What is SMTP?
12 Oct 2009, 1:55 pmWhat is SMTP?
The SMTP is an abbreviation for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. It handles emails going out from e-mail client to an e-mail server. It receives sent messages from users and routes them to the mail recipients they are intended for. Users typically use a program that uses SMTP for sending e-mail and either POP3 or IMAP for receiving e-mail. On unix-based systems, send mail is the most widely used SMTP server for e-mail. SMTP is implemented to operate over Internet port 25.
The only time SMTP needs to be setup is when using an e-mail client software such as Microsoft outlook, Outlook Express, and Mozilla Thunderbird. If you are only using web based e-mail such as Webmail for managing your e-mail communications, then will be no need for you to do any SMTP or other setup.
E-mail client software needs to be setup with the host or the IP address of an SMTP server. Some ISP providers block port 25 and reserve it only for their own outgoing SMTP server. In this case, the e-mail customers are forced to use the ISP’s SMTP server.
Fouad
