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Gmail IMAP/POP ?

Why are there two different servers for incoming and outgoing mail ? Like IMAP: incoming-->imap.gmail.com outgoing-->smtp.gmail.com POP: incoming-->pop.gmail.com outgoing-->smtp.gmail.com Why can't we have just one server which will do both ?

Public Comments

1. There are not usually two different servers but instead two different services. Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is used to transfer mail from the originator through one or more email servers to the destination SERVER. IMAP/POP are protocols that allow for the management of messages between an email client such as outlook or thunderbird and the users designated email server. Big email providers such as google may use different servers for the different services but smaller providers will implement the services on the same server.