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What are Email Protocols (POP3, SMTP and IMAP) and their default ports?

Table of contents.

Email is an essential part of business and personal communication online. The email protocols define the mechanism of the email exchange between servers and clients. This way, they allow us to send and receive messages over the network correctly.

In this article, you will find the most common Email protocols explained – POP3, IMAP, and SMTP. Each of them has a specific function and mechanism. Read on to see which configuration will best serve your particular email needs.

What is an email protocol? An email protocol is a group of rules which ensure that emails are properly transmitted over the Internet. In fact, there is a list of email protocols that handle email transactions. Thanks to them we are able to send and receive emails from different machines, networks, and operating systems. Moreover, these mail protocols allow you to access and manage your emails from various email programs and devices.

Email protocols list

The standard email protocol list includes:

Each of them operates differently and provides a different service for managing your email account.

What is SMTP?

SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol , and it is responsible for sending email messages. This protocol is used by email clients and mail servers to exchange emails between computers.

A mail client and the SMTP server communicate with each other over a connection established through a particular email port. Both entities are using SMTP commands and replies to process your outgoing emails. Thanks to the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, messages can be sent from the same account on different email applications.

What is POP3?

The POP3 abbreviation stands for Post Office Protocol version 3 , which provides access to an inbox stored in an email server. It executes the download and deletes operations for messages. Thus, when a POP3 client connects to the mail server, it retrieves all messages from the mailbox. Then it stores them on your local computer and deletes them from the remote server.

Thanks to this protocol, you are able to access the messages locally in offline mode as well.

Modern POP3 clients allow you to keep a copy of your messages on the server if you explicitly select this option.

What is IMAP?

The Internet Message Access Protocol ( IMAP ) allows you to access and manage your email messages on the email server. This protocol permits you to manipulate folders, permanently delete and efficiently search through messages. It also gives you the option to set or remove email flags, or fetch email attributes selectively. By default, all messages remain on the server until the user specifically deletes them.

IMAP supports the connection of multiple users to a single mail server.

Default email ports

Email ports are communication endpoints that define how a message should be transmitted. That includes whether a message should be encrypted and exchanged securely.

To establish a connection between your email client and your mail server, you need the latter’s IP address and a port number. These attributes are assigned by IANA ( Internet Assigned Numbers Authority ).

Each protocol has its own port numbers to connect through and each port supports a different type of encryption.

The available SMTP ports are four and each of them underlies a different type of encryption for email sending.

• 25 – This port serves to send messages in plain text, although if the mail server supports it, it can be encrypted with TLS . Therefore, many Internet service providers block it, as it represents a security risk.
• Port 2525 is an alternative to the SMTP port 25 and can be encrypted over TLS.
• 587 – This is the port IANA registered as the secure SMTP port, and it requires an explicit TLS connection. However, if the email server does not support TLS, the message will be sent in plain text.
• Port 465 works over an implicit SSL connection and if the server does not support it, the operation will be aborted.
• Port 110 is the default POP3 port and it is not encrypted.
• The encrypted port for POP3 is 995 and works over TLS/SSL.

By default IMAP works on two ports like POP3:

• 143 – this is the default port which does not provide any encryption.
• Port 993 is the secure port for IMAP and it works over TLS/SSL encryption.

What is the difference between SMTP, POP3, and IMAP?

Incoming vs. outgoing protocols.

POP3 and IMAP are handling the incoming emails and they operate in different ways to retrieve or access your email messages. Thus, they are considered mail access protocols.

On the other hand, the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is behind the message transfer from server to server, or mail client to server. As this is the protocol handling the email sending from an email account, it is labeled as the outgoing protocol.

In short, thanks to IMAP and POP3, you are able to receive emails, and SMTP allows you to send messages.

IMAP vs. POP3

As we already mentioned, both of these protocols relate to email retrieval. All modern servers support both protocols, although they function in different manners.

While the POP3 protocol assumes that your email is being accessed only from one application, IMAP allows simultaneous access by multiple clients. This is why IMAP is more suitable for you, if you’re going to access your email from different locations or if multiple users manage your messages.

On the other hand, POP3 downloads your emails to your local computer, deleting them from the server. Thus, it reduces the space your email account uses on your web server.

To sum it up, there are 3 email protocols – SMTP, POP3, and IMAP. Each of them works on specific port numbers and operates differently. If you are having trouble connecting to an incoming or outgoing server, try using an alternative port number.

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A Quick Guide to IMAP, POP3, and SMTP Ports

Jessica Martinez

What’s SMTP? What is the purpose of an IMAP port? What’s the difference between an IMAP and a POP3 port?

Many technical terms in the world of email may be circling your head. As an email marketer it’s essential to familiarize yourself with these terms, understand what they are, and know their functionalities.

In this quick guide, we’ll resolve your confusion about IMAP vs. POP3 vs. SMTP and break down everything you need to know about them. We’ll also look at their advantages, disadvantages, and key differences between them.

Your guide to SMTP, POP3, and IMAP ports

What is smtp.

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) is a message transfer protocol used to send or “push” emails from one server to another. When you send an email, your email client needs to upload it to the outgoing mail server, and then that server needs to transfer it to the incoming mail server.

If you want to connect to an SMTP server , you need to know its IP address and the ports it supports or accepts mail through. What’s a port? It’s kind of like an apartment number on a physical address. They have two purposes: to submit it to the outgoing mail server and to relay it to the recipient’s server.

SMTP is key to email infrastructure, which is an important part of email deliverability .

Today, there are four common SMTP ports:

So, what port do you use? Port 25 is the historical home for all SMTP email activity. But, many ISPs and cloud providers block outbound port 25 traffic because of a history of spammers setting up their own spammy email servers and/or relaying mail through unsuspecting, poorly secured “open relaying” mail servers.

Most ISPs tell their users to configure their email client to connect to port 587 of their ISP’s mail server to hand off a new outbound email message. Some ISPs offer alternate ports (like 465 or 2525) for this purpose, to work around network issues or firewall blocking.

SMTP is used for transmitting mail between servers (and sometimes for initially submitting email to a server). Protocols like IMAP and POP3 are used later in the process, by the end user’s email client application or “mail user agent” (MUA) to download messages from their mailbox provider’s mail server. Let’s go over POP 3 next.

To learn more about SMTP, check our developer’s guide !

What is a POP3 server?

Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3), also known as a POP3 server is a receiving protocol that’s used to “pull” emails from a remote server to your computer. Emails are stored in the server and copied into the local email client. After this is done, you can choose whether or not it deletes the original messages from the inbox to save space on the server.

