How does Email work?

Email Client:
This is the email program you use to write and then send emails. Examples include Outlook, Eudora and Thunderbird

Domain name:
This is the bit after ‘@’ in an email address. For example if I am sending an email to name@mydomain.ie , the domain name is mydomain.ie

IP address:
An Internet Protocol (IP) address is the unique address (number) associated with the computer where the email is being sent. It's a bit like a telephone number for a computer. An IP address consists of 4 groups of numbers, separated by dots e.g. 192.168.244.21

Domain Name Server:
This is a computer which translates a domain name into an IP address

POP Server:
This is the computer (or server) where your emails are stored until downloaded by Outlook Express.

SMTP Server:
This is the name of the computer (or server) through which your emails are sent out onto the Internet. Sometimes your email is sent through a number of SMTP servers before reaching its final destination.