SnowCrest WebMail will work on any computer with a web browser. If you are on a trip, or away from your computer for any reason, SnowCrest WebMail is an easy way to check your mail without having to configure an e-mail program on another computer. However, for everyday use, dedicated e-mail programs are recommended over SnowCrest WebMail because of the additional features they provide.

Is it safe to use SnowCrest WebMail?

SnowCrest WebMail comes in two flavors, secure and nonsecure. The secure version of SnowCrest WebMail uses the SSL protocol with RSA encryption to encrypt every message you send and every message you get, so your session is as secure as possible. However, the secure version is slower than the nonsecure version. If you are connected to SnowCrest's modems, it is recommended that you use the nonsecure version. If you are using a computer on another service, the secure version is probably better. Both the secure and nonsecure versions always encrypt your username and password.

Can I use SnowCrest WebMail to check my e-mail while I'm away and then download the messages into my dedicated e-mail program later?

Yes, this is the recommended way to use SnowCrest WebMail. SnowCrest WebMail does not ever delete messages from your box unless you tell it to by using one of the "Delete" options in the program. Note that any messages you read in SnowCrest WebMail will be marked as "read" when you download them into your dedicated e-mail program.

Why don't I see all my mail on SnowCrest WebMail?

SnowCrest WebMail only shows you the mail that is currently on SnowCrest's mail server. Any mail that you download into a dedicated e-mail program will ordinarily be deleted off the mail server, so SnowCrest WebMail will no longer see it.

What if I get an e-mail in my dedicated e-mail program that I would rather answer or read using SnowCrest WebMail?

The best way to do this is to re-send the message to yourself using your dedicated e-mail program. That way, the e-mail will be located on SnowCrest's web server (until you check your mail again using your dedicated e-mail program), and SnowCrest WebMail will see it.

I've got several hundred messages in my e-mail box, and SnowCrest WebMail is getting slow. What should I do?

SnowCrest WebMail is designed to be used with e-mail boxes containing around 100 messages or fewer. Any more than that and the program may become cumbersome. You can either use the built-in methods to delete your mail from the box, or you can use your dedicated e-mail program to download the mail, which will delete the mail from our mail server. Please note that your dedicated mail program should not be set to leave mail on the server. This option can be found in the configuration options for most dedicated e-mail programs. It is recommended that you disable the option to leave mail on the server, because it wastes space on the mail server and makes it run slower. Once you've removed the extra messages from your box, SnowCrest WebMail should run fine.

I'm getting the error message "Password supplied for "username@snowcrest.net" is incorrect." when I try to log in. What do I do?

You should only put the first part of your e-mail address into the Username box. That is, if your e-mail address is "john@snowcrest.net", then you should simply type "john" (without the quotes) into the Username box.

I'm getting the error message "Password supplied for "username" is incorrect." when I try to log in. What do I do?

You are typing in either your username or your password incorrectly. Remember that your username is all lowercase, and it is all one word. Make sure that you do not have the "Caps Lock" key on your keyboard down. Double-check that you have the correct password. If you have uppercase letters in your password, make sure you type them in. Try erasing your username and password and typing them in again. Make sure that the username you are trying to use is a valid SnowCrest e-mail account. If all else fails, contact SnowCrest's technical support at (530) 926-6888 or (530) 245-4698.

Should I use the "Don't cache output" option on the login page?

This option attempts to make it so that your web browser does not store the pages you view in its "history". If someone else uses your computer and you don't want them to be able to read the pages that you read after you leave the computer, you should turn this option on. Note that at present, Microsoft Internet Explorer does not implement this option properly (it stores pages in its history anyway). If you care about pages being stored in the history, then you should either use Netscape, or, with Internet Explorer, you should erase the history from the browser when you are done. With Internet Explorer 5, this can be done by selecting the "Tools" menu, "Internet Options", and clicking on "Clear History".

Do I need to use the "Log Out" button?

Although technically it is not neccessary for you to log out at the end of your session, it is recommended that you do so. If you are using the frames based interface, then some data may be stored in your browser using cookies that tell SnowCrest WebMail what state the program is in. If you do not log out, then the next time you access SnowCrest WebMail it may not be in the correct state. No permanent harm will come to your system or our system if you do not log out, however.

SnowCrest WebMail uses cookies? Aren't those dangerous?

SnowCrest WebMail uses cookies to determine what page you are currently viewing. It does not use cookies in any harmful way, nor does it extract information from your computer that it did not put there. SnowCrest also has a policy of strict privacy for all of our customers. You can trust that the cookies will not harm your machine.

I've just sent a message, and the confirmation screen says that I shouldn't hit the "Reload" button. How do I get back to reading e-mail?

The confirmation screen is referring to the Browser's "Reload" button, which is located near the top of the browser window. It is safe to use the "Reload" button on the left gray bar. You should hit this button to get back to reading e-mail.

I get the error message "Your SnowCrest WebMail session was initiated from a different network address than your current location. For security reasons, SnowCrest WebMail will not continue. You must log in again from this location to continue." What do I do?

This error message will occur if you disconnect from the Internet and then reconnect without changing the page your browser is looking at. To get rid of this error, you should log in to SnowCrest WebMail again.

I'm using the secure version of SnowCrest WebMail, and I get the following error message: "This page contains both secure and nonsecure items. Do you want to display the nonsecure items?" How should I answer?

You should answer "Yes" to this question, if it comes up. Even though this message comes up, the communication between your computer and SnowCrest WebMail is still secure.

I'm ready to go! How do I get out of this help screen?

This help file is displayed in a separate window from your main session. You can close it using the "X" in the top right corner, or by selecting "File" and "Close" from the menu on the top of the browser.