POP3 is relatively easy to set up and prone to fewer errors. Emails are downloaded to a local computer, so they can be viewed offline and attachments open faster. However, if you normally access your email from different devices and locations, it’s probably not the right fit.

As for what port does POP3 use? POP3 uses two standard ports: Port 110 and Port 995. Port 110 is the default; Port 995 is the designated POP3 SSL port but it can also accept SSL or TLS-encrypted messages.

What is IMAP?

Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) is a receiving protocol like POP3, with the main difference being the ability to fetch emails across multiple devices. IMAP is newer and supports folders, which POP does not. Some ISPs support POP, while others support IMAP.

For those who use multiple devices, this is the way to go. Changes made in one place are synchronized between the server and email clients. Plus, emails only exist within the server, providing better security than a local device. However, IMAP is more complicated to set up, you must be connected to the internet, and messages are slower to load.

There are two standard IMAP port numbers: Port 143 and Port 993. The IMAP default port is 143 and it works with TLS encryption, IMAP's port 993 is used for SSL encryption.

SMTP vs POP3 vs IMAP: What's the difference?

Smtp vs. pop3 and imap.

SMTP is the protocol used for transmitting email messages between servers, while IMAP and POP3 are protocols used to download messages from a mail server to a user’s email application for reading. In technical terms, SMTP is a message transfer protocol, and the others are message access protocols.

Plus, SMTP works between servers, hopping messages around until they get to the right destination. POP3 works between a server and a local client, and IMAP works between a server and multiple clients.

IMAP and POP3 are used later by the end user’s email client application or “mail user agent” (MUA). They download messages from their mailbox provider’s mail server.

POP3 vs. IMAP

We’ve talked a little about the differences between these two, but let’s run through them again. POP3 takes messages from a server and downloads them to a local device, often a computer. IMAP can be accessed across multiple devices and allows the creation of folders.

POP3 is a one-way message access protocol—changes made on the device will not be reflected on the server. IMAP is a two-way message access protocol—changes made on the server or device are synchronized across all devices.

Those are the key differences. It’s up to you which one works better for your business, but you’ll probably want to go for IMAP if you’re working with a team.

Understanding email protocol is key to understanding deliverability

Even decades after its inception, email is still an integral part of communication in an increasingly digitized world. Therefore, it’s important to recognize the different cogs in the wheel that operate behind the scenes to take full advantage of its capabilities.

We hope this quick guide on differentiating between an IMAP port and a POP3 port along with SMTP has helped you gain a better understanding of the different email protocols, their functionalities, features, and differences. Working knowledge of the intricacies of email protocols can help you understand email deliverability better. But you’ll need the tools, too.

With deliverability tools at your side, your campaigns can reach brand-new heights! Get started with Kickbox today .

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Understanding Email Client Protocols and Port Numbers

Welcome to our ultimate guide, unraveling the mysteries behind email protocols and port numbers 🚀.

In our day-to-day digital life, emails serve as a pivotal means of communication. But have you ever wondered how these emails navigate through the vast cyberspace to reach the inbox? Let’s delve into the world of email client protocols and port numbers, keeping things light and breezy for easy understanding!

1st Stop: Email Client Protocols 🌎

Picture email client protocols as the digital postal service of the internet. They set the rules for how email clients and servers communicate.

Two Main Protocols: POP3 and IMAP 🚂

• POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) : Imagine a mailbox that you empty once you download your mail—simple and great for single-device use!
• IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) : Like a mailbox that keeps copies, ensuring you can view your emails from any device.

Sailing Through SMTP 🚤

SMTP, or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, is our digital postman, ensuring your emails are delivered safely to the right inboxes.

Quick Recap 🔗

• POP3: Downloads and deletes from the server.
• IMAP: Stores emails on the server, enabling multi-device access.
• SMTP: Ensures your emails are delivered to the right spot!

2nd Stop: Port Numbers 🚀

Our protocols (POP3, IMAP, and SMTP) are like delivery vans, while port numbers are the specific docks these vans visit to ship or pick up email cargo.

A Look at Key Ports 🎉

• POP3 : Primarily uses port 110 and port 995 for secure email retrieval.
• IMAP : Operates on port 143 and uses port 993 for secure communication.
• SMTP : Utilizes port 25, port 587 for mail submission, and port 465 for secure email sending.

Wrapping Up: Our Journey ✨

We’ve journeyed through virtual postal services (POP3 and IMAP) and met our digital postman (SMTP), discovering how port numbers guide them to their destination. Although emailing might seem straightforward, behind the scenes, a well-orchestrated system ensures your messages reach their destination. Thank you for embarking on this journey with us!

About The Author

Adrian Antony

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How to Use POP3, SMTP and IMAP Protocols

In this tutorial, I’m going to go over the basics of the three most popular protocols: POP3, SMTP, and IMAP. With this basic understanding, you will be able to make informed decisions when creating email accounts .

Using POP3 Email Protocols

The Post Office Protocol version 3, or POP3 for short, is one of the most common methods for receiving email. In this protocol, your messages are downloaded directly to a device and readable even if you’re not online. This is convenient in many settings, especially if you’re in an area where the internet connection is sporadic.

Because POP3 downloads messages, you don’t have to worry about your email server becoming full. If there is a quota on your hosting account for messages, this can fill up over time. On the other hand, you can set software such as Outlook to leave a copy of the message on the server. This is helpful if you use more than one device throughout the day.

The commonly used secure port for POP3 email retrieval is 995.

Using SMTP Email Protocols

While POP is for retrieving email, the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, or SMTP, is the standard method for sending email.

The commonly used secure port for sending email via SMTP is 465.

Using IMAP Email Protocols

The Internet Message Access Protocol, or IMAP, is a system that, instead of downloading email as in POP3, provides a live view of the email server. This is convenient if you use a smartphone and computer systems to access email. Rather than downloading messages and removing them from the server, IMAP keeps everything online.

One drawback to IMAP is that you need an internet connection to use it. The trade-off is the speed and flexibility which IMAP provides.

The commonly used secure port for IMAP email retrieval 993.

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Im trying to use this information so that I can use gmail’s alias “send mail as” feature. It continues to tell me that my credentials are invalid despite being correct. Any ideas about this?

What are the Effing IMAP Settings? I have an email account set up in GreenGeeks. The settings are not working in Outlook Desktop! -email address redacted-

From your GreenGeeks account dashboard, go into cPanel, Email Accounts, and click Connect Devices, you’ll see a “Manual Settings” box with IMAP settings as well as those for POP3 and SMTP. As for getting them to work in Outlook Desktop, you might have to contact Microsoft. I know these work with Thunderbird, but we can’t support third-party services. I hope this helps: https://www.greengeeks.com/tutorials/how-to-setup-email-accounts-in-microsoft-outlook/

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POP, IMAP, and SMTP settings for Outlook.com

If you're trying to add your Outlook.com account to Outlook or another mail app, you might need the POP, IMAP, or SMTP settings. You can find them below or by viewing them in your Outlook.com settings .

