Using e-mail aliases

When you obtained your AccessNet account, you chose or were assigned an account name that is reflected in your e-mail address. In addition to this standard address, you also have the option to create aliases (or nicknames) to personalize the address and/or organize your e-mail. To learn about aliases, see the frequently asked questions listed below.

What is an alias?

When your account is created, your e-mail address is your
AccessNet-username@temple.edu (for example, jdoe02@temple.edu or tua00000@temple.edu).

An alias is a nickname that you can use instead of your original e-mail address. You can create up to five e-mail aliases for your account. Unless it's already being used, an alias of firstname.lastname@temple.edu is automatically assigned to you when your account is created (for example, russell.conwell@temple.edu).

Why would I want to use an alias?

The primary reason to use an alias is that it can provide you with a more recognizable e-mail address. For example, if your primary e-mail address is tua00000@temple.edu, you could create an alias, such as: rconwell@temple.edu

You can also use aliases to help organize your messages. An instructor, for example, could create an alias for each of his/her courses, and then set up a mail filter to automatically store messages in separate folders, based on the alias. For more information on setting up filters in TUmail, go to:

http://www.temple.edu/cs/tumail/filters.htm

How do I create an alias or view my existing aliases?

To view or create aliases, go the Cherry & White Pages Web site (http://directory.temple.edu). Then select Update Your Entry at the top of the page.

Note: You can also choose the Cherry & White Update option from within the TUportal Web site (http://tuportal.temple.edu).

Once you log on with your AccessNet username and password, you can then type your aliases into the E-mail Alias boxes as shown below.

The requirements for creating an alias are:

• It must begin and end with a letter of the alphabet (lowercase or uppercase) or a number.
• It can contain dashes (-) or periods as long as they are not at the beginning or the end of the alias.
• It must contain at least three characters.

You can also use an alias as your primary e-mail address (the address that is shown in your Cherry & White Pages listing). To do this, just click on the circle in front of the desired address.

After editing the alias information and clicking on the Submit button at the bottom of the page, you must verify your AccessNet password to make your changes complete.

How do my aliases appear in the Cherry & White Pages?

Once you have created aliases, they can be viewed in your directory listing on the Cherry & White Pages Web site (http://directory.temple.edu), as shown in the example below.

Will messages sent to my alias arrive in my same TUmail account?

Once I create an alias, do I still need to use my AccessNet username?

Yes. You will still need to use your AccessNet username to log in to Temple's systems, such as TUmail and TUportal. For example, if your AccessNet username is tua00000 and your e-mail alias is rconwell@temple.edu, you will still log in to TUmail using the username tua00000.

When someone receives a message from me, will it appear to come from my original e-mail address or from my alias?

By default, the mail will appear to come from your original e-mail address (for example, tua00000@temple.edu). If you use the TUmail Web site, however, you can change your From address so that your outgoing messages appear to come from your alias instead of your original e-mail address. To do this, perform the steps below:

1. Log into the http://tumail.temple.edu Web site.

2. Select Preferences.

3. Overwrite your default e-mail address with your e-mail alias.

4. Click on OK at the bottom of the page.

Notes:

• These steps will affect only mail sent using the TUmail Web site (http://tumail.temple.edu). It will not affect mail that you send using an e-mail client, such as Outlook, Outlook Express, or Netscape.
  
  

• When you subscribe to a Listserv mailing list, you are identified by your From address. If you change your From address (as explained above), you may, therefore, not be able to post messages to your lists. In order to post messages, you must use the same From address that you had when you originally subscribed.