MTP, POP3 and IMAP are TCP/IP protocols used for mail delivery.

If you plan to set up an

email server such as hMailServer, you must know what they are used for. Each protocol is just a
specific set of communication rules between computers.

SMTP
SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. SMTP is used when email is delivered from an
email client, such as Outlook Express, to an email server or when email is delivered from one
email server to another. SMTP uses port 25.

POP3
POP3 stands for Post Office Protocol. POP3 allows an email client to download an email from
an email server. The POP3 protocol is simple and does not offer many features except for
download. Its design assumes that the email client downloads all available email from the server,
deletes them from the server and then disconnects. POP3 normally uses port 110.

IMAP
IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol. IMAP shares many similar features with
POP3. It, too, is a protocol that an email client can use to download email from an email server.
However, IMAP includes many more features than POP3. The IMAP protocol is designed to let
users keep their email on the server. IMAP requires more disk space on the server and more CPU
resources than POP3, as all emails are stored on the server. IMAP normally uses port 143. Here
is more information about IMAP.

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Email: Whats the Difference Between POP3, IMAP, and Exchange?

We send a lot of email these daysat work, at home, on our phones But do you know what all
the email jargon means? Keep reading to find out more about the difference between the various
ways to receive email.
Whether you use Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo mail, or email configured on your own website
theres more to receiving email that it might seem like on the surface. Today, well be focusing
on some answering some of the most common stumbling blocks when it comes to setting up new
email accounts, and explaining the difference in clear language. For our geekier readers that
already know that stuff, feel free to join in the discussionlet us know how you explain to
relatives and tech-challenged coworkers the difference in common email setups or simply
share this guide and save yourself the trouble of explaining it!

Email Clients vs Webmail

Before we explain the different protocols used to download emails, lets take a few minutes to
understand the simpler stuffthe difference between email clients and webmail. If youve ever
started a Gmail, Hotmail, or other email account, chances are youve used webmail. If you work
in an office and use a program like Microsoft Outlook, Windows Live Mail, or Mozilla
Thunderbird to manage your emails, youre using an email client.

Both webmail and email clients are applications for sending and receiving email, and they use
similar methods for doing this. Webmail is an application that is written to be operated over the
internet through a browser, usually with no downloaded applications or additional software
necessary. All of the work, so to speak, is done by remote computers (i.e. servers and machines
you connect to through the internet).

Email clients are programs that are installed on local machines (i.e. your computer, or the
computers in your office) to interact with remote email servers to download and send email to
whomever you might care to. Some the back end work of sending email and all of the front end
work of creating a user interface (what you look at to receive your email) is done on your
computer with the installed application, rather than by your browser with instructions from the
remote server. However, many webmail providers allow users to use email clients with their
serviceand heres where it may start to get confusing. Lets run through a quick example to
explain the difference.

We sign up for a new email address with Googles Gmail and begin sending and receiving email
through the webmail service. Google is providing two things for usa web frontend, and a mail

server backend for sending and receiving the emails. We communicate with the email server
backend by using the webmail frontend. Through our pointing, clicking, and typing, were telling
the email server who we want to send email to, and what we want to say.

But, we might decide that we dont like Googles new look for Gmail, so we decide to switch to
an email client, like the free program Thunderbird. Instead of using our web based client
(Gmails web interface) to interact with Googles Gmail servers (the mail server backend), we
use a program installed on our computers (in this case, Thunderbird) to contact the mail server
backend ourselves, and sidestep webmail altogether. Google (and other webmail providers) offer
all of these products, including the web frontend and the mail server backend. You can use both
of them or only the mail server backend and still be using Gmail. And with that confusion
dispelled, lets take a look at the common email protocols youll run into using email clients or
mobile phones.

