Mozilla Thunderbird with Microsoft Exchange Mail, Calendars, Address Book and Meeting Requests
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Gmail and Google Calendar integration with Google SMS and Email Notifications.
Operating Systems:
This how-to will work on both Windows and Linux, for this tutorial we use Windows XP and Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala)
Benefits:
The software we have chosen are Licensed under the GPL (General Public License) it’s absolutely, 100% FREE of charge. It runs on all Operating Systems.
You can now use Thunderbird to search your Microsoft Exchange Address Book, Accept meeting requests, AND in addition, you’ll be able to sync your Calendar
to your Gmail Calendar and receive FREE SMS and Email Meeting Alerts.
Serving Suggestion:
Create a New Calendar, give your team members read/write access to that Calendar. Enable their Mobile Devices to receive SMSs. Now everyone in that team have a Share Calendar, which will notify every one in your team of new events. Viola!
ETA:
30 Minutes
Contents:
Windows XP Install Mozilla Thunderbird
Windows XP Mozilla Thunderbird MS Exchange Email Account Setup
Windows XP Mozilla Thunderbird MS Exchange Address Book Setup
Windows XP Mozilla Thunderbird Lightning and Provider for Google Calendar Extension Setup
Google Calendar Setup and Configuration on the Web
Windows XP Mozilla Thunderbird Calendar Setup
LINUX PART
Ubuntu Linux Install Mozilla Thunderbird, Lightning and Provider for Google Calendar Extensions
Ubuntu Linux Mozilla Thunderbird MS Exchange Email Account Setup
Ubuntu Linux Mozilla Thunderbird MS Exchange Address Book Setup
Google Calendar Setup and Configuration on the Web
Ubuntu Linux Mozilla Thunderbird Calendar Setup
Windows XP Install Mozilla Thunderbird:
01. Open your Internet Browser and go to http://www.mozillamessaging.com
02. Download Thunderbird and save it to your Desktop
03. Once the download has completed, double-click on the download or click run, to install Mozilla Thunderbird
04. Accept the Terms and Conditions, and click Next,
05. Select Standard Install
06. Click Finish to Launch Mozilla Thunderbird
07. If Thunderbird detects Email from Applications it can import, it will guide you through it, on mine however, I have only to create a New Account
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Windows XP Mozilla Thunderbird MS Exchange Email Account Setup:
01. Enter your Name and Surname and Email Address
02. Enter your incoming and outgoing Microsoft Exchange Server Address, You would have gotten this from your Systems Administrator
03. Enter your user name and click finish you will be prompted for a password
04. Your Exchange Email Account has now successfully been added
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Windows XP Mozilla Thunderbird MS Exchange Address Book Setup:
01. Click on Tools -> Address Book
02. Click on File -> New -> Ldap Directory
03. Enter your Company Name, Your Exchange Server Address, for the Base DN enter, this, CN=Users,DC=company,DC=com, Substitute company with your Company’s
Domain, eg. domain.com is “CN=Users,DC=domain,DC=com” or domain.co.za is “CN=Users,DC=domain,DC=co,DC=za”
The Bind DN is your MS Exchange user name, Now click on Advanced, enter the following as a search filter, (objectclass=*)
Click Ok, and your done, when composing a new email, in the address field you will see your Exchange Groups and Users.
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Windows XP Mozilla Thunderbird Lightning and Provider for Google Calendar Extension Setup:
01. Open your Internet Browser and go to https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/2313
02. Download Lightning and save it to your Desktop
03. Open your Internet Browser and go to https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/4631
04. Download Lightning and save it to your Desktop
05. In Mozilla Thunderbird, click on Tools -> Add-ons
06. Click Install, Browse to your Desktop and Select your Lightning Add-on that we downloaded, Install Now, you will be promoted to Restart Thunderbird
07. Thunderbird has now been restarted, immediately you’ll see, Bottom Left, Mail Calendar and Tasks
08. In Mozilla Thunderbird, click on Tools -> Add-ons
09. Click Install, Browse to your Desktop and Select your Provider for Google Calendar Add-on that we downloaded,
10. Install Now, you will be promoted to Restart Thunderbird
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A bit of chit chat:
So at this stage you have Mozilla Thunderbird installed, hooked up to your Microsoft Exchange Server for Company Emails,
You have both the Lightning and Provider for Google Calendar extensions installed, with the default calendar now being for your Company Meeting Requests
Now we have to integrate our Gmail Email and Calendar, WITH Google SMS and Email Notifications, Exciting 
Let’s move right along and Configure your Current Gmail Calendar Settings,
Common to Both Windows and Linux Installs:
Google Calendar Setup and Configuration on the Web:
01. Open your Internet Browser and go to http://mail.google.com
02. Login to Gmail
03. Click on Calendar, top Left Navigation
04. Click on Settings, top Right Navigation
05. Click on Mobile Setup, Next to Calendars
06. Now Select your Country, and enter your phone number eg. +27xx xxx xxxx
07. Click on Send Verification Code
08. You will Shortly receive an SMS with the Verification Code, Enter the code in the field provided and Save your Settings.
