Setting up email programs on your computer. Email protocols: POP3, IMAP4, SMTP

04/13/17 1.7K

If you receive some emails on one PC and others on another, this can cause problems. Since it does not use the IMAP protocol.


Wayne Zimmerman's wife usually reads email on her PC. But when she tries to view her email on her husband's computer, the messages are lost.

I can assume that your wife's email client is configured to use the legacy POP3 protocol. It worked fine when most people had one computer and not a smartphone. But since people use multiple computers and mobile devices to access your mail, this is no longer the case.

When you tell your email client ( for example Outlook) receive mail, POP3 protocol moves new mail from the server postal service into your client, and removes them from the server. If you check email on two computers using POP3, some emails will be accessible on one computer, but other emails will only be accessible on the other.

Here are two ways to work around this problem:

Use the best protocol

Unlike POP3, the IMAP protocol is used to synchronize the client software with the server. All emails will be available on both devices. When you delete an email in your client, IMAP also deletes it from the server.

In Outlook 2016 ( which by default uses the POP3 protocol), you cannot change the protocol directly account. But you can create a new account and delete the old one:

  1. In Outlook, go to menu File - Account Settings - Account Settings:

  1. A dialog box will appear on the screen: Account settings" Click on the “Create” button;
  2. In the master " Add an account» select the item « Manual setting " or " Additional types servers» ( in the lower left corner):

  1. On next page select POP or IMAP protocol. ( Yes, this is one of the options);
  2. Please indicate all necessary information. Make sure your account type is set to IMAP;
  3. You now have two accounts that serve the same address email. Go back to your inbox and drag emails from your old account to your new one;
  4. Return to the "Accounts" dialog box, select the old account configured for POP3, and click on the "Delete" button.

Use web client

If you check your mail through an email service and not through a program on your PC, downloading letters to a particular computer is not a problem.

You can also use a trusted web email service such as Gmail. You will need to create a new account Gmail entry, but you can configure Gmail to send and receive emails from any other email service by configuring it using the IMAP protocol:

  1. In Gmail, click on the tool icon located on the right top corner and select “Settings”;
  2. Go to the " Accounts and Import»;
  3. In the section " Send email as» click on the button « Add another email address» and follow the instructions of the setup wizard;
  4. Go to the section " Checking mail from other accounts (using POP3)", click on the button " Add a POP3 email account» and follow the instructions of the setup wizard.

You may have already heard about the terms POP3, IMAP and Exchange and know that it has something to do with email. But what exactly is it and what benefit or difference does it make for me?

We need to tell you up front that all three of these terms are related with email search. It makes no difference which program you use (for example: Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird, etc.). However, it has something to do with the features that the email server can provide (or has provided) to you.

POP 3 - features, advantages and disadvantages

Pop3 - most old way receive email. Almost all mail server providers make this service available to everyone. Here emails are retrieved from the mailbox and saved on the computer.

There are also configuration options, so that the emails remain on the mail server when the email is received. However, this often becomes a problem because the storage space for these POP3 email accounts is usually very small.

The main downside in addition to some nice features is that once the emails have been retrieved, they are located on the device ( personal computer/ laptop).

If this device is suddenly broken (for example, hard drive), all emails will disappear. So, there is always something to consider to ensure the security of these emails.

You should use POP3 if:

  1. The size of your registered mailbox is relatively small and there is a need quick access to him.
  2. Too many features They are holding you back or just annoying you.
  3. You still only use one device to receive email.
  4. Temporarily storing your email messages on a server is sufficient.
  5. You prefer to have your data only locally with you.

IMAP - features, advantages and disadvantages

IMAP is much more best way receive your emails. However, this method is not supported by every mail server.

IMAP syncs all emails and their email server folders. If you move an email to a subfolder, the subfolders and the email will also be on the email server.

If your computer or laptop breaks, you won't have to worry about it and just need to set up a new device and all emails will be returned.

In your client, select the SENT folder as the location for sent messages.

This way, you can also see sent messages on all devices (they are stored locally by clients by default).

