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What is SquirrelMail?

SquirrelMail is an open source web-mail package that is based on PHP language. It provides a web-based-email client and a proxy server for IMAP protocol. SquirrelMail supports the POP3 (Post Office Protocol), IMAP, SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), and all output pages presented in HTML 4.0 without JavaScript to make compatible with web browsers (easily run on web browsers). The webmail provides all the functionality of an email client including strong MIME, address book, folder manipulation, calendar and also provides native message preview and document preview in multiple formats such as message preview in .jpeg, .gif, .bpm, .png and document preview in .txt, .pdf, .doc, .xls, .odt, .ods,. However, it does not support message templates scripts, and programming languages. It uses a plugin architecture to add additional features in core application. This article helps user to know what is squirrelMail, its features, functions and squirrelmail issues.

Features of SquirrelMail webmail

SquirrelMail webmail provides various features as mentioned below:

  • Supports Multiple Platforms:

SquirrelMail is available for any platform, which supports PHP such as Linux, UNIX, Windows, and MAC OS X.

  • Additional Plug-in available:

Plugins are the extension that allows admins to customize their installation of SquirrelMail. The SquirrelMail webmail client without plugin is itself a complete application, but the plugin is used to extend its core features. There are 214 plugins available, out of which some are described below:

Add-ons: Add-ons plugin are used to create functionality for SquirrelMail.

Change Password: plugin allows the users to change their password.

Compose: Helps in composing the new email.

Filter: provides filter option to sort incoming mail.

Message View: Message view plugins extend the viewing of emails.

Vacation:Allows in making the auto replay of the message.

Visual Additions: Add more information and graphics to the SquirrelMail interface.

  • Multiple languages support:

The SquirrelMail webmail is available in 50 languages included Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, German, English, etc. The user can translate into other language.

  • User Data Storage:

Email and user data are stored in storage facilities provide by the web and IMAP Servers. SquirrelMail stores address books in simple text files, the location of these text files are set with the directory setting in the SquirrelMail configuration. User preferences are stored in the .pref file, the address book is stored in .abook file and user signatures are store in a .sig file. SquirrelMail provides database facility if the database is required so the user can use the plugin. The administrator can split large preference files into subdirectories when files in directory become large.

  • Provides Security:

SquirrelMail provides secure POP3 (SSL, TLS), secure IMAP4 (SSL, TLS), secure SMTP(SSL, TLS). TLS (Transport Layer Security) and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is cryptographic protocols which provide secure and reliable communication on the internet.

  • Changing Password Facility:

SquirrelMail does not store password, its responsibility of IMAP server’s to take care the user password.

Functions of SquirrelMail

  • Compose:There are several options available for users while writing a new email message such as choose the recipient(s), adding attachments, and signature, spell check, etc.
  • Address:It provides facility to store email addresses of contacts (click on the email address to create a new email).
  • Folder:It offers an option to organize email message into different folders.
  • Options:-provides a set of a large number of options on how to use SquirrelMail.
  • Search:This option helps to search a particular email from the batch of emails.
  • Help:Online help is available, if user have any query.

How to Login in SquirrelMail

To Login into SquirrelMail, you need the proper installation of SquirrelMail on the system but before that, there are some requirements to Run SquirrelMail on the system:

Required Softwares to Run SquirrelMail:
  • IMAP server required which supports IMAP4 and Web server with PHP installed (4.1.0, PHP 4, PHP5. And PHP 6).
  • Any operating system which supports PHP like Unix/Linux, Windows, MAC OS, etc.
  • Perl installed on the system, without Perl SquirrelMail works fine but it is helpful for initial configuration.

Steps for Installing SquirrelMail:
  • Step 1: First need to Download SquirrelMail Package and PHP from the official Web sites.
  • Step 2: Install the web server and PHP, as SquirrelMail requires PHP supported web-server.
  • Step 3: Then install IMAP server, if you are running your email server on Windows platform then you need to enable an IMAP service.
  • Step 4: Unpack SquirrelMail package from web accessible location.
  • Step 5: Prepare Data directory and attachment directory, Note – this directory should be writable by the server.
  • Step 6: Now Configure SquirrelMail by Run the command “config/conf.pl” from the command line.
  • Step 7: Then check SquirrelMail configuration.
  • Step 8:Once the configuration is completed, login into SquirrelMail.

How to install SquirrelMail into Multiple Operating Systems

SquirrelMail supports multiple operating systems that support PHP, which means that the user can run SquirrelMail web-mail into multiple operating systems such as Unix/Linux, Windows, MAC OS, etc. Follow the given links to install SquirrelMail.

  • Install SquirrelMailWindows.
  • Install SquirrelMail on UNIX/ LINUX.
  • CInstall SquirrelMailMACos
  • Install SquirrelMail on a Web Hosted Service.

Common Problem With SquirrelMail

The problem with SquirrelMail - that allow the user to add their account does not allow to add account.

FAQs

1. What is squirrelmail and Does it support windows OS?

SquirrelMail is an open source web-mail package that is based on PHP language. It provides a web-based-email client and a proxy server for IMAP protocol. Yes it is supported in Windows OS.

2. Is there any new user registration procedure available in SquirrelMail?

No, SquirrelMail does not come with a new user registration process.

3. Does squirrelMail supports HTML based email message?

Yes, the web-mail supports the reading of email messages that are in HTML format.

4. Does SquirrelMail supports POP3 emails?

The SquirrelMail require IMAP server, but is capable of retrieving email from a POP3 server.

5. Can I use SquirrelMail to Connect to IMAP server through SSL?

Yes, SquirrelMail support IMAP-SSL (and secure IMAP-TLS) only in combination with PHP 4.3x and higher version.

6. Can I configure folders to store incoming email or any rules are available to directly store incoming email into configure folder?

Yes, filter plug-in allows you to directly store mail into the certain folder based on header information of the email.

Conclusion

This is a knowledge-based article on SquirrelMail. With the help of this article, you can get the detail information about what is SquirrelMail, features of squirrelmail, common issues webmail, and way to login in SquirrelMail.