POP3, Post Office Protocol

POP, or Post Office Protocol, is a way of retrieving email information that dates back to a very
different internet than we use today. Computers only had limited, low bandwidth access to
remote computers, so engineers created POP in an effort to create a dead simple way to
download copies of emails for offline reading, then remove those mails from the remote server.
The first version of POP was created in 1984, with the POP2 revision created in early 1985.
POP3 is the current version of this particular style of email protocol, and still remains one of the
most popular. Since POP3 creates local copies of emails and deletes the originals from the server,
the emails are tied to that specific machine, and cannot be accessed via any webmail or any
separate client on other computers. At least, not without doing a lot of email forwarding or
porting around mailbox files.
While POP3 is based on an older model of offline email, theres no reason to call it obsolete
technology, as it does have its uses. POP4 has been proposed, and may be developed one day,
although theres not been much progress in several years.

IMAP, Internet Message Access Protocol

IMAP was created in 1986, but seems to suit the modern day world of omnipresent, always-on
internet connectivity quite well. The idea was keep users from having to be tied to a single email
client, giving them the ability to read their emails as if they were in the cloud.
Compared to POP3, IMAP allows users to log into many different email clients or webmail
interfaces and view the same emails, because the emails are kept on remote email servers until
the user deletes them. In a world where we now check our email on web interfaces, email clients,
and on mobile phones, IMAP has become extremely popular. It isnt without its problems,
though.
Because IMAP stores emails on a remote mail server, youll have a limited mailbox size
depending on the settings provided by the email service. If you have huge numbers of emails you
want to keep, you could run into problems sending and receiving mail when your box is full.
Some users sidestep this problem by making local archived copies of emails using their email
client, and then deleting them from the remote server.

This is a brief explanation for the new customer on the differences between webmail, POP3 and
other email protocols you might be using with your A Small Orange Hosting.
Note: the examples here assume you have example.com as your domain name.
Webmail
If you're relatively new to using email, or new to having your own domain
and web hosting, you might have only had a Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail of some
other free email service previously. These accounts are easily accessible and
are designed to be reached anywhere in the world by only using a web
browser. Similarly, you can reach your domain's email service by using a web
browser through the use of Webmail.
To access your domain's email service, log in
to http://example.com/webmail and enter your email address and password.

POP3 / IMAP
In the days before Webmail was widespread, there was POP3 and IMAP.

POP3 stands for Post Office Protocol (version 3).

IMAP stands for Internet Mail Access Protocol.

If you use an email client program such as Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird or Apple
Mail.app, then you use POP3 or IMAP.
POP3
When you use POP3 your email client accesses the mail server and sends your username and
password. Then, it checks to see if there are new messages on the server and starts downloading

them to your email client. In most cases your email client deletes the email off the server after
downloading them so you don't keep old mail from taking up unnecessary space on the server.
Sometimes, however, your client will leave the email on the server so you can access it from
another email client on another computer or view it from Webmail.
IMAP
Using IMAP is a little different. You still use an email client, but instead of downloading the
email from the server like POP3 the email client reads the email directly off the server and
displays it in your client. You can then delete it or leave it there for the next time you are
checking email.
To set up your email client for POP3 or IMAP using A Small Orange's servers,
configure your email client's settings to something similar to:

SMTP, which stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, along with IMAP (Internet Access
Message Protocol) are the two mechanisms that are used in sending and receiving email
messages. The main difference between the two is the function that they play. SMTP is the
protocol for sending email whether it is from the client or in between servers for propagating the
email towards the intended destination. In comparison, IMAP is a protocol that deals with
managing and retrieving email messages from the server. So if you are using email, you are
probably using both protocols even if you dont know it.
Another key difference between SMTP and IMAP is where it is used. IMAP is used only
between the client who is retrieving the email and the server where the emails are stored. In
contrast, SMTP is used by the client to send emails to a server but it is also used by servers to
push the email to another server; especially true when the sender and recipient do not subscribe
to the same service provider.
IMAP is only one of the many protocols for retrieving email, another one is POP3. These two are
the most popular protocols for retrieving email with IMAP being the more powerful of the two.
But due to prior support for POP3 in older devices, it is still in widespread use today. SMTP is
undisputedly the most prevalent protocol for sending emails. Although there are other outgoing
email protocols, SMTP is the most popular and widely used.