09. Now click on Settings, Calendars and Notifications for your Calendar
10. Now click on Settings, Calendars and Click on the name of one of your Calendars, Scroll down to bottom, Look for Calendar Address
11. Click on the XML button, and copy the Private Address
A bit of chit chat:
Now we have enabled SMS and Email Alerts on your GMail Account, We have to now link that account to your Mozilla Thunderbird.
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Windows XP Mozilla Thunderbird Calendar Setup:
12. Now we go back to Mozilla Thunderbird, Click on Calendars bottom Left, and right click by Your existing Calendar to select, New Calendar
13. Select on the Network
14. Select Google Calendar and Past the URL that we have copied in step 11.
15. Now Select a name for your Calendar, eg. My Gmail Calendar
16. You can now create a new event for your Gmail Calendar via Mozilla Thunderbird.
17. Go to your Gmail Calendar on the web and see the New Event !
18. You are now Finished
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The Following is just for Linux Users
LINUX PART
Ubuntu Linux Install Mozilla Thunderbird, Lightning and Provider for Google Calendar Extensions:
01. Open Synaptic Package Manager, by going to System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager
02. Click the Search button and search for “thunderbird”, tick the box and select “Mark for Installation”
03. Click the Search button again and search for “lightning-extension”, tick the box and select “Mark for Installation” it will show Additional software
that will be installed, “Calendar-Google-Provider”
04. Synaptic Package Manager will now download and install your software.
05. Changes Applied, means the software has been installed.
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Ubuntu Linux Mozilla Thunderbird MS Exchange Email Account Setup:
01. Enter your Name and Surname and Email Address
02. Enter your incoming and outgoing Microsoft Exchange Server Address, You would have gotten this from your Systems Administrator
03. Enter your user name and click finish you will be prompted for a password
04. Your Exchange Email Account has now successfully been added
Back to Top
Ubuntu Linux Mozilla Thunderbird MS Exchange Address Book Setup:
01. Click on Tools -> Address Book
02. Click on File -> New -> Ldap Directory
03. Enter your Company Name, Your Exchange Server Address, for the Base DN enter, this, CN=Users,DC=company,DC=com, Substitute company with your Company’s
Domain, eg. domain.com is “CN=Users,DC=domain,DC=com” or domain.co.za is “CN=Users,DC=domain,DC=co,DC=za”
The Bind DN is your MS Exchange user name, Now click on Advanced, enter the following as a search filter, (objectclass=*)
Click Ok, and your done, when composing a new email, in the address field you will see your Exchange Groups and Users.
Back to Top
A bit of chit chat:
So at this stage you have Mozilla Thunderbird installed, hooked up to your Microsoft Exchange Server for Company Emails,
You have both the Lightning and Provider for Google Calendar extensions installed, with the default calendar now being for your Company Meeting Requests
Now we have to integrate our Gmail Email and Calendar, WITH Google SMS and Email Notifications, Exciting
Let’s move right along and Configure your Current Gmail Calendar Settings,
Common to Both Windows and Linux Installs:
Google Calendar Setup and Configuration on the Web:
01. Open your Internet Browser and go to http://mail.google.com
02. Login to Gmail
03. Click on Calendar, top Left Navigation
04. Click on Settings, top Right Navigation
05. Click on Mobile Setup, Next to Calendars
06. Now Select your Country, and enter your phone number eg. +27xx xxx xxxx
07. Click on Send Verification Code
08. You will Shortly receive an SMS with the Verification Code, Enter the code in the field provided and Save your Settings.
09. Now click on Settings, Calendars and Notifications for your Calendar
10. Now click on Settings, Calendars and Click on the name of one of your Calendars, Scroll down to bottom, Look for Calendar Address
11. Click on the XML button, and copy the Private Address
Back to Top
A bit of chit chat:
Now we have enabled SMS and Email Alerts on your GMail Account, We have to now link that account to your Mozilla Thunderbird.
Ubuntu Linux Mozilla Thunderbird Calendar Setup:
12. Now we go back to Mozilla Thunderbird, Click on Calendars bottom Left, and right click by Your existing Calendar to select, New Calendar
13. Select on the Network
14. Select Google Calendar and Past the URL that we have copied in step 11.
15. Now Select a name for your Calendar, eg. My Gmail Calendar
16. You can now create a new event for your Gmail Calendar via Mozilla Thunderbird.
17. Go to your Gmail Calendar on the web and see the New Event !
18. You are now Finished
Back to Top
A bit of chit chat:
Create a new event for yourself on both your local Exchange Calendar and in your Gmail Calendar, familiarize yourself with Meeting Requests,
and enjoy the new SMS notifications, I usually set mine, to Email me a day before the event, and SMS me 2 hours before the event.
I hope you enjoy this tutorial, Open Source is Cool Stuff man !