Outlook and Outlook.com may be able to detect your account's mailbox settings automatically, but for other non-Microsoft accounts, you may need to contact your email provider for their settings.

If you want to add your Outlook.com account to another email program that supports POP or IMAP, here are the manual server settings you'll need.

POP access is disabled by default. See the section below on how to enable POP access in Outlook.com.

Outlook.com does not require Secure Password Authentication (SPA).

Incoming and outgoing servers are the same.

Enable POP access in Outlook.com

If you want to use POP to access your email in Outlook.com, you'll first need to enable POP access.

Select Settings   > Mail > Sync email .

Under POP and IMAP , select Yes under Let devices and apps use POP .

Select Save .

Enable mail provider settings

If you're trying to connect another email account to Outlook.com using POP, you might need to change certain mail provider settings to enable a connection that could be blocked.

For Gmail POP accounts, follow these steps .

For Yahoo POP accounts, follow these steps .

For any other email providers, contact them for steps on how to unblock the connection.

Outlook.com IMAP connection errors

You may receive a connection error if you configured your Outlook.com account as IMAP in multiple email clients. We’re working on a fix and will update this article when we have more information. For now, try the following workaround:

Go to account.live.com/activity and sign in using the email address and password of the affected account.

Under Recent activity find the Session Type event that matches the most recent time you received the connection error and click to expand it.

Select This was me to let the system know you authorize the IMAP connection.

Attempt to connect to the account via your IMAP client.

For more information on how to use the Recent activity page, go to What is the recent activity page?

If you use Outlook.com to access an account that uses a domain other than @live.com, @hotmail.com, or @outlook.com, you might not be able to sync your accounts using IMAP. To resolve this, remove the connected IMAP account in Outlook.com and reconfigure it as a POP connection. For instructions about how to reconfigure your account to use POP, contact your email account provider.

If you're using a GoDaddy account, follow these instructions to reconfigure your GoDaddy account to use POP . If using POP doesn't resolve your issue, or you need to have IMAP enabled (it's disabled by default), contact GoDaddy support .

Add your other email accounts to Outlook.com

Add an email account to Outlook

What are IMAP and POP?

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Default Email Ports - POP3, IMAP, and SMTP

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In this article you'll learn the difference between POP3 , IMAP , and SMTP . When configuring a new email account on a device, whether it be a computer, mobile phone, or tablet you'll need to make sure to use the correct settings for both incoming and outgoing mail to work properly. What is POP3? (Protocol to RECEIVE email messages)

POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) is a standard protocol to receive email messages from a remote server to a local email client. Local email client being a single device (computer, mobile phone, or tablet) that you setup your email account on. For many years, this email protocol has been made obsolete by the growing popularity of IMAP. However, some may still prefer to use POP3 to receive email since it reduces the amount of space used on the server (since emails are being stored on your device, where space is being used).

NOTE : When using POP3 you can access email offline since the email is stored locally on your device. Since this email is stored locally on the device the email was opened from this means that you cannot view this email on another device. In this day and age people use multiple devices to view email from, which is why we highly recommend using IMAP to receive emails.

What are the Default POP3 Ports? POP3, by default, will typically work on either of these two ports:

• Port 110 ( non-secure ) - this is the default port
• Port 995 ( secure ) - this is to be used to connect using POP3 securely

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is a widely used standard protocol to receive email messages from a mail server. If you wish to access your emails from multiple devices you'll want to use IMAP. Your email messages will be stored on the mail server allowing you to access and read those emails with another device that has your email account setup and configured.

A real world example would be reading email messages from Outlook or Thunderbird on your computer, Apple Mail on your iPhone, and Gmail app on a tablet. All four email clients (Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, and Gmail) would be configured for IMAP using the username and password for the email account you wish to access allowing you to read the same email messages from every device in real time.

What are the Default IMAP Ports?

• Port 143 ( non-secure ) - this is the default port
• Port 993 ( secure - SSL ) - this is to be used to connect using IMAP securely

What is SMTP? (Protocol to SEND email messages)

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is a standard protocol to send email messages securely (encrypted). You may also see SMTP referred to as SMTP Authentication.

NOTE : When using SMTP/SMTP Authentication you will need to make sure to use the hostname of your server. For example, instead of using mail.yourdomain.com for both your incoming and outgoing server settings you'll want to use ph50.peopleshostshared.com as your incoming and outgoing server (this was just an example so don't actually use ph50.peopleshostshared.com). You can retreive your server's hostname in the Welcome email we sent to you after you ordered your hosting account.

You will want to use the hostname of your server since it has an SSL. If you try to use mail.yourdomain.com, and yourdomain.com isn't secured with an SSL, your email will not work with SMTP Authentication.

What are the Default SMTP Ports?

• Port 25 ( non-secure ) - this is the default port (often times blocked by your ISP - Internet Service Provider)
• Port 26 ( non-secure ) - use port 26 if port 25 is not working and is blocked by your ISP
• Port 465 (secure - SSL) -  this is to be used to send email via SMTP securely over SSL
• Port 587 ( secure - TLS ) - this is to be used to send email via SMTP securely over TLS

We hope this article gives you more insight to the differences of POP3 (to receive email), IMAP (to receive email), and SMTP (to send email). Please contact support if you are having difficulty configuring your email client.

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How to set up a pop3 or imap account in microsoft outlook.

Connect your account to Outlook on your laptop or tablet.

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What are pop3 and imap, how to access your email account through microsoft outlook, how to connect using pop3 or another email provider, how to remove an account from outlook.

Microsoft Outlook can access any email account---not just Microsoft accounts---as long as you've got the right information. Here's how to hook up your email account to Outlook, using either POP3 or IMAP.

POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3) and IMAP (Internet Messaging Access Protocol) are two of the most common protocols for accessing email. Every email client you've had on your computer in the last 25 years---Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, Eudora, Pegasus, or anything else---has supported them. And every email provider allows you to access your email account using POP3 or IMAP.

We've covered the difference between POP3 and IMAP in detail previously, but here's a quick reminder.

The POP3 protocol downloads your email from the server to the client on your computer. It then deletes the email on the server, so the only copy of your emails is on your computer.