MAP, POP and SMTP Protocols

These are three different methods or protocols used to handle email. The are used to either
receive (IMAP, POP) or send (SMTP) email.
Receiving email a simple overview
When someone sends you an email it moves from their email client to their mail server. Their
mail server then uses the recipient email address to determine where the mail is supposed to go
and delivers the email to your mail server.
These two mail servers may exists as part of a hosting package, be provided by their ISP or be a
paid for free 3rd party mail service and can even be the same server. They can be around the
world or in the same building where you work.
Your mail server stores the received email in a mailbox until your mail client asks for it. This is
where IMAP and POP enter the picture.
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) and POP (Post Office
Protocol)
IMAP and POP are the two most prevailing methods or protocols for retrieving email from a
mail server. Both of these protocols are supported by almost all popular mail client programs like
Outlook, Thunderbird and Apple Mail.
When your mail client reads an email it can either download the email from the mail server to
your local desktop and delete it from the mail server, or just allow you to see the email contents,
without saving it locally, similar to your viewing a webpage. In the first case, where you
download an email to your local machine, POP is used. In the second case, where you view the
email, it actually stays on the mail server.
Main differences
POP Downloads email locally
IMAP Mail is stored on the mail server

Benefits and disadvantages

There as benefits and disadvantages to using either protocol.

POP
Benefits

Disadvantages

Mail is stored locally you can

access it when offline

Need to use workaround to

read email on multiple
machines

Easier to maintain mail

quotas

All mail can be lost if your

hard drive or computer dies
and you dont have a backup

Easy to backup and archive

locally or offsite

Harder to access mail

anywhere

Faster only need to read

mail from server once
Faster when you have to
search email

IMAP
Benefits

Disadvantages

Mail is stored remotely, you

can access anywhere

Takes up a lot of server space

may easily exceed your
quota **

Keeps a copy of everything

you do on the mail server.
Privacy concerns may apply.

All mail can be lost if your

hard drive or computer dies
and you dont have a backup

Easy to backup and archive

locally or offsite

Slower in reading email

index of all messages

downloaded
Faster only need to read
mail from server once

Harder to backup locally and

remotely.

Faster when you have to

search email

All mail can be lost if mail

account becomes corrupted,
server crashes and backup is
bad
Slow when searching email
all emails are downloaded
and read by mail client.

Recommendations
In almost all cases we recommend that our customers use POP for reading their email.

Sending Emails
In either case, POP or IMAP, when you send an email you will use some form of SMTP (Simple
Mail Transfer Protocol), which totally different from IMAP and POP.
When you click on send on an email message the mail client contacts the SMTP server that is
part of your mail service. The server authenticates you using your login id and password and
receives the email message from your client. The mail server then looks up the recipients mail
server and passes the message to that server. Your mail client then places the sent email in either
your local sent mail folder or in the case of IMAP the sent email folder on the server.

** Benefits of Hosted Exchange Server

Our unlimited Hosted Exchange Service works similar to IMAP in that you keep all your
messages on the mail server. It overcomes the quota limitations as well as the offline reading of
email, when used with the latest version of Outlook (free with Hosted Exchange). You can also
share a mailbox and allow others to send email on your behalf.
If you want large mailbox quotas, need to share a mailbox or want to be able to read email
anywhere then we highly recommend moving to our Hosted Exchange Service.
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Creating an Open Relay with Sendmail Fulfillment by Amazon and ZenCart

General Email Services: Frequently Asked

Questions
What is the Difference between POP and IMAP Mail Server?
The using of IMAP to access your mailbox has advantages over POP3 and the difference of
their working mechanism can be summarized in the following table.

POP3
Since email needs to be downloaded into
desktop PC before being displayed, you
may have the following problems for
POP3 access:

You need to download all email

again when using another desktop
PC to check your email.

May get confused if you need to

check email both in the office and
at home.

IMAP
Since email is kept on server, it would
gain the following benefits for IMAP
access:

No need to download all email

when using other desktop PC to
check your email.