You should use IMAP if:

  1. You have several devices that you need to use and that they have the same state.
  2. You want to access the mailbox of several employees at the same time.
  3. Used your hierarchical mailboxes directly on the email server.
  4. Do you need access multiple mailboxes during a session.
  5. You need a backup on your email server.
  6. You need to access your current emails With third party device via the web administrator.

Exchange - features, advantages and disadvantages

When receiving mail using the Exchange RPC protocol all information in Outlook is synchronized, including calendars and contacts. Permissions and releases from other users are possible, etc.

Anyone who has ever experienced Exchange will never use another service again. Here's a small example.

Have you also integrated your Exchange Server on your own mobile phone. Of course, all contacts, calendar and emails are synced here too. Now you have changed your mobile phone and the only thing you need to do is set up your email account on the new device. Now all data will be available to you again.

For this service there is now several providers such as Microsoft, with Office product 365, but many local providers also offer this for a monthly fee.

You should use Exchange if:

  • you want to manage together with other resources;
  • you also want to sync your contacts;
  • you need access to your calendars everywhere;
  • do you need easy setup in the client;
  • for you important backups all data;
  • you want to use an additional service address, such as OWA (Outlook Web Access);
  • you want to manage your messages through your client;
  • you need several mailboxes in your organization;
  • POP3 and IMAP are not enough for you.

If you adore your own email client and wouldn’t trade it for any price tag for any beauty of web access, this settings section is for you. Gmail allows you to organize access to your message database via POP3 and IMAP protocols. IN the latter case you can even create an analogue of the usual Gmail web interface in a regular email client: in addition to messages, the list of shortcuts will also be updated (though in this case they will be converted into regular folders). To configure mail collection by your mail client, go to the “Forwarding and POP/MAP” tab and select one of the items “Enable POP for letters received from this moment”, “Enable POP for all letters” (even for those that have already been downloaded) or "Enable IMAP" if your email client supports this protocol. Instructions for setting up the most popular mailers are available at http://b23.ru/zfa for the POP protocol and http://b23.ru/zf0 for the IMAP protocol (Fig. 1.43).

Settings

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Shipment:

® Turn off forwarding ^ Forward copies of incoming emails to

Advice. To forward not all letters, but only those. that meet certain requirements, configure Filters .

POP access:

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2. When emails are downloaded using POP

3. Set up an email client (for example, Outlook, Eudora. Netscape Mail) IZH.SHCH1N no mtro

IMAP access:

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1. Status: IMAP Enabled © Enable IMAP

About Disable IMAP

2. Set up your email client (eg Outlook, Thunderbird, iPhone). Google Instructions

Figure 1.43. Working with Gmail through someone else mail client. And what do you need

Didn't like the web interface?

What if it's the other way around - you're struggling to migrate your old email accounts to the Gmail interface?

In this case, you should use an automatic mail collector. Available through the “Add your own” item mail account» on the “Accounts” tab of the settings, it allows you to select up to five addresses that Gmail will periodically request for new messages and download to itself. You just need to specify an email address on another domain, a username and password, as well as a POP server address (all these parameters can be viewed in the settings of your old email client, which was used to collect mail from these addresses). If you wish, you can even ask the system to automatically assign special label for such letters (Fig. 1.44).

In addition, you can configure not only receiving, but also sending letters from the old address: on the same tab, in the “Send letter as” section, select “Add your other email address.” In this case, nothing will change for your friends and colleagues who are accustomed to the old address - they will still see it in the “From” field.

Add your mail account

Set the mail settings for [email protected]. More details

Email address....

r r denisbaluevayounnail.com

Always use a secure connection (ZB!.) when receiving mail. More details

Assign a label to incoming emails: This email address protected from spam bots. To see it, you must have JavaScript enabled III

Username:

POP server:

Save copies of received emails on the server.More details

Archive incoming emails (skip "Inbox")

Cancel « Back

Add account »

Figure 1.44. Well, that's a completely different matter! Upload to Gmail mail from others

  • Hereinafter, the wonderful service http://b23.ru will be used to shorten long Internet addresses.
  • Status: POP is enabled for all emails received since 01/18/07. © Enable POP for all emails (even those that have already been downloaded) О Enable POP for emails received from now on О Disable POP

which incoming message server is POP3, IMAP or HTTP?