The IMAP protocol downloads a copy of your email from the server to the client on your computer. Any changes you make in your email client are synced with the server. So, if you delete a piece of mail on your computer, it deletes it on the email server, and vice versa.

IMAP is much more suited to a modern world where we access the same email account on multiple devices, such as your phone, laptop, and tablet. All the things you do with your email are synced if you use IMAP, so for example, if you send an email from your phone, you can look in the Sent Items folder using your tablet and the email you sent will be there. This is why we recommend you use IMAP unless you've got a good reason to use POP3.

To access your email account through Outlook, you'll need three things:

• Microsoft Outlook installed on your computer.
• Your username and password for your email account.
• The POP3 or IMAP details for your provider, if you're not using a well-known provider like Gmail. You should be able to find any required details in your provider's Wiki or by contacting customer service.

The process is quite simple, and we're going to use a Gmail account as an example. Outlook uses IMAP by default, so we'll go with that first. Then, we'll show you how to set up an account using POP3. Start by opening Outlook and going to File > Add Account

In the panel that opens, enter your email address and click "Connect."

The Google login page appears with your email address already entered. If you're not accessing a Gmail account, this page will look different, but the principle is the same; you'll be asked for your email address and password. Click "Next."

Enter your password and click "Sign in."

A confirmation page will be displayed, asking you to confirm that you allow Microsoft Outlook to access your email. Click "Allow."

Your account will now be added automatically using the IMAP protocol. If you want to add the Outlook app to your phone to see the mail account there as well, switch on "Set up Outlook Mobile on my phone, too." Click Done, and you're finished.

Outlook will now sync your mail, which may take a little time depending on how much is in your inbox. By default, it will only sync the last year of email, but you can change that if you want.

Your new mailbox will appear in the navigation pane on the left-hand side underneath any existing accounts you've set up. If you switched on "Set up Outlook Mobile on my phone, too," you'll be taken to a web page that asks for your mobile phone number so it can send you a link to download the Outlook app.

Outlook already knows what the IMAP settings are for Gmail (and obviously for their own Outlook.com or other Microsoft accounts) so they don't need you to enter the information. But what if you want to use POP3, or you're not using a Microsoft or Gmail account? You'll have to choose your protocol manually and enter it.

To do this, enter the email address you want to connect with as before, but this time click on "Advanced options" and switch on "Let me set up my account manually" before clicking "Connect."

This will open the "Advanced setup" panel. Click either the POP or IMAP option. We're going to use POP, but it works the same way for IMAP.

Enter the POP settings you want to use (or the IMAP settings if you selected IMAP in the previous screen) and click "Next." If you're using Gmail, you can find the settings here . For other providers, you'll have to look in their help information or use your favorite search engine to find them.

The information you will need might include incoming and outgoing mail servers, port numbers, and what type of encryption protocol to use.

Enter your password and click "Connect."

As before, Outlook will now sync your mail, and your new mailbox will appear in the navigation pane on the left-hand side underneath any existing accounts you've set up.

If you want to remove an account from Outlook, click File > Account Settings > Account Settings.

Select the email account you want to remove and click "Remove."

A confirmation window will pop up, which you should pay attention to. Removing the account will delete the emails from your computer. If you've used POP3, this means that you'll be deleting all of the emails in this account unless you've taken a back up of them.

If you're sure you want to remove the account, click "Yes," and the account will be removed.

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Gmail Email Settings: POP3, IMAP, and SMTP Servers

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Gmail Email Receiving Settings

Gmail pop settings, gmail imap settings, good to know, pop3 vs imap: what’s the difference.

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For sending and receiving messages, we use two protocols one is SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) and another is POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3). They are also called as PUSH and POP protocols respectively. They are agents, Message Transfer Agent, and Message Access Agent respectively to send and retrieve the messages. 

Difference between SMTP and POP3:  

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Post Office Protocol, Version 3 (POP3)

What is pop3 (post office protocol 3).

Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) is a standard protocol used by email clients to retrieve email messages from a mail server. It is a simple, text-based protocol that allows a client to connect to a server, retrieve email messages, and mark them as read or unread.

POP3 works by establishing a connection between the email client and the mail server. The client sends a request to the server to retrieve email messages, and the server responds with a list of available messages. The client can then choose which messages to download and mark as read or unread. Once the client has finished retrieving messages, the connection is closed.

POP3 is a widely used protocol for accessing email, but it has some limitations.It does not support real-time synchronization of email messages between the client and server, so the client must manually check for new messages. It also does not support multiple devices accessing the same email account simultaneously,as each device will have its own copy of the email messages.

There are newer protocols available, such as IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol), which offer more advanced features and support for real-time synchronization and multiple device access. However, POP3 remains a popular choice for email clients due to its simplicity and widespread support.

POP3 and Email Applications

Many email applications support POP3, including popular desktop email clients like Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird, as well as mobile email apps like Apple Mail and Gmail. These applications allow users to configure their email accounts to use POP3, either as the primary protocol for retrieving email or as a secondary option in addition to other protocols like IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol).

When using POP3 with an email application, users typically enter their email address, password, and the server and port information for their email account. The email application then establishes a connection to the server using POP3 and retrieves the email messages, which are downloaded to the client and stored locally. Users can then read and manage their email messages directly in the email application.

POP3 has some limitations compared to other protocols like IMAP, including the lack of real-time synchronization and support for multiple device access. However, it remains a popular choice for many users due to its simplicity and widespread support.

It uses two network ports for communication −port 110 for unencrypted connections and port 995 for encrypted connections using SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security).

When configuring an email account in an email client, users may need to specify the POP3 port number to use. The default port for unencrypted POP3 connections is 110, and the default port for encrypted POP3 connections using SSL/TLS is 995. Some email servers may use different port numbers for POP3, in which case the user will need to enter the correct port number when configuring their email account.

It is important to note that using an encrypted connection (port 995) is generally recommended for security reasons. Unencrypted connections (port 110) are vulnerable to interception and may not be suitable for sensitive data.

How POP3 Operates

It operates by establishing a connection between the email client and the mail server and exchanging a series of commands and responses to perform various tasks.

Here is an overview of how POP3 operates −

The email client establishes a connection to the mail server using the POP3 protocol.

The client sends a request to the server, asking for a list of available email messages.

The server responds with a list of messages, including their size and unique identifier.

The client selects which messages to retrieve and sends a request to the server to download them.

The server sends the requested messages to the client, and marks them as read or unread depending on the client's preference.

The client can also send commands to delete messages from the server, or to mark them as read or unread.

Once the client has finished retrieving messages, it sends a request to the server to close the connection. The server responds with an acknowledgment, and the connection is closed.