Easier to identify the unread

email.

The downloaded email may be deleted

from the server depending on the setting
of your email client.
All messages as well as their attachments
will be downloaded into desktop PC
during the 'check new email' process.

A whole message will be downloaded

only when it is opened for display from
its content.

Mailboxes can only be created on

desktop PC. There is only one mailbox
(INBOX) exists on the server.

Multiple mailboxes can be created on the

desktop PC as well as on the server.

Filters can transfer incoming/outgoing

messages only to local mailboxes.

Filters can transfer incoming/outgoing

messages to other mailboxes no matter
where the mailboxes locate (on the server
or the PC).

Outgoing email is stored only locally on

the desktop PC.

Outgoing email can be filtered to a

mailbox on server for accessibility from
other machine.

Messages are deleted on the desktop PC.

Comparatively, it is inconvenient to clean
up your mailbox on the server.

Messages can be deleted directly on the

server to make it more convenient to
clean up your mailbox on the server.

Messages may be reloaded onto desktop

PC several times due to the corruption of
system files.

The occurrence of reloading messages

from the server to PC is much less when
compared to POP3.

Introduction
Learn about the different ways certain email protocols work and how each one works with your
Comcast Business email. An email protocol is an internet standard used for transmitting email
and in some cases contacts and calendar items.
Also, learn how to configure Microsoft Outlook to connect to your email using SMTP and POP
or IMAP.
MAPI
MAPI is a proprietary Microsoft protocol that allows the Microsoft Outlook email client to fully
utilize all of the features of an Exchange server including email, shared address books, calendars
and public folders. When Outlook is configured as a MAPI client, also known as an Exchange
client, email is stored in the cloud on Comcast's secure mail server with a copy on your
computer. Messages retained in the cloud are accesible via webmail from any internet connected
computer.

With MAPI, you can move messages from the cloud into a local file on your computer called
a .PST file, a process through which copies of messages are deleted from the cloud and stored on
your computer. This can allow for valuable storage space and help you create backups of your
business-critical emails.
Outlook 2010 allows up to 13 MAPI/Exchange email accounts at a time. As an alternative, you
can instead use the POP or IMAP protocol to retreive email.
See the Configure Microsoft Outlook to connect to your email account article for information on
configuring Microsoft Outlook with MAPI.
POP
POP is the most common Internet standard for receiving email. When a POP email client
retrieves messages, the messages are downloaded from Comcast's secure mail server in the cloud
onto your computer. The messages are normally deleted from the cloud, although you can
configure your email client to not delete downloaded messages for a short period -- for example,
a few days.
POP is best used when you are only using one computer or device to access your email. If you
plan to also use webmail and/or receive email on a mobile device, POP may not be the best
option for you. POP is only used for receiving email and is commonly used in combination with
the SMTP email protocol to allow email clients to both send and receive messages.
POP is an e-mail only protocol. Items such as contacts, appointments or tasks cannot be managed
or accessed using POP.
If youre using POP to receive Comcast Business email, Comcasts Business Security Assurance
Team recommends configuring your email clients incoming server port number to 995 using an
SSL-encrypted connection.
IMAP
IMAP is another common Internet standard for retrieving email. When an IMAP email client
retrieves messages, it downloads a copy of messages from the cloud to your computer but leaves
a copy in the cloud as well. The email client periodically synchronizes your mailbox between the
cloud and the email client. When a message is deleted from the mailbox on the email client, it
will be deleted from the cloud the next time the two are synchronized.
By keeping a copy of each message on the server, IMAP facilitates access to your email from
more than one computer or email client -- for example, Outlook on an office computer and via
webmail from a home computer. IMAP is only used for receiving email and is commonly used in