  1. On mail.ru? smtp.mail.ru - outgoing. But, often you need to register your provider's outgoing server. Please clarify your question?
  2. Most likely this means the protocol on which the mail server operates, this is POP3 and the newer and more secure version of IMAP4
  3. I understand that the box

    Your email address(mailbox name or e-mail address): The full name of the mailbox, including the "@" icon and the domain (for example, , , or ).

    Incoming mail server (POP3 server): lt;popgt;lt;dotgt;lt;domaingt;, where lt;domaingt; - the domain of your mailbox (for a mailbox - pop.mail.ru, - pop.list.ru, - pop.bk.ru, - pop.inbox.ru).

    Outgoing mail server (SMTP server): lt;smtpgt;lt;dotgt;lt;domaingt;, where lt;domaingt; - the domain of your mailbox (for a mailbox - smtp.mail.ru, - smtp.list.ru, - smtp.bk.ru, - smtp.inbox.ru).

    Username on the POP server: mailbox name without the "@" sign and domain name (for a mailbox - mailname, - listname, - bkname, - inboxname).

    Password: Your password for your mailbox , , or

    Port: POP3 - 110, SMTP - 25 or 2525.

    In the mail program settings, you must specify that the outgoing mail server (or SMTP server) requires authorization. When sending letters through our SMTP server, the contents of the From: field must match the name of the mailbox in which SMTP authorization was performed: if the mailbox settings indicate the mailbox , , or , then this particular mailbox name must be indicated in the From field :.

    ====================================================================================

    [email protected] supports operation via the IMAP protocol (Mail Access Protocol- protocol for accessing mail over the Internet). This is a protocol with which you can work with letters directly on the mail server and not download all the correspondence to your computer. The IMAP protocol provides comfortable work with IMAP folders on the server. You can create/delete folders and sort messages by them. You can access your emails using the IMAP protocol from anywhere in the world where there is the Internet and an email client that supports this protocol. When using the IMAP protocol, all messages are not downloaded at once. The mail client first receives the headers of the letters, and requests the letters themselves as needed. Thus, the IMAP protocol will help users with bad speed Internet connections.

    Mail client settings for working via the IMAP protocol:

    Your email address (mailbox name or e-mail address): the full name of the mailbox, including the “@” icon and domain.
    For example:

    Incoming mail server (IMAP server): IMAP.mail.ru for all domains (mail.ru, list.ru, bk.ru and inbox.ru).
    : imap.mail.ru

    Outgoing mail server (SMTP server): SMTP.lt;domaingt;, where lt;domaingt; - the domain of your mailbox.
    For example, for a mailbox: smtp.bk.ru

    IMAP server username: The full name of the mailbox, including the "@" icon and domain.

    Password: Your password for your mailbox.

    Port: IMAP - 143, SMTP - 25 or 2525.

  4. Take POP3, you won't go wrong!
  5. POP3 incoming messages
    outgoing SMTP messages
  6. POP - Post Office Protocol - incoming message server.

This article covers the most commonly used Internet email protocols - POP3, IMAP, and SMTP. Each of them has a specific function and way of working. The content of the article explains which configuration is best suited for the user's specific needs when using an e-mail client. It also reveals the answer to the question of what protocol e-mail supports.

What is POP3?

Protocol Version 3 (POP3) is a standard postal protocol, used to receive email from remote server to your local email client. Allows you to download messages to your local computer and read them even if the user is in offline mode. Please note that when you use POP3 to connect to your account, messages are downloaded locally and deleted from the email server.

By default, the POP3 protocol runs on two ports:

    port 110 is an unencrypted POP3 port;

    port 995 - this should be used if you want to connect to POP3 securely.

What is IMAP?

Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) is a protocol for receiving email messages, used to access email on a remote web server from local client. IMAP and POP3 are the two most commonly used protocols for receiving emails and are supported by all modern email clients and web servers.

The POP3 protocol means that your email address is accessible only from one application, while IMAP allows simultaneous login from several clients at once. That's why IMAP fits better if you intend to access your email from different places or if your posts are managed by multiple users.