POP3 is a simple protocol that allows email clients to retrieve and manage email messages from a mail server. It does not support real-time synchronization of email messages between the client and server, so the client must manually check for new messages. It also does not support multiple devices accessing the same email account simultaneously, as each device will have its own copy of the email messages. There are newer protocols available, such as IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol), which offer more advanced features and support for real-time synchronization and multiple device access.

Advantages and Limitations of POP3

It has several advantages, as well as some limitations.

Some advantages of POP3 include −

Simplicity − POP3 is a simple, text-based protocol that is easy to implement and understand.

Widespread support − POP3 is supported by many email clients and servers, making it a widely used and widely compatible protocol.

Efficient storage − POP3 downloads email messages to the client, allowing users to store their email locally on their device. This can be more efficient than storing email messages on the server, especially if the user has a large number of messages.

However, POP3 also has some limitations, including −

Lack of real-time synchronization − POP3 does not support real-time synchronization of email messages between the client and server. This means that the client must manually check for new messages, rather than receiving them in real-time.

Limited device access − POP3 does not support multiple devices accessing the same email account simultaneously. Each device will have its own copy of the email messages, and changes made on one device will not be reflected on other devices.

Security concerns − POP3 does not support encrypted connections by default, and unencrypted connections are vulnerable to interception.

There are newer protocols available, such as IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol), which offer more advanced features and support for real-time synchronization and multiple device access. However, POP3 remains a popular choice for many users due to its simplicity and widespread support.

Related Articles

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• Post Office Saving Schemes
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• Defanged Version of Internet Protocol Address
• What is difference between GET and POST method in HTTP protocol?
• Differences between POP3 and IMAP
• Difference between SMTP and POP3
• Difference between MS Office and Open Office
• Post Modernism, Post Structuralism and Post Colonialism
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What Are Outlook.com’s IMAP, POP3, and SMTP Settings?

by Leo A. Notenboom

With the proliferation of devices running their own email programs, settings for POP3 , SMTP , and now more frequently IMAP are a popular request for the various email services.

For a long time, Microsoft didn’t provide the ability to connect to a desktop email program, but they added it to Hotmail a few years ago. With the transition to Outlook.com as Hotmail’s replacement, that functionality remains.

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Email programs

Various desktop and mobile email programs will ask for this information in a variety of ways and in different places.

Typically, when you set up an email program, you will configure one or more email accounts. An account includes:

• Your email address
• Your account user name (sometimes, this is the same as or derived from your email address)
• Your account password

That’s what we’ll go over in Hotmail/Outlook.com with this article 1 .

SMTP is used to send mail.

The SMTP configuration parameters for Outlook.com are:

• Server : smtp-mail.outlook.com
• Port : 25 (or 587 if 25 is blocked)
• Authentication : Yes
• Encrypted Connection : TLS
• User name : Your email address
• Password : Your password

Configured as described above, you should be able to send email from your desktop email program via Outlook.com.

Your email program uses the POP3 protocol to download email from your email service provider’s server.

The POP3 configuration parameters for Outlook.com are:

• Server : pop-mail.outlook.com
• Encrypted Connection : SSL

Note that you need to enable POP3 access in Outlook.com.

Click the gear icon in the upper right and then click  More mail settings . Under Managing your account, click  Connect devices and apps with  POP :

Under POP, select  Enable, and then click Save.

You’ll note that you also have the option to force delete requests to be ignored. This is more-or-less the equivalent of the “Leave messages on server” option that many desktop email programs have. If you choose the “Don’t let devices or apps delete messages…” option, then they’ll remain accessible via the Outlook.com web interface until you delete them there.

Your email program uses the IMAP protocol to copy or mirror email stored on an email server to your desktop or device.

The IMAP configuration parameters for Outlook.com are:

• Server : imap-mail.outlook.com

IMAP is perhaps the most convenient way to access email across multiple computers and devices as it keeps them all in sync. The downside is that a more-or-less continuous internet connection is typically required for the best experience.

Microsoft also includes additional access mechanisms with Outlook.com, including Exchange Active Sync (which is apparently similar in functionality to IMAP). You can see a full list here on Microsoft’s site:   Set up an email app with Outlook.com .

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Footnotes & references

1 : Hotmail and Outlook.com are the same thing these days. Settings that used to work for Hotmail, based on Microsoft’s old Live.com servers, should continue to work. This article outlines the current settings documented by Microsoft.

41 comments on “What Are Outlook.com’s IMAP, POP3, and SMTP Settings?”

Important Please Read

Comments complaining about how this feature doesn’t work for you will be deleted.

Hotmail is unbelievably large, and they have a long history of rolling out changes slowly so that not all users get access to new features at the same time. Follow the instructions precisely , and if it doesn’t work, wait a few days, or even a few weeks and try again.

One question: after setting this up, does one still have to log on via the web interface to keep your account “live”? Or does accessing your mail via POP count as “logging on”? (I’d also like to see them introduce forwarding to a mail account outside of the Microsoft world, but having POP is a good start!)

How to configure Hotmail in my Windows mail (which is a built-in mail program in my Vista ultimate.) Everytime I go for creating a new account it says ….. “Windows Mail no longer supports the HTTP servers used by Hotmail and other web-based e-mail providers. Click the Back button to set up a different e-mail account, or see other options for accessing your web-based e-mail.”

Help is appreciated.

Thankx Leo for answering my question.

But that’s not the problem here for me, i just searched internet for a work around on this.

So here is the solution for “Windows Mail no longer supports the HTTP servers used by Hotmail….” in Vista Windows Mail.

When creating new email account just type a fake email address like “[email protected]” , then after entering all the settings needed for a POP3 account mentioned in this post, don’t connect to internet and change your fake Account email from Tools>Accounts>… to REAL email address like “[email protected]” .

This should work.

And for accessing Hotmail Pop3 another than supporting countries,It’s working for me – at India, just follow this HACK at http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/01/22/hack-to-enable-hotmail-pop3-and-smtp-support-instantly-for-all-countries/

I already mentioned a couple of times that one used to be able to access hotmail directly from outlook express or outlook but then some years ago Microsoft turned it into a paying service. Those who already had an email address from before that time could keep on benefiting from this service for free (I’m still using it).

Dave, this service counts as access. Don’t know about the POP3 access.

Leo, I’m a little reluctant on using the POP3 service for several reasons: – Dave’s remark – Your response to that – the fact that the httpmail is still working for me – the fact that Microsoft has turned this into a paying service in the past and might do it again – or they might decide to simply cancel the service

I must note however that I’ve been using hotmail for over nine years now and except for the one time complete removal of all my messages by hotmail (without any kind of apology…) have always been able to use it within Outlook.

