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Stony Brook (Sparky) Student Email

All registered students at Stony Brook can get an account on the Teaching, Learning + Technology
UNIX server which is named 'Sparky'. This account allows students access to the Internet
from on-campus and off-campus, and to send and receive email.

Getting an Email Account
Where you can go to get an Email Account.
Checking Your Email
Instructions for accessing your email via Webmail, POP/IMAP mail, and Pine.
Email FAQs
Email address format, password issues, mail forwarding, and more...
Where Can I Get Help?
Where to get help for your Stony Brook Email Account.
Sparky is MORE than just email.
In addtion to an email account, your Sparky account provides ...
Email Policy
Responsible use for your Stony Brook Email Account.
Teaching, Learning + Technology does not supply email accounts to faculty and staff. Client Support provide email to faculty and staff. For more information, please visit:
http://clientsupport.stonybrook.edu/accounts.shtml
GETTING AN EMAIL ACCOUNT

For most new students email accounts will be generated automatically.
To find out about your email account, please login to SOLAR.

To open an email account, a student must come in person to any of the following computer labs:

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CHECKING YOUR EMAIL

Option 1: Webmail
Option 2: POP/IMAP mail
Option 3: Pine

Option 1: Webmail - Check email from any computer that has Internet access and a browser.

Option 2: POP/IMAP mail - Check email using a program such as Outlook, Netscape mail, or Eudora from your home machine. On your personal machine, you may use a POP or IMAP program such as Outlook, Netscape, or Eudora. To configure your system, the hostname for your incoming mail server is: mail.ic.sunysb.edu

If you are using a different Internet Service Provider (ISP) than Stony Brook (Optimum Online, AOL, etc.), you must contact your ISP to find out what their outgoing mail server is. If you are on campus or using Stony Brook dialup, the outgoing (SMTP) mail server is: mailrelay.stonybrook.edu

Option 3: Pine - Text-based email is available when you log on to the Sparky server via Secure Shell Client (SSH) or telnet.

How to get to Pine on a PC in a SINC Site:

  1. Click the SSH Shell icon on the desktop
  2. Press the space bar
  3. At the prompt, type
    Host Name: sparky.ic.sunysb.edu
    User Name: your Sparky username
    Password: your Sparky password
    Press enter
  4. Press the space bar or the enter key until you get the sparky% prompt on the screen
  5. At the sparky% prompt, type: pine
  6. You can now access your email.
  7. Help for using Pine.

How to get to Pine from your home or dorm room PC:

  1. Go to Start > Run and type:
    telnet sparky.ic.sunysb.edu
  2. At the prompt, type your Sparky username and password
  3. Press the space bar or the enter key until you get the sparky% prompt on the screen
  4. At the sparky% prompt, type: pine
  5. You can now access your email.
  6. Help for using Pine.

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EMAIL FAQs

STONY BROOK (SPARKY) EMAIL ADDRESS

Your Sparky email address is: userid@ic.sunysb.edu

The userid is usually a student's first initial followed by the first seven letters in the last name. Students with common last names will have a slight twist to the username, in order to avoid duplication.

Students who are unsure of their email addresses, usernames or passwords can check SOLAR or can visit one of the following locations with a valid picture ID:

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LOGGING INTO SPARKY FOR THE FIRST TIME & PASSWORD FAQs

The first time you log into Sparky via SSH or telnet, you will have to change your password, as it is pre-expired. You will be prompted automatically to change your password. Follow the instructions on the screen. It will take about an hour before you can log in to Sparky with the new password.

Your password must contain 6 to 8 characters and not be a word or name in the dictionary. By using a combination of letters, numbers and/or punctuation marks, you can create a password that is difficult to guess.

You can change your password in Sparky at any time.

  1. log in to Sparky (how?)
  2. at the sparky% prompt, type passwd
  3. follow the instructions on the screen

If you forget your Sparky password, you must come in person to any of the following computer labs to reset you password:

It will take one to two hours before you can sign in to your account. Your password will be pre-expired, and you will have to change it again, just like when you first used your account. To help remember your password, don't save it on your machine. Type it each time. It will also prevent unauthorized access to your account.

Your password expires every four months. You will receive a reminder email. You can change your password at any time.

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FORWARDING YOUR STONY BROOK (SPARKY) EMAIL ACCOUNT

If you have another email account that you prefer to use, you can forward your Sparky email to that account. You will have to telnet into the Sparky email server.

Instructions for a PC in a SINC Site.

  1. Click the SSH Shell icon on the desktop
  2. Press the space bar
  3. At the prompt, type
    Host Name: sparky.ic.sunysb.edu
    User Name: your Sparky username
    Password: your Sparky password
    Press enter
  4. At the sparky% prompt, type forward_mail
  5. Follow the directions on the screen. After forwarding your mail, test that it works by sending a message to your sparky email address, and checking the account to which you forwarded it.
  6. Need help? Come to a SINC site and speak with a student Consultant.

Instructions for your home or dorm room PC.

  1. Go to Start > Run and type telnet sparky.ic.sunysb.edu
  2. At the prompt, type your username and password
  3. Press the space bar or the enter key until you get the sparky% prompt on the screen
  4. At the sparky% prompt, type forward_mail
  5. Follow the directions on the screen. After forwarding your mail, test that it works by sending a message to your Sparky email address, and checking the account to which you forwarded it.
  6. Need help? Come to a SINC site and speak with a student Consultant.



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WHERE TO GET HELP FOR YOUR STONY BROOK (SPARKY) EMAIL ACCOUNT

Teaching, Learning + Technology's Student Help Desk is located in the
Main Library SINC site at the Frank Melville Jr.Memorial Library, Room S- 1464.

Telephone: 631.632.9602
Email: helpme@ic.sunysb.edu

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SPARKY IS MORE THAN JUST EMAIL


In addition to an email account, your Sparky account provides:

  1. Storage space for documents and pictures
    Every Sparky account includes 20MB of storage space (this includes saved email, webpages and document storage). To learn how to store documents on the Sparky server, visit our FTP instructions, or come to a SINC site and speak with a student consultant.

  2. Website space

  3. A UNIX programming environment.

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RESPONSIBLE USE FOR YOUR STONY BROOK (SPARKY) EMAIL ACCOUNT

The computing and communications facilities at Stony Brook University are provided in support of the educational and research mission of the University. Users of this equipment are expected to follow normal standards of ethics, conduct and law. Students found violating Stony Brook computing facilities policy will have their accounts disabled.

Read the Stony Brook University Responsible Use of Information Technology policy.

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EMAIL FOR FACULTY/STAFF ACCOUNTS

Sparky accounts are available to staff for class email, webpages and/or programming.
Contact Staff in Teaching, Learning + Technology at 632-8050 or visit the Main Library rm 1460.

All questions regarding faculty and staff email should be directed to Client Support.

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