Usually, when we contract an internet connection, the provider provides us with one or more accounts to receive messages (which are accessed through POP3 or IMAP) and an SMTP server that we must use to send ours. What, then, is the purpose of installing another SMTP server on our computer?
Have an alternative in case the SMTP server of our provider is down or does not work properly.
To be able to send emails from accounts that do not belong to our provider (frequently, your SMTP server does not allow it).
Write and send messages from webmail accounts from our email client, without using a browser.
Avoid limitations on the size of attachments (the only limit will be the capacity of the recipient's mailbox).
Our email client ( Outlook, Thunderbird, Eudora, etc.) sends the outgoing message to the SMTP server of our provider that we have configured in the properties of that same client. It locates the SMTP server of the recipient of the message and sends it over the Internet. This second SMTP deposits it in the client's mailbox (the POP3 or IMAP server, which is normally on the same computer) waiting for it to check the mail and download it to its computer, also using a mail client.
Using our SMTP server, the process would be as follows:
In the same way, our email client would send the message to the configured STMP server, but in this case, it would not leave our computer since we would have it installed right there (Outlook does not care whether it is inside or outside). The SMTP would search for its "peer" from the destination address and the rest of the process would be equivalent.
Making an analogy with real mail, it is normal for all the letters we send to go through the nearest post office in our town. However, if one day it happens that it is not open (local party, strike, etc.), we can always drive to the recipient's city office and deliver the letter there. The latter would be the equivalent of using our SMTP server. The advantage of email is that both forms would have the same economic cost to us (zero, in the case of flat rates).
An SMTP server works just like any other Windows background service. After installing and configuring it properly, we can forget about it, since it will start with the operating system and we will always have it available to send mail. There are two SMTP servers that we are going to configure in this tutorial: Argosoft Mail Server and XMail.
The first stands out for its friendliness and ease of use; Its main problem lies in the limitations of its free version: we will not be able to send attachments larger than five megabytes with it. With XMail We will not have any limit other than the size of the recipient's mailbox, but its configuration requires a little more work and only works in the NT, 2000, XP, or 2003 versions of Windows (and later). Both programs are free.
Read more to know about best list of free SMTP service in 2021.