Hey, thanks…but one problem…. After I typed in pop3.live.com and that other one lol. But after clicking Finish, it should me this message:The connection to the server has failed. Account: ‘pop3.live.com’, Server: ‘pop3.live.com’, Protocol: POP3, Port: 110, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error: 10060, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E

(Im using WIndows Live….does that make a difference?) I dont really understand this pop3 and stuff like that so…..yea, Im stumped lol

This the error report i recieve after following your instructions to a Tee. I`m almost ready to give up. The connection to the server has failed. Account: ‘POP3.live.com’, Server: ‘SMPT.live.com’, Protocol: SMTP, Port: 25, Secure(SSL): Yes, Socket Error: 10060, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E It’s clear from the error message that you’ve mistyped the name of the sending server in your account configuration. It’s smtp .live.com – you have smpt (the p and t are reversed). – Leo16-Jul-2009

Thanks. Extremely helpful. Can I please ask one question. Having sent a message from Outlook Express, the sent folder in hotmail accessed via the web does not show a copy of that message (i.e. not sync’d). Is that expected or have i likely done something wrong? Many thanks

If you find that incoming mail is fine but outgoing doesn’t work, it’s worth remembering that some ISPs like to block all SMTP usage except via their own servers – O2 Broadband and TalkTalk are two examples in the UK. To keep it simple you have to set up the POP3 settings as in the article but use your ISP’s own SMTP server. The set-up for this is different depending on your email software but if you already have an account set up using the ISP’s own email domain it should be fairly straightforward to find and copy the settings – as long as you know the password!

In regards to this post:

“FIXED! (Work around) You can receive but not send email using HOTMAIL’s new POP settings.

Use the settings on this page BUT…

For outgoing mail, DO NOT USE smtp.live.com – use whatever your default server is (mine is smtp.west.cox.net). I figured this part out on my own because when I use my domain mail, this is how it is set up. (Use port 25 for outgoing messages).

And if using anti-virus e-mail scanning like NORTON, go to OPTIONS / EMAIL and UNCHECK “scan outgoing messages”. (Incoming are still scanned for your protection.)

Microsoft (LIVE) and Symantec (NORTON) need to get together to resolve this issue…

Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/329820/en-us “ I found that this work around finally allowed me to send mail. Ports 25 and 587 didn’t work for smtp.live.com but my original pop smtp server smtp.mts.net does with port 25. Even my ISP couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t working for me. I use Incredimail as an email program and most ISP’s don’t have any information on how to configure settings in that program. Thank you for the work around!! You gave a simple solution after hours of grief.

I cant beleive, that it is that difficult to set up an Microsoft Product (Outlook 2007) to Work with a Microsoft Email Service. I tried for hours now to set up Outlook for MSN. After a reinstall i use Windows 7 x64 an Outlook 2007 Professional. Therefore i used windows XP x64 and Office 2003 Professional. With 2003 it was dufficult, but after changing the pop3 server port it worked.

Now Outlook is asking mer for my password again and again. My password is right, because i log in to msn with it. Any Ideas?

Thank you so much for this it’s great to have the messages download automatically and works perfectly.

Just a short answer to Thomas… I had the same problem until I realised my email password was different to the MSN messenger one, maybe that’s your problem too. Good luck

Microsoft allowing non-Microsoft programs to access Hotmail? I wonder what the catch is? I wonder why then are they are then trying (and failing) to restrict the web version of Hotmail to only IE/Firefox? Anyway, for Evolution in GNU/Linux, the following settings worked for me: (receiving email tab) Server type: POP Server: pop3.live.com Username: [email protected] Use secure connection: SSL Authentication type: Password (sending email tab) Server type: SMTP Server: smtp.live.com Server requires authentication: YES Use secure connection: SSL encryption Authentical type: Login Username: [email protected]

I am not able to configure windows hot mail account in windows live mail

Thanks for the help. I have used port 25 for years, but recently I had to switch to 587 because I was unable to send e-mail through OE. Was about ready to give up, until I read this!

I tried both 587 and 25. No luck. I was able to receive but not send. Now I can’t do either. I have 995 as the receiving and I checked the authentication boxes. Any clue?

hi, I did what you have instructed ealier but still no luck I get this error

Subject ‘Fw: Welcome to Windows Mail’, Account: ‘pop.gmail.com’, Server: ‘smtp.gmail.com’, Protocol: SMTP, Port: 465, Secure(SSL): No, Error Number: 0x800CCC19

what should i do? I read upon on that error and it says some thing about registry needs to be repaired but i restored my computer few days ago to the original setting…

Can you please help me to set it up please.

I have windows mail. I have used the settings as described above. I have an error message stating “host smtp not found” what do I change to get smtp found?

@Joe: Windows Mail is an email program similar to Outlook Express, described in the article. You haven’t specified which email provider you are using. You’ll have to look up the SMTP settings on your email provider’s web site and configure Windows Mail accordingly.

Your short version worked ;)

i need this email settings for my android fone :)

Receiving: pop3.live.com, port 995, SSL Sending: smtp.live.com, port 587 (or 25), TLS (or SSL)

thanks mate

Thank you, thank you!! No other website I found mentioned changing the encryption from SSL to TLS for port 587. Thank you! It works!

All very nice for most POP3 clients…. but Foxmail appears to be the exception. No matter what combination of settings I use, Hotmail will not let me send e-mails. There’s no way to select TLS in Foxmail, and its version of SSL on port 587 or 25 doesn’t work. Very annoying.

i Can’t send any email.. this error showing..

The connection to the server has failed. Account: ‘Hotmail’, Server: ‘smtp.live.com’, Protocol: SMTP, Port: 25, Secure(SSL): Yes, Socket Error: 10060, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E

An unknown error has occurred. Subject ‘test’, Account: ‘Hotmail’, Server: ‘smtp.live.com’, Protocol: SMTP, Server Response: ‘550 5.3.4 Requested action not taken; We noticed some unusual activity in your Hotmail account. To help protect you, we’ve temporarily blocked your account.’, Port: 587, Secure(SSL): Yes, Server Error: 550, Error Number: 0x800CCC69

@Mr. Pervas Here’s an article which discusses that issue: Why am I repeatedly locked out of my Hotmail account, and what can I do about it?

I am using my android phone for checking 3 different pop3 and smtp email accounts, all working fine. For hotmail, however, despite following all the steps written here, I have not been able to send mail. The error message I get is “Setup could not finish. Unable to open connection to server”.

