Introduction
Most standard Internet email clients can use three protocols to connect to mail servers. This can cause some confusion for new and experienced users alike. This page will provide a brief explaination of these three protocol standards.
Most standard Internet email clients can use three protocols to connect to mail servers. This can cause some confusion for new and experienced users alike. This page will provide a brief explaination of these three protocol standards.
- Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
- Post Office Protocol (POP)
- Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP)
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
SMTP, or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, is the standard protocol used for sending mail from clients to servers, as well as between mail servers on the Internet. In order to send email you must use an SMTP server.
SMTP, or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, is the standard protocol used for sending mail from clients to servers, as well as between mail servers on the Internet. In order to send email you must use an SMTP server.
For UMS mail servers, you should use mail.maine.edu as your SMTP (sometimes refered to as
Outgoing) mail server.
Because of security concerns, if you are connecting to the Internet from
outside the UMS network, you will not be able to connect to UMS SMTP
servers without using SSL. Instead you
must either use your Internet Service Providers mail servers, or
configure your mail client to use SSL when connecting to
mail.maine.edu for SMTP.
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Post Office Protocol (POP)
POP, or Post Office Protocol, is a protocol used to download mail to a mail client. POP is a very simple mail protocol. When a POP connection is established, a mail client downloads mail, then deletes it from the server. This is useful for users with limited Internet access (such as dial-up modem service) or users who only check their email from a single computer.
POP, or Post Office Protocol, is a protocol used to download mail to a mail client. POP is a very simple mail protocol. When a POP connection is established, a mail client downloads mail, then deletes it from the server. This is useful for users with limited Internet access (such as dial-up modem service) or users who only check their email from a single computer.
To use POP, you should set mail.maine.edu as your
Incoming mail server. SSL is not required for POP connections
but strongly recommended. ITS may require SSL for POP
connections in the future.
Unfortinately, for users who need to access mail from more than
one location, POP is not a good solution (since as soon as a client
connects to the mail server that mail is deleted from the server).
A better solution in this case is IMAP.
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Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP)
IMAP, or Internet Message Access Protocol, is the prefered protocol for accessing email. IMAP stores email on a mail server in folders, allowing for users to access their mail folders from any client (including webmail). IMAP is the recommended protocol for accessing email, unless there are connection limitations (most of which are now overcome by modern email clients that have the ability to locally cache IMAP folders for offline viewing).
IMAP, or Internet Message Access Protocol, is the prefered protocol for accessing email. IMAP stores email on a mail server in folders, allowing for users to access their mail folders from any client (including webmail). IMAP is the recommended protocol for accessing email, unless there are connection limitations (most of which are now overcome by modern email clients that have the ability to locally cache IMAP folders for offline viewing).
IMAP connections for UMS email should use
mail.maine.edu as the Incoming mail server. SSL
is not required but strongly recommended. ITS may require
SSL for IMAP connections in the future.
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