The IMAP protocol runs on two ports:

    port 143 is the default unencrypted IMAP port;

    port 993 - this must be used if you want to connect securely using IMAP.

What is SMTP?

The protocol is a standard protocol for sending email over the Internet.

SMTP operates on three ports:

    port 25 is unencrypted by default;

    port 2525 - this is opened on all SiteGround servers if port 25 is filtered (for example by your ISP) and you want to send unencrypted emails using SMTP;

    port 465 - This is used if you want to send messages securely using SMTP.

What protocols are used to exchange email? Concepts and terms

The term email server refers to the two servers required to send and receive emails, i.e. SMTP and POP.

The incoming mail server is the server associated with your email address account. It cannot have more than one incoming mail server. To access incoming messages, you need an email client—a program that can receive email from an account, allowing the user to read, forward, delete, and reply to messages. Depending on your server, you may be able to use a dedicated email client (such as Outlook Express) or a web browser. So, Internet Explorer used to access email-based accounts. Messages are stored on the incoming mail server until it is downloaded. Once you have downloaded your mail from the mail server, you cannot do it again. To successfully download data, you must enter correct settings in an email program. Most incoming mail servers use one of the following protocols: IMAP, POP3, HTTP.

Outgoing mail server (SMTP)

This is a server used only for sending letters (to transfer them from your mailbox). client program to the receiver). Most outgoing mail servers use Protocol) to send correspondence. Depending on your network parameters The outgoing mail server may belong to your ISP or the server where you set up your account. Alternatively, you can use a subscription-based SMTP server that will allow you to send emails from any account. Due to spam issues, most outgoing email servers do not allow you to send emails unless you are logged into their network. A server with an open relay will allow you to use it to send emails, regardless of whether you belong to it network group or not.

Email Ports

For networks, port means end point logical connection. The port number determines its type. The following are the default email ports:

    POP3 - port 110;

    IMAP - port 143;

    SMTP - port 25;

    HTTP - port 80;

    secure SMTP (SSMTP) - port 465;

    secure IMAP (IMAP4-SSL) - port 585;

    IMAP4 over SSL (IMAPS) - port 993;

    Secure POP3 (SSL-POP) - port 995.

Email protocols: IMAP, POP3, SMTP and HTTP

Basically the protocol refers to standard method, used at each end of the communication channel. To deal with email, you must use a special client to access mail server. In turn, they can exchange information with each other using completely different protocols.

IMAP protocol

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is a standard protocol for accessing email from your local server. IMAP is a client/server protocol in which email is received and data is stored by your Internet server. Since it only requires a small data transfer, it works well even with slow connection, for example, when connecting using a modem. When attempting to read a particular email message, the client downloads data from the server. You can also create and manage folders or mailboxes on the server, delete messages.

POP3 protocol

POP (Post Office Protocol 3) e-mail provides a simple, standardized way for users to access their mailboxes and download messages to their computers.

When using the POP protocol, all your email messages will be downloaded from the mail server to your local computer. You can also leave copies of your emails on the server. The advantage is that after downloading your messages, you can disconnect your Internet connection and read your email at your leisure without incurring additional communication costs. On the other hand, with this protocol you receive and download a lot unwanted messages(including spam or viruses).

SMTP protocol

The protocol is used by the Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) to deliver emails on specific server recipient. SMTP can only be used to send emails, not to receive them. Depending on your network or ISP settings, you may only be able to use the SMTP protocol under certain conditions.

HTTP protocols

HTTP is not a protocol designed for email communications, but it can be used to access your mailbox. It is also often called web email. It can be used to compose or receive emails from your account. Hotmail - good example using HTTP as an email protocol.

Managed File Transfers and Network Solutions

Your ability to send and receive email is mainly due to ​three things: TCP protocols. They are SMTP, IMAP and POP3.

SMTP

Let's start with SMTP because its main function is different from the other two. SMTP protocol, or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, is primarily used to send email from an email client (such as Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird or Apple Mail) to an email server. It is also used to relay or forward mail messages from one mail server to another. This is necessary if the sender and recipient have different email service providers.

