Which of the following well-known ports do you use to configure outgoing mail on a POP3 email client?
A. 110
B. 25
C. 143
D. 80
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is B. 25.
Explanation: When configuring a POP3 email client, the port used for outgoing mail is associated with the SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), not POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3). SMTP is responsible for sending emails, whereas POP3 is used to retrieve emails from a server.
Here’s a breakdown of the ports in the options provided:
- Port 110 (POP3): This port is used for incoming mail retrieval via the POP3 protocol. It allows the email client to download emails from the mail server. However, it is not used for sending emails.
- Port 25 (SMTP): Port 25 is traditionally used for outgoing mail via SMTP. SMTP is the protocol responsible for sending emails from the client to the mail server or between mail servers. Despite being the traditional port for SMTP, port 25 is often blocked by internet service providers (ISPs) and email services due to its frequent use for spam and malicious activities. Nowadays, alternate SMTP ports like 587 and 465 are preferred for sending mail securely.
- Port 143 (IMAP): Port 143 is used by the IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol), which is another method of retrieving emails from a server, similar to POP3. IMAP is more modern than POP3 and allows the client to manage emails directly on the server, which is useful for users who need access to their mail from multiple devices. It is not used for outgoing mail.
- Port 80 (HTTP): Port 80 is used for HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), the protocol used to browse the web. It has nothing to do with email communication, whether for incoming or outgoing mail.
Thus, for configuring outgoing mail on a POP3 email client, you would use SMTP on Port 25, or more commonly on ports 587 or 465 for better security.