What is incoming mail server for webmail

In the context of webmail, the incoming mail server, also known as the POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) or IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) server, is the server that receives and stores incoming emails on behalf of the user.

When you set up your webmail account, you need to provide the incoming mail server settings, which typically include:

  1. Server name or hostname: The domain name or hostname of the incoming mail server, such as mail.example.com or imap.gmail.com.
  2. Port number: The port number used to connect to the incoming mail server, such as 995 for POP3 or 993 for IMAP.
  3. Username: Your webmail account username, which is usually your email address.
  4. Password: Your webmail account password.

The incoming mail server plays a crucial role in the email delivery process:

  1. When you send an email to someone, the email is sent to the recipient's outgoing mail server, which then forwards it to the recipient's incoming mail server.
  2. The incoming mail server receives the email and stores it in the recipient's email account.
  3. When you check your email using your webmail client, the incoming mail server retrieves the emails from your account and sends them to your webmail client for viewing.

Common incoming mail server settings for popular webmail services:

Remember to check your webmail service's documentation or settings page for the correct incoming mail server settings, as they may vary.