensitive, use all lower case letters. Your username is the same as your email address. For example: johndoe@bev.net. 
• Incoming mail server (POP3) hostname: For most customers, this should be set to pop.bev.net. Premium Community Connections customers who have their own domain should set their incoming mail to their own pop server (example pop.mydomain.org) 
• Outgoing mail server (SMTP) hostname: This setting depends on the modem pool or access you use. If and only if you use Virginia Tech's modem pool or Virginia Tech Ethernet, you should use:smtp.bev.net. Premium Community Connections customers who have their own domain and use Virginia Tech modem pool or Virginia Tech Ethernet should use their own smtp server (examplesmtp.mydomain.org) Otherwise, you must use the outgoing mail server hostname provided by your internet service provider. For example, mail.isp.com.

Email programs have many more settings that can be manipulated. But, in most instances, the items above are the only fields that must be configured for operation of your BEV email. For example, although the instructions here don't mention it, most email software will have a field to fill in your full name.

Note: The settings below contain the domain suffix BEV.NET. If you already have a BEV.ORG account the instructions are the same except substitute BEV.ORG for BEV.NET.

Incoming mail with SSL

The BEV Mail Server Supports POP over SSL

You may configure your email software to use POP with or without SSL.

POP over SSL means that your email login credentials and downloading of incoming mail messages are encrypted between your computer and the BEV mail server.

But, note that mail is still sent through the Internet in non-encrypted format and messages are almost always transferred between Internet mail servers in non-encrypted format. So, you should not infer that POP over SSL offers end-to-end privacy of your messages. The encryption only applies between your computer and BEV mail system.

Outgoing (SMTP) mail does not support SSL

Also note that the following instructions may show smtp.bev.net as the outgoing email server. The outgoing mail server of smtp.bev.net may not be correct for your acccount.

Your correct outgoing mail server setting depends on the modem pool or access you use. If and only if you use Virginia Tech's modem pool or Virginia Tech Ethernet, you should use: smtp.bev.net. Premium Community Connections customers who have their own domain and use Virginia Tech modem pool or Virginia Tech Ethernet should use their own smtp server (example smtp.mydomain.org) Otherwise, you must use the outgoing mail server hostname provided by your internet service provider. For example, mail.isp.com.

If you use another ISP, you might consult the outgoing mail server settings listed by ISP on the VT answers page.

To use SSL for downloading your incoming mail messages, your email client must be configured to use POP over SSL.

Two steps are generally required for email client software to work with BEV's POP over SSL:

• Re-configure your email client's POP server settings to use POP over SSL on port 995.
• Configure your email client to trust the SSL server certificate.