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Ohio State University logo Office of Information Technology Technology Support Center (8help)

Webmail vs. POP vs. IMAP



Your OSU Internet e-mail can be accessed using three different methods/protocols. Below is a brief overview on these different options. For information on using one of these methods, see Instructions for Checking your OSU E-mail.


OSU Webmail

OSU Webmail is the quickest and most common method of checking your OSU Internet e-mail. Using OSU Webmail you can access your e-mail from any computer connected to the Internet, using any web browser. You can send and receive e-mail, sort mail into different folders, and store address/contact information. You can also use Webmail to configure an auto-reply ("vacation message"). Webmail is ideal for use on shared/public computers, such as the OIT Student Computer Centers. Webmail is a simple interface, with fewer configuration options and advanced features then most mail clients. Webmail also has a built-in timeout after 30 minutes of inactivity. Activity is defined as clicking on links or buttons on the webmail page. Typing text in a new message does not count as activity. Thus, if composing a message that may take more than 30 minutes to enter, it is best to use a word processor and then paste the text of the message into the message field. All mail stored in any folder of OSU Webmail (including the Sent and Trash folders) counts against your mail storage limit.


POP

POP (Post Office Protocol), or POP3, uses a mail program ("client") such as Eudora, Thunderbird, Outlook Express, or others, to download all your mail from the server and store it on your local computer. It can be configured to remove the mail from the server at the same time it's downloaded, or to temporarily leave a copy there for later access using OSU Webmail or another mail client. Once mail has been downloaded, it can be accessed from your e-mail client at any time, even if your computer is not currently connected to the Internet. Mail saved to your local computer using a mail client and POP does not count against your mail storage limit UNLESS a copy of that message is left on the server. This allows for long-term storage/archiving of sent and received e-mail. As POP stores downloaded mail onto the local computer, it works best for people checking mail from a single computer all the time.


IMAP

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) uses a mail program like POP, but instead of downloading mail from the server and storing it locally, mail remains stored on the server until you remove it, and can be organized into folders that remain on the server as well. IMAP can track which messages have been read, forwarded, replied-to, deleted, and moved to different folders, so that when checking your mail using IMAP on a different computer, message status and organization remains consistent. IMAP works well when checking your e-mail from multiple yet consistent locations, such as at home, in the office, and using a laptop while traveling. Mail stored on the server (in any folder) using IMAP does count against your mail storage limit. IMAP clients can also have local folders, where you can save mail to your local computer for archival or later access. Like POP, however, these local folders are only accessible from the specific computer on which they are created.


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Current Record: 3521

Create Date: 09-28-2007
Last Reviewed: 08-10-2009
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