CIS Webmail

What is WebMail?

WebMail provides a simple interface for checking your CIS email when you are not at your personal computer without the need to set up a mail client with your CIS account information.

A direct link to CIS Webmail:

http://www.cis.rit.edu/webmail

Also there is anther, more stable  version of webmail:

http://www.cis.rit.edu/sqmail

Why use Webmail?

Webmail is mainly useful when you can not access your normal mail client. Examples of this include (just to name a few):
  • On a differnt part of campus.
  • In a lab.
  • Outside of campus.
  • etc.

Precautions

There are a few things you should take note of while using CIS WebMail.

Passwords in Browsers

Most modern browsers come with a password manager which will prompt you to store passwords anytime you enter one in an encrypted field (a text box that fills in with ***). While this feature can be useful for ones own personal computer that has your own password protecting the user account, it is a terrible idea for public machines. Since CIS WebMail is cheifly meant to be used to remotely access your mail, chances are you will be on a public machine. If you allow the password manager to save your password, anyone else who touches that machine can gain access to your mail. See Figure 1 for an example of a password manager prompt.

 
DO NOT allow the web browser to store your password.

Other Mail Clients

Make very sure that no other mail clients (ie. Netscape, Thunderbird, Pine, etc...) are accessing your mail account when you log in to CIS WebMail. If more than one mail client tries to access your mail at the same time, you may have a loss of mail or other unfortunate results.

Attachments

CIS WebMail has a maximum upload file size set at 2 megabytes, so very large files should be sent using a normal mail client. This is a PHP limit. Rememmber, webmail is designed as an alternative way to access your mail and is not intended to process very large files and mail folders.

 
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 25 August 2009 )