combination with the SMTP email protocol to provide both send and receive capabilities to email
clients.
IMAP is an email only protocol. Items such as contacts, appointments and tasks cannot be
managed or accessed using IMAP.
If you are using IMAP to receive Comcast Business email, Comcasts Business Security
Assurance Team recommends configuring your email clients incoming server port number to
993 using an SSL encrypted connection.
SMTP
SMTP is the most common internet standard for sending email. When using SMTP, email is sent
from your email client through Comcasts secure mail servers to the recipient. SMTP is only
used for sending email and is commonly used in combination with either POP or IMAP to
provide both send and receive capabilities to email clients.
Comcasts Business Security Assurance Team recommends configuring your email clients
outgoing mail server to secured port 587. You must have a Comcast email address for
authentication purposes if you are using the Comcast SMTP server to send email.
Configure Microsoft Outlook to connect to your email using SMTP
and POP or IMAP
Follow the steps below to configure your Outlook 2010 client to connect to your Comcast
Business email using SMTP and POP or IMAP
1. Step 1:
Open Outlook.
2. Step 2:

Select the File tab, then select Account Settings. (Outlook 2007 users: Select Tools
from the main menu, then select Account Settings).
3. Step 3:

On the E-mail tab, select New.

4. Step 4:

At the Auto Account Setup screen, check the box for Manually configure server
settings or additional server types. Then, select Next.
5. Step 5:

At the Choose E-mail Services screen, select Internet E-Mail. Then select Next.
6. Step 6:

Determine your incoming and outgoing server addresses by signing in to your Comcast
Business online account and selecting Email from the Manage Services menu.
7. Step 7:

Select View DNS settings on the left side of the Email landing page. Your Comcast
Business email account's IMAP, POP and SMTP servers will be listed in the DNS Name
column for each Mail Access Type.
8. Step 8:
POP Configuration
o

POP Configuration Step 1:

Enter the following information, then Select More Settings.

Your Name: The name you would like to appear on outgoing messages.
Email: Your full Comcast Business email address (for example,
john@domain.com).
Account Type: POP3
Incoming Mail Server: Your incoming POP mail server is unique to your
Comcast Business acount and must be retrieved by logging in via the Comcast
Business homepage (see step 7 above).
Outgoing Mail Server: Your outgoing SMTP mail server is unique to your
Comcast Business acount and must be retrieved by logging in via the Comcast
Business homepage (see step 7 above).
User Name: Your fill Comcast Business email address (for example,
john@domain.com).
Password: Your Comcast Business email password.
o

POP Configuration Step 2:

On the Outgoing Server tab, Select the box for My outgoing server (SMTP)
requires authentication.
o

POP Configuration Step 3:

On the Advanced tab, select the box for this server requires an encrypted
connection (SSL). Ensure the Incoming server (POP3) server port number is set
to 995 and the Outgoing server (SMTP) server port number is set to 587. Select
OK when finished.
9. IMAP Configuration
o

IMAP Configuration Step 1:

Enter the following information, then Select More Settings.

Your Name: The name you would like to appear on outgoing messages.
Email: Your full Comcast Business email address (for example,
john@domain.com).
Account Type: IMAP
Incoming Mail Server: Your incoming POP mail server is unique to your
Comcast Business acount and must be retrieved by logging in via the Comcast
Business homepage (see step 7 above).
Outgoing Mail Server: Your outgoing SMTP mail server is unique to your
Comcast Business acount and must be retrieved by logging in via the Comcast
Business homepage (see step 7 above).
User Name: Your fill Comcast Business email address (for example,
john@domain.com).
Password: Your Comcast Business email password.
o

IMAP Configuration Step 2:

On the Outgoing Server tab, select the box for My outgoing server (SMTP)
requires authentication.
o

IMAP Configuration Step 3:

On the Advanced tab, change Incoming Server (IMAP) server port number to
993 and the Outgoing Server (SMTP) server port number to 587. For the
incoming and outgoing mail servers, change the type of encrypted connection to
SSL. Select OK when finished.
10.

Step 9:

Select Test Account Settings to test the connections to the incoming and outgoing mail
servers. If the test is succesful, select the Next button. If a test failed, review the
configurations from Steps 7 and 8 above.
11.

Step 10:

Select Finish to complete the email account setup.