POP and SMTP

POP and SMTP are the two protocols which take care of the email flow (send and receive respectively) on the internet.

SMTP (“Simple Mail Transfer Protocol”) is used for sending and delivering from a client to a server via port 25: it’s the outgoing server. On the contrary, POP (“Post Office Protocol”) allows the user to pick up the message and download it into his own inbox: it’s the incoming server. The latest version of the Post Office Protocol is named POP3, and it’s been used since 1996; it uses port 110.

To set up a mail client it’s necessary to configure both SMTP and POP providing their settings. Here’s an example with Mozilla Thunderbird (“Outgoing server” item, selected from “Account settings” in the “Tools” menu):

Below you find a list of the SMTP and POP/POP3 names for the most common email providers.

Of course, if you need to send a bulk email or an email campaign you should opt for a professional server like turboSMTP. Matter of fact, while “normal” SMTPs are based on widely shared IPs (affecting in a negative way your delivery rate), a dedicated outgoing service will rely only on controlled ones. Ensuring that all your messages reach their destination.

PROVIDER

URL

SMTP

POP / POP3

1&1

1and1.com

Smtp.1and1.com

Pop.1and1.com

Airmail

Airmail.net

Mail.airmail.net

Pop3.airmail.net

AOL

Aol.com

Smtp.aol.com

Pop.aol.com

AT&T

Att.net

Outbound.att.net

Inbound.att.net

Bluewin

Bluewin.ch

Smtpauths.bluewin.ch

Pop3.bluewin.ch

BT Connect

Btconnect.com

Mail.btconnect.tom

Pop3.btconnect.com

Comcast

Comcast.net

Smtp.comcast.net

Mail.comcast.net

Earthlink

Earthlink.net

Smtpauth.earthlink.net

Pop.earthlink.net

Gmail

Gmail.com

Smtp.gmail.com

Pop.gmail.com

Gmx

Gmx.net

Mail.gmx.net

Pop.gmx.net

HotPop

Hotpop.com

Mail.hotpop.com

Pop.hotpop.com

Libero

Libero.it

Mail.libero.it

Popmail.libero.it

Lycos

Lycos.com

Smtp.lycos.com

Pop.lycos.com

O2

o2.com

Smtp.o2.com

Mail.o2.com

Orange

Orange.net

Smtp.orange.net

Pop.orange.net

Outlook.com (former Hotmail)

Outlook.com

Smtp.live.com

Pop3.live.com

Tin

Tin.it

Mail.tin.it

Pop.tin.it / Box.tin.it

Tiscali

Tiscali.co.uk

Smtp.tiscali.co.uk

Pop.tiscali.co.uk

Verizon

Verizon.net

Outgoing.verizon.net

Incoming.verizon.net

Virgin

Virgin.net

Smtp.virgin.net

Pop.virgin.net

Wanadoo

Wanadoo.fr

Smtp.wanadoo.fr

Pop.wanadoo.fr

Yahoo

Yahoo.com

Mail.yahoo.com

Pop.yahoo.com