The incoming works perfect. I’ve tried to use both port 25 and 587 for outgoing but I still can’t send email message. I have even alternated between all security types, SSL, SSL (Accept all certificates), TLS, TLS (Accept all certificates) and even the None. No good though. Please help. Thank you!

How do you disable the IMAP “IDLE” function in Outlook 2010? In other words how to you stop the “PUSH” of emails so they do not get sent from the server to my application as soon as they are ready but instead will stay on the server until I request to receive emails. Other email applications such as Thunderbird have an option to disable (turn off) “IDLE”. Even the email notifier POP Peeper has a toggle function to check on or off for “IDLE”. One would think Outlook 2010 would provide this option to the user as well.

If you’re curious why I want to do this, it is because I want the IMAP synchronization advantages and do use “IDLE” in POP Peeper but because Outlook has issues with the desktop “Alert” for new mail (it has never worked with IMAP accounts from Outlook 2003-2010 as far as I know). The Alert will only work if you’ve got Outlook open and you’ve opened the inbox for the account where the email arrives. I believe this is because while other applications have apparently solved the problem Microsoft has not been able to resolve the issue of email getting “Pushed” through when Outlook has not been launched and/or your not on the specific receiving inbox. The email has arrived by the time Outlook get’s launched thus Outlook does not see the “Pushed” email as “new”. If I can disable the “IDLE” function for IMAP accounts then the emails would not arrive until I requested to receive them.

Could someone please help me it’s driving me nuts.I have a hotmail,(now outlook)email account and I’m trying to sync it with my android phone.I have tried doing exactly as people have suggested and adding the pop3.live.com server and ssl security, port 995 and it still won’t work.What am I doing wrong? thanks Helen

To begin with use the IMAP, not POP3 settings. Alternately, just install the Outlook.com application from the Google Play store. It’ll make it all pretty transparent.

THANK YOU LEO YOU ARE A LEGEND.up until a few days ago i was still able to use outlook express to connect to windows live/outlook.com and download to my XP computer(i know,its ancient,but i prefer it).but then suddenly i was unable to signin with outlook express with connection/password errors.searched the net for hours and hours but to no avail,with most sites including microsoft,saying it was impossible to use outlook express with outlook.com anymore.by enabling POP in outlook.com like you said,and changing incoming mail setting from ‘pop3.live.com’ to ‘pop-mail.outlook.com’ as you said,everything is back to normal.so much appreciated.gary

Thanks for a great website.

As Windows Live Mail 2012 will become unuseable from next month (according to a letter from Outlook I got recently), I tried to add my live.jp mail address to my Gmail but got the error message ‘Server denied POP3 access for the given username and password. Server returned error: “Login to your account via a web browser to verify your account.”‘ Logged in to Outlook via web browser and did as per your instructions (to enable POP in Outlook) then back to gmail, but same error message and I AM logged in to my account via browser (logging out and re-log in doesn’t change anything)…I feel like I am going around in circles. Any suggestions please? Also since WLM 2012 is being ditched by MS, what is your recommendation for a mail client to install on my Win.7 computer to replace WLM 2012? Thanks again.

Almost sounds like you might be using a wrong password. Do you have your outlook.com password remembered in your browser? If so you may be logging in with the browser okay, but putting the wrong password in Gmail. Just a guess.

Thanks Connie, That is what I thought too, and did a double-check: made sure my password was the correct one, even logged out from my Outlook and re-logged in manually with that password which I then entered again for the operation over at Gmail but it kept returning the above error msg. I am a bit stumped, really.

WTF Leo. I have been using outlook.com for over a year. Are U telling me I must start all over???

Never said that at all. What makes you think I did?

Don’t worry outlook.com will be here for a good while longer.

THANKS A LOT !!! Your note about enabling POP for apps and devices saved me some extra time & headache searching for why it did not work before…

Hi Leo, I have 3 email addresses linked to my phone however after I had my laptop “cleaned” the one email address’s mail is not coming through. I deleted the account and tried to reload but it gives error “cant connect to server” pop disabled…..I am so not with the technology of today and dont know where and how to fix this…I urgently need to fix this as it is my business email not working…

Thanks Thea

So your laptop and your phone both simply pick up email. There are very few things that could have been done to your laptop that would make it so that the phone suddenly can’t get email The only thing I can think of is that the person who “cleaned” the laptop used it to change the password on one of your email accounts.

In order to sort this out you need to work through where your email comes from. If it comes from one of the free online services (Gmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo, etc) then you can log in online and make sure you have your password and POP3 information correct. If it comes from a server with your own website, or from your ISP then you will check the email settings through those providers.

there may be some tussel b/w ms and mozilla thunderbird in the background,thats why outlook gives errors with thunderbird, for example the following smtp error https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rfeq9i7bNrUm6SwQfCTleW9ZQIVW-Gu4 how to fix this error. thanks.

I use Thubderbird with my Hotmail (outlook.com) account all the time and have never had that problem. It might have something to do with the SMTP settings on Thunderbird or a problem on Microsoft’s end.

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Port 110: the port of POP3 and email services

Port 110 is traditionally used for the Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3), which is a standard protocol for email retrieval . POP3 allows users to access their email messages from a remote server and download them to their local devices. Port 110 is specifically designated for POP3 communication, allowing clients to connect to the POP3 server and retrieve their email. However, it’s worth noting that nowadays, secure alternatives like POP3 over SSL/TLS (POP3S) on port 995 are more commonly used to ensure encrypted and secure email retrieval.

Table of Contents

How the POP3 communication happens on port 110?

POP3 communication occurs through port 110 . The process involves several steps to retrieve emails from a server. First, a client establishes a TCP connection with the POP3 server on port 110. Once connected, the client provides login credentials for authentication. Upon successful authentication, a session is initialized, allowing the client to interact with the mailbox.

During the session, the client can issue commands to retrieve emails. These commands include requesting a list of available emails, marking emails for deletion, and downloading specific emails. The server maintains transaction updates, such as marking emails as read or deleted, based on the client’s commands. When the client requests to download an email, the server sends the relevant parts of the email over the established connection.

Finally, when the client has finished retrieving emails, it sends a command to close the session and terminate the connection. It’s important to note that communication over port 110 is typically plain text and lacks encryption. To enhance security, it is recommended to use secure alternatives such as POP3S (POP3 over SSL/TLS) on port 995, which encrypts the communication using SSL/TLS protocols, ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of the retrieved emails.

Difference between POP and IMAP ports

Port 110 is associated with the Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3), while the IMAP port typically refers to port 143 , which is used by the Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP). Although both protocols are used for email retrieval, there are several key differences between them in terms of functionality and features.

