How to use Thunderbird to send and receive Exchange email replacing MS-Outlook

Thunderbird is a open source Mail client with tons of features. Out-of-box Thunderbird does not support MS-Exchange server – in simple it is not a Exchange client like Outlook. In most of the corporate networks, employees can access Email only using Outlook, Outlook Web Access (OWA) and Blackberry. They are all having Exchange support. Many of us get frustrated with Outlook some times and seeking for some Open source alternative like Thunderbird. Since Thunderbird does not support Exchange we need some gateway to do this stuff. There the DavMail comes into picture. Here is the capabilities of both the applications in brief, quoted from the respective web site.

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You can read more about the features here.

DavMail

Basically DavMail act as a browser to get data form Outlook Web Access (OWA) feature of MS-Exchange server. The fetched data is transferred to thunderbird through distinct ports.

Ever wanted to get rid of Outlook ? DavMail is a POP / IMAP / SMTP/ Caldav / LDAP exchange gateway allowing users to use any mail/calendar client (e.g. Thunderbird with Lightning or Apple iCal) with an Exchange server, even from the internet or behind a firewall through Outlook Web Access. DavMail now includes an LDAP gateway to Exchange global address book and user personal contacts to allow recipient address completion in mail compose window and full calendar support with attendees free/busy display.

Apart from these two applications, we use Lightning also. Lightning is a Calendar and Tasks Extension (or add-on or plug-in) for Thunderbird mail client.

Installation

I don’t have much to say on installation part on Thundbird and DavMail. It is usual Next.. Next.. Finish.

You need the following data before going ahead. Keep them in handy.

1. Your Outlook Web Access URL address, which you use to enter to check your works Mails.

2. Your works Domain name, Username and Password

3. If your workstation is behind a proxy, you should know Proxy server name or IP address, Port number, Username and Password for proxy.

In this post, where ever I mention letters in red, substitute them with your data listed above. Where ever you don’t follow my instructions, click the screenshot to enlarge it and get clarified.

DavMail Configuration

After installation, you can find the DavMail running at system tray. Right-click and select Settings. In Main tab enter your Outlook Web Access URL. Leave the rest as it is.

Go to Proxy tab, enter your proxy details if you are behind a proxy server. Otherwise leave it as it is.

The configuration has done the following stuff for us.

DavMail is running on our workstation itself. So our server is called localhost here afterwards. We have the following services running in our locahost in the ports mentioned.

1. POP Port: 1110 – To receive the emails from Exchange (we use this method in our case)

2. IMAP Port: 1143 – To receive the emails from Exchange (we are not going to use this in our case now)

3. SMTP Port: 1025 – To send the emails through Exchange

4. Caldav HTTP Port: 1080 – To synchronize the calendar with Exchange server

5. LDAP Port: 1389 – To fetch address book from Exchange server. Thunderbird will use this to auto-complete email addresses while we compose the message.

Account creation wizard

Run the Thunderbird after installation. First time running will kick start a wizard to create a account. Though it is capable of auto configuring for some email services like GMail, in our case we have to configure manually. But don’t worry it is damn simple, if you follow the instructions below referring the screenshots. Click the screenshots for bigger view.

1. Enter your Name, Email ID and password given by your works IT support team and click Continue.

2. Now the thundrbird will try to auto-configure the account. You just stop it by clicking Stop button.

3. You should have a plain configuraion screen with some default values. Click Manual Setup button.

4. Select Server Settings from left pane under your account. Enter the following:

1. Server Name: localhost

2. User Name: domainname\username

3. Port: 1110

Also ensure that Connection Security is None (connection between Thunderbird and DavMail)

5. Select Composition & Addressing in left pane under your account. Select Use a different LDAP server. Click Edit Directories.

Now you will be shown a LDAP server configuration box. Click Add button to add our local LDAP server.

Enter the following values in the input boxes.

1. Name: Exchange

2. Hostname: localhost

3. Base DN: ou=people

4. Port number: 1389

5. Bind DN: domainname\username

Clicking OK and again OK in the LDAP servers configuration box will bring you to Composition & Addressing pane again. Select Exchange under Use a different LDAP server. This Exchange is the one which we have created just now.

6. Select Outgoing Server (SMTP) from left pane. You should see your new account at right pane. Set it as Default if not by click Set as Default. Then click Edit button to configure manually.

Enter the following:

1. Server Name: localhost

2. Port: 1025

3. Select User name and Password

4. User name: domainname\username

Also ensure that Connection Security is None (connection between Thunderbird and DavMail)

Now we are about to finish. Just click OK in this Account Settings box to exit. Now you will be shown main Thunderbird screen.

Now we have to configure Auto-completion of address while composing a message. This can be done by following the main menu.

1. Tools -> Options -> Composition -> Addressing -> Address Auto completion

2. Select Local Address book

3. Select Directory Server and select Exchange. Click OK to finish.

Now you are done with Email configuration.

Lightning installation

Follow the steps given below to install the Lightning extension which provides Calendar and Tasks functionalities to Thunderbird.

1. Thunderbird main menu -> Tools -> Add-ons -> Type Lightning in Search All Add-ons text box and Enter. It will search and get Lightning extension summary. Click Add to Thunderbird button to start installing.

Installation is done. Now let’s configure calendar to get service from DavMail.

Calendar configuration

1. Thunderbird main menu -> File -> New -> Calendar

2. Select On the Network and click OK.

3. Select Format as CalDav. Enter location as “http://localhost:1080/users/email_id@mycompany.com/calendar”. Refer the screenshot for more clarification. Click Next.

4. Enter some nick name for your calendar and Click Next and Finish.

Good job! Now you are done with all configuration to replace your Outlook with Thunderbird. Just start using it to carry out your work. Thunderbird’s lightning fast search will help you to find anything except God

Here are some screenshots of how it looks like when you use it day to day.

Adding new task in Thunderbird

Adding new event in Thunderbird

Mail view of Thunderbird

Calendar view of Thunderbird

Task view of Thunderbird

Event and Task Reminder

Hope you enjoyed this post! Have a nice time with Thunderbird and DavMail!