Previously I discussed the various email protocols which support the sending and receiving of emails. One those protocols is the Post Office Protocol version3 (POP3) protocol. In this article I will discuss some of the potential POP errors you may receive when using POP3 clients, such as Microsoft Outlook, and email servers such as Microsoft Exchange.

Remember that the Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) allows email client software such as Outlook and Outlook Express to retrieve email from a remote server.  The Outlook client accesses only its own server inbox and cannot access other inboxes on the server nor can it read public or private folders also on the server. POP3 is not intended to provide full manipulation of e-mail on the server.

Email messages are usually downloaded and then deleted from the server. But there is an option to leave temporary copies of the emails on the server and have them removed after a certain amount of time has expired. Once the emails are downloaded the user can take actions against those messages without needing to be connected to the server. After syncing back up with the server, email can then be sent using Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). The email server functions like a U.S. Post Office. It is a temporary storage area until email reaches its final destination – another POP3 client.

Continue reading Revisiting the Email Protocols – Part 2