If you’ve ever found yourself setting up an email client such as Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, Apple Mail, or similar applications, you’ll agree that the process involves coming across a range of technical terms. While it may seem confusing at first, understanding these terms can make the email setup relatively smooth and hassle-free. So, let’s delve into some of the most common technical terms you’re likely to encounter when setting up an email client.
IMAP (Internet Mail Access Protocol)
IMAP is an internet protocol used by email clients to retrieve messages from a mail server. This protocol leaves the messages on the server, allowing you to view the mails from different devices. Therefore, if you check your email with a mobile device and later with a PC, you’ll see all your emails because everything was kept in the server.
POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3)
Unlike IMAP, POP3 works by downloading the email messages to your local device and (unless configured not to) deleting them from the server. This means that once you have checked your emails from one device, you can’t see them again from another device. It is generally used if you only have a single computer and are not accessing your emails from any other devices.
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
SMTP is used when you’re sending emails. Your email client communicates with the server using SMTP, and the server in turn sends the message to the recipient’s email server.
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security)
These are cryptographic protocols designed to provide communications security over a computer network. When setting up an email client, you’ll often see options to use SSL or TLS. Enabling them means that your email client will encrypt your login and email content, thereby preventing anyone else from seeing the information.
Port Number
In the context of setting up an email client, the port number refers to the specific gateway for information to travel between your email client and the email server. Common port numbers you might encounter include 25, 465, 587 (for SMTP), 110, 995 (for POP3), and 143, 993 (for IMAP).
Server and Client
These two terms are central in setting up an email client. The server is the powerful computer that hosts your emails and lets your email client fetch them. The client, in contrast, is the application or service you use on your device to manage your emails.
Understanding these technical terms shouldn’t just ease the process of setting up an email client — it will also empower you to troubleshoot, should any difficulties occur. Don’t worry if you don’t grasp it all at once. Reach out to support when you’re unsure. Email technology has been designed to be widely accessible, so you’ll become more familiar as you continue with the process.