What is the difference between smtp and pop

For this, we have POP3 protocol i. To access mail from the mail box present at the mail server the client MAA at recipient computer establishes the connection with the mail server using TCP port Then the user is authenticated to retrieve mail messages one by one. POP3 works on two modes delete mode and keep mode. Delete mode , deletes the mail from the mailbox after its retrieval and this mode is used when the user is working at his permanent computer. Keep mode is used when the user is not working on its permanent computer.

It also let user organize the mails. Your email address will not be published. Outgoing mail can also be put in the mailbox. SMTP is the standard by which the vast majority of mail of transferred on the Internet. Though invented in the early s, it has a reputation for being very reliable. Most mail goes through without problems and gets to the recipient quickly.

However, SMTP also has some shortcomings that were not anticipated when it was first created, and that has created issues for many modern users. SMTP has no way of verifying senders are who they claim they are.

Back in the s, when the Internet was used among a select group of people mainly in government and academia, this was not a big issue. Since the s, it has become a major problem. Let's start with POP3.

As shown in the figure above, the Post Office Protocol or POP is used to retrieve email messages from a mail server to a mail client. The latest version, which is what's widely used, is version 3 - hence the term "POP3".

POP version 3, which is specified in RFC , supports extensions and several authentication mechanisms. Authentication features are necessary to prevent malicious individuals from gaining unauthorized access to users' messages. Although POP clients may be configured to allow the server to continue storing copies of the downloaded messages, the steps outlined above is the usual practice.

Leaving them on the server is a practice that's usually done via IMAP. Let's talk about it now. It allows users to group related messages and place them in folders, which can in turn be arranged hierarchically. It's also equipped with message flags that indicate whether a message has been read, deleted, or replied to. It even allows users to carry out searches against the server mailboxes.

Notice that messages aren't deleted on the server. This has major implications, which we'll talk about shortly. Here are some of the things you will want to put into consideration:. A server with limited storage space is one major factor that may force you to favor POP3.

There's one good reason why IMAP was designed to store messages on the server. It's meant to enable retrieval of messages from multiple devices; sometimes, even simultaneously. So if you have an iPhone, an Android tablet, a laptop, and a desktop, and you want to read email from any or all of these devices, IMAP would be the better choice.