SMTP, which is specified in RFC 5321, uses port 25 by default. It can also use port 587 and port 465. The latter, which was introduced as the port of choice for secure SMTP (a.k.a. SMTPS), is considered deprecated. But in fact, it is still used by several email service providers.

POP3

Protocol post office, or POP, is used to retrieve email messages from Latest version The one that is widely used is version 3, hence the term "POP3".

POP version 3, specified in RFC 1939, supports extensions and several authentication mechanisms. Authentication features are required to prevent malicious users from accessing user communications.

The POP3 client receives email as follows:

    connects to the mail server on port 110 (or 995 for SSL connections/TLS);

    deletes copies of messages stored on the server;

    disconnects from the server.

    Although POP clients can be configured so that the server can continue to store copies of downloaded messages, the steps described above are common practice.

    IMAP

    IMAP, especially current version(IMAP4), is a more complex protocol. This allows users to group related posts and place them in folders, which in turn can be organized hierarchically. It is also equipped with message flags that indicate whether the message has been read, deleted, or received. It even allows users to search server mailboxes.

    Operation logic (imap4 settings):

    • connects to the mail server via port 143 (or 993 for SSL/TLS connections);

      retrieves email messages;

      serves to connect before closing the mail client application and download messages on demand.

    Please note that messages are not deleted on the server. This can have serious consequences. IMAP specifications can be found in RFC 3501.

    Choosing between IMAP and POP3

    Since the basic function of SMTP is fundamentally different, the choice dilemma better protocol usually only includes IMAP and POP3.

    If server storage space is important to you, then choose POP3. A server with limited memory is one of the main factors that may force you to support POP3. Because IMAP leaves messages on the server, it can consume memory space faster than POP3.

    If you want to access your mail at any time, then it is better to stick with IMAP. There is one good reason why IMAP was designed to store messages on a server. It is used to search for messages from multiple devices - sometimes even simultaneously. So if you have an iPhone, Android tablet, laptop and desktop and you want to read email from any or all of these devices, then IMAP will be the best choice.

    Synchronization is another advantage of IMAP. If you access email messages from multiple devices, you'll likely want them all to show any activity you've performed.

    For example, if you read messages A, B, and C, you want them to also be marked as read on other devices. If you have deleted letters B and C, then you will want the same messages to be deleted from your inbox on all gadgets. All these synchronizations can only be achieved if you use IMAP.

    Since IMAP allows users to organize messages hierarchically and place them in folders, it helps users better organize their correspondence.

    Of course, everything functionality IMAPs come at a price. These solutions are more difficult to implement and the protocol ends up consuming a lot more CPU and RAM, especially when it performs the synchronization process. Actually high load CPU and memory drain can happen on both the client and server side if there are a ton of messages to sync. From this point of view, the POP3 protocol is less expensive, although less functional.

    Privacy is also one of the issues that will greatly depend on end users. They would generally prefer to download all email messages and not leave copies of them on an unknown server.

    Speed ​​is an advantage that varies and depends on the situation. POP3 has the ability to download everything mail messages when connected. And IMAP can, if necessary (for example, when insufficient quantities traffic) download only message headers or specific parts and leave attachments on the server. Only when the user decides that the remaining parts are worth downloading will they become available to him. Therefore, IMAP can be considered faster.

    However, if all messages on the server must be downloaded every time, then POP3 will be much faster.

    As you can see, each of the described protocols has its own advantages and disadvantages. It's up to you to decide which features or capabilities are more important.

    Also desired method access to the e-mail client determines the preferred protocol. Users who only work from one machine and use webmail to access their new emails will appreciate POP3.

    However, users who share mailboxes or access their emails with different computers, will prefer IMAP.

    Spam firewalls with SMTP, IMAP and POP3

    Most spam firewalls only deal with SMTP protocol and protect him. Servers send and receive email SMTP mail, and they will be checked by the spam firewall on the gateway. However, some spam firewalls provide the ability to protect POP3 and IMAP4 when external users need these services to access their email.

    SMTP firewalls are transparent to end users; There are no configuration changes for clients. Users still receive and send email messages to the email server. Thus, Exchange or Dominos must configure routing of messages to the firewall based on a proxy server when sending email, and also provide the ability to send emails from the firewall.