[techtalk] POP mail

[Samantha Jo Moore]

> Hi I was wondering if someone could explain some mechanics of POP mail to
> me.  I have a Unix account, which I'm not sure is set up for POP mail or
> not.  I know that when I have tried, I got responses from the server that
> said "we do not relay".  I tried to set up my roommate's pop mail which I
> know was set up for POP but kept getting responses from the receivers
> that say they don't accept relayed messages.

OK.  First of all POP mail involves the use of two types of servers.  A
POP3 server is used to download incomming mail to your mail client.  For
outgoing mail an SMTP server is used to deliver the mail.

When you set up your mail client you need to tell it which server is used
to download incomming mail.  Normally this is your POP3 server.  Your ISP
needs to tell you which server or IP address to connect to, and a port
number if they don't use the normally assigned one for POP3 servers which
is 110.  In addition you must specify an account name and a password
which are used to identify your mailbox at such server.

For the outgoing mail you need to configure your mail client to send the
mail to whatever your ISP tells you the SMTP server is, and this is ussually
at port 25.  You don't need an account to use this type of service.
However,
to prevent unathorized use of the ISP mail servers they only allow hosts
within the domain of the ISP to send mail to the SMTP server.

The reason you may be getting the "we do not relay" message is because
your mail client is identifying itself to the SMTP server as being from
a different domain.  To solve this problem you need to connect to the ISP
directly via a dialup PPP, ISN, or cable connection.  Alternatively you
might want to tell your mail client to use a different SMTP server, maybe
the one in your company, through which you are getting the connection.

Hope this helps.
Samantha Jo Moore
sjmoore at thetahoegroup.com
http://www.thetahoegroup.com


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