Firstly, POP3 is primarily focused on downloading emails from the server to the client’s device. It follows a “store-and-forward” model, where emails are typically deleted from the server once downloaded. On the other hand, IMAP provides more advanced email management capabilities. It allows users to manage emails directly on the server, enabling features like folder management, searching, and organizing emails into different folders. IMAP offers a more synchronized approach, where changes made on one device (e.g., marking an email as read) are reflected across all devices connected to the same IMAP account.

Secondly, POP3 is a simple and lightweight protocol that downloads entire emails to the client . Once downloaded, the client manages the emails locally. In contrast, IMAP keeps the emails on the server and provides a more interactive experience. With IMAP, clients can access email headers, download specific parts of emails, and synchronize changes between the server and client.

Another difference lies in their handling of email attachments. POP3 downloads the entire email, including attachments, to the client’s device. In contrast, IMAP allows clients to selectively download attachments or view them on the server without actually downloading them. This feature is particularly useful for devices with limited storage or when accessing emails from multiple devices.

Lastly, the security aspect also differs. Both POP3 and IMAP can operate over secure connections using SSL/TLS encryption. The secure versions are known as POP3S (POP3 over SSL/TLS) and IMAPS (IMAP over SSL/TLS), which use ports 995 and 993, respectively. However, it’s worth noting that POP3, by default, usually downloads emails to the client, making them vulnerable if the client device is compromised. IMAP, with its server-centric approach, allows for better control and security since the emails remain on the server and can be accessed securely from multiple devices.

In summary, while both POP3 and IMAP are email retrieval protocols, they differ in functionality and features. POP3 is focused on downloading emails to the client’s device, while IMAP offers more advanced email management capabilities with server-side synchronization. IMAP allows for selective email access, attachment handling, and better security through server-centric control. Understanding the differences between these protocols can help users choose the one that best suits their email management needs.

POP3 vs POP3S ports

The main difference between POP3 and POP3S lies in the security aspect of the communication. POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) is a standard email retrieval protocol that operates over port 110. It transfers email messages from the server to the client in plain text, which means the communication is not encrypted. This lack of encryption raises concerns about the confidentiality of the transmitted data, as it can potentially be intercepted and read by unauthorized individuals.

On the other hand, POP3S (POP3 over SSL/TLS) addresses the security vulnerabilities of POP3 by introducing encryption. POP3S operates over port 995 and utilizes SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) protocols to encrypt the communication between the client and the server. This encryption ensures that the data exchanged during the retrieval process, including login credentials and email content, is protected from eavesdropping and tampering. POP3S provides a secure and encrypted channel for retrieving emails, enhancing the privacy and security of the communication.

To establish a POP3S connection, the client must initiate a secure SSL/TLS handshake with the server, which involves verifying the server’s digital certificate and establishing an encrypted session. Once the secure connection is established, the client can proceed with the usual POP3 commands and retrieve emails over the encrypted channel. The use of POP3S is recommended when accessing email services over untrusted networks or when the privacy and security of the email retrieval process are of utmost importance.

Port 110 and SSL

By default, port 110 is not associated with SSL/TLS encryption in the context of the Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3). The standard POP3 protocol operates over port 110 and uses plain text communication, which means the data transmitted between the client and the server is not encrypted.

However, it’s worth noting that there is an extension to the POP3 protocol called STLS (STARTTLS) that allows for opportunistic encryption . The STLS extension enables a plain text POP3 session to be upgraded to an encrypted session using SSL/TLS encryption. When the client issues the STLS command, the server responds by initiating a secure SSL/TLS handshake, establishing an encrypted channel for the subsequent POP3 communication.

The use of STLS on port 110 effectively enables encryption for POP3 communication, making it similar in functionality to POP3S (POP3 over SSL/TLS) on port 995. However, it’s important to understand that STLS support is not universally implemented or supported by all POP3 servers and clients. Therefore, while it is technically possible to use SSL/TLS encryption with port 110 via the STLS extension, it may not be widely available or supported in practice.

Unlike Port 22 for SSH, Port 110 isn’t frequently used with SSL. For stronger security and broader compatibility, it is generally recommended to use the dedicated port 995 for POP3S, which ensures an encrypted connection from the start without relying on the STLS extension.

What are TCP/IP ports?

A TCP/IP port is a unique numerical identifier used to differentiate specific network services or applications running on a device within a TCP/IP network. In TCP/IP communication, data is divided into packets, and each packet contains both source and destination port numbers. Port numbers range from 0 to 65535 and are assigned to different services or protocols.

Port numbers can be categorized into three ranges: well-known ports (0-1023), registered ports (1024-49151), and dynamic or private ports (49152-65535). Well-known ports are reserved for commonly used services, such as port 80 for HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and port 443 for HTTPS (HTTP Secure). Registered ports are assigned by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to specific applications or services. Dynamic or private ports are available for temporary or private use by client applications.

The use of port numbers allows network devices to direct incoming data packets to the appropriate application or service running on a device. When a client wants to communicate with a server, it specifies the destination IP address and port number to establish a connection. The server listens for incoming connections on a specific port, and the client’s data packets are routed to that port to ensure they reach the correct service or application on the server.

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Port numbers-FTP, TELNET, HTTP, SMTP, POP3, IMAP, BIOS, SSH, DHCP

This page describes well known port numbers defined in RFC 1700.It mentions Port numbers for FTP, TELNET, HTTP, SMTP, POP3, IMAP, BIOS, SSH, DHCP used in TCP, UDP and IP protocols.

Port Numbers : The end point of a logical connection is known as port. It is a 16 bit size number ranging from 0 to 65536. The port numbers from 0 to 1024 are known as well known ports and are used for specialized services or privileged services. For example as mentioned in the table below port 80 is used for HTTP while ftp port number is 21 etc.

Table of Port numbers used for FTP, TELNET, HTTP, SMTP, POP3, IMAP, BIOS, SSH, DHCP protocols

Port numbers are pre-assigned by IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority). They are specified in RFC 1700. Following table mentions port numbers for FTP, TELNET, HTTP, SMTP, POP3, IMAP, BIOS, SSH, DHCP protocols. These protocols are used in TCP or UDP connections in computer networks.

Networking related links

Basics of OSI and TCPIP layers ARP Request and ARP Response TCP IP packet format Networking Gateway What is Router What is an IP address network switch network bridge Hub and Types of Hub What is MAC address

What is Difference between

hub Vs switch   circuit switching Vs packet switching   firewall Vs router   HDLC Vs PPP   IGRP Vs EIGRP   router Vs bridge   switch Vs router   WLAN Vs Ethernet LAN   LAN vs WAN vs MAN  

RF and Wireless Terminologies