Explaining email POP3/SMTP/IMAP etc

[stlewis]

Maybe you too have been trying to understand or explain how email flows between addresses, hosting and Outlook.

See the attached XD file.

I think I have the Hotmail setup right - it is the one I am working with, and the traditional POP3/SMTP architecture on page 3 should be ok. Is the Gmail one on page 2 correct? Does an Android, iPhone or a Blackberry work the same way? I guess another picture for Microsoft Exchange is needed too.

The problem with the architecture on page three is that outgoing emails never get brought back to a single point - if you send an email from a webmail page, it never comes into Outlook. The only option is to copy emails back to yourself. And you have to be careful with deleted emails - if you delete in webmail, the deleted email never goes to the Outlook deleted items folder.

Feel free to play with the file! Any advice welcome.

Thanks.