Not sure if you're saying use a client or use webmail here? I never use webmail itself unless I have no choice (which I always have a choice lol). I always setup my email addresses in a client software and when I send from them they come from my domain for whatever site I have it setup for which is domain specific. Or did I not understand your comment right? lol

Well, an email client is anything that facilitates the use of a web based mail system. So, outlook for example is an email client for me because it facilitates my webmail.

ah ok then I just misunderstood what you meant is all. I couldn't tell because the first two sentences said basically it was a good idea to use an email client, and the last sentence said to use webmail lol. I'm soooo confused!

Outlook, Windows Live, and (as Dave mentioned) Thunderbird are the three email clients I'm familiar with. From what I understand, the potential problem with Windows Live and Outlook is that they only work with hotmail and msn accounts. Windows Live will work with Yahoo and Gmail as long as you have a "paid" account rather than a free one. I'm not sure which ones Thunderbird works with because I've never used it.

But I've never heard of Wikmail, Jo Ann. Do you have to purchase that or is it free? And does it work with the webmail services of any webhost? Also, is its interface anything like Outlook or Windows Live? I've only used Outlook and Outlook Express (which is now defunct), and I was thinking of finding out if I could use Windows Live for this purpose because all of my personal email accounts are on hotmail (which Windows Live works with fine), and I wouldn't have to have two different email clients running on my PC. The instructions you provided for using Wikmail are easy enough to understand (thanks for sharing them!), so it's good to know I have at least one option that will work if Windows Live (or Outlook) won't.

And Dave, thanks for your list of suggestions, too! I don't understand everything on your list (like htaccess, cgi, sql, and php), but I am aware of the domain issue. I purchased my domains thru 1&1, so I intended to use a different webhost so I wouldn't put my domains at risk if I encounter problems with the webhost down the road.

Tom

If you haven't looked at Google Apps, it's a great free alternative. It's basically the Gmail service but allows you to use your own domain name. I don't personally like the webmail offerings by most hosting services (Squirrelmail, Horde, etc). Thankfully Gmail/Google Apps allows IMAP & POP w/o charging for a pro/plus package. Also, there's a Google Sync app to sync the Google/Gmail calendar with Outlook. I don't know of a sync option for contacts, although you can do manual export/imports.

Another big point for me, push e-mail and sync (calendar & contacts) with your smartphone:
http://www.google.com/mobile/sync/

You have a few misconceptions there Tom. Almost any email client "software" will work with just about any email address you setup in them. Windows Live I have not used, but I'm sure it's the same as most for that part, Outlook works with any email client as well as I'm pretty sure Thunderbird also as does Wikmail and Incredimail.

The only exception to any of this is if the email is based on a webmail account that doesn't allow POP3 type mail with free accounts. This would include Yahoo which doesn't allow it, but doesn't include Hotmail aka Windows Live as they have opted to allow free accounts to access POP3 mail now. Gmail also allows you to use email clients to check it as well as many other webmails including most all of your internet providers.



Wikmail is an email client just like the rest, but it just has more flexibility email development and some really fun image tools. It has built in applications such as Scheduling, ToDo list, and stuff like that just like most do. It's skinnable (on the paid version, not sure if it is on the free one). Check it out if you want to, you can see what it's like as it has a free version and a paid version.
http://www.wikmail.com

Hope that helped and answered your questions

Jo Ann, I'm sure I do have some misconceptions because so much has changed in the email software/client world the last few years that I had to do some research to refresh my memory regarding what I was trying to explain about Windows Live. For example, Windows Live was intended to replace Outlook in XP and Vista (where it's named Windows Mail instead). Then there's Windows Live Hotmail (the new, improved Hotmail now has a new name that is very similar to the email software known as "Windows Live"). Windows Live (the software) will not only work with Windows Live Hotmail accounts but also Gmail accounts and Yahoo Mail Plus. But, as you pointed out, it will not work with the free Yahoo Mail.

Now, the one thing that still isn't clear to me is whether Windows Live, Outlook, Thunderbird or any other email software (Wikmail) would send and retrieve emails automatically without having to manually check and download any new mail received and without having to manually transfer outgoing mail to the webhost server? Is that what the POP3 feature does? And would the "sent from" address include the domain name that is associated with the webhost account (as in info@mydomain.com)?

It seems from what Eric said that a webmail account is necessary to have incoming and outgoing mail referencing your domain name email address, but that you don't need to use the webmail software to read, send, and receive email because you can use any email software (like Outlook).

Also, Google Apps (Adam's suggestion) seems like a way to get around having to use the webhost's webmail service and a way to avoid having to move all my email files if I ever change webhosts down the road.

Tom

Yes to most of what you said hehe,

You can use the clients for almost any email account, and you set it up (yes the POP3 means it's accessing the actual account online with the ID & PW as well as the incoming and outgoing settings which are usually provided by your email account company. Then you decide if you want the emails to stay on the webserver or not (usually not a good idea since they will end up piling up in your inbox forever that way lol) which I usually tell it not to leave them on the server when I download them to the client.

When you set these email addresses up you also setup the outgoing server information in the client also, this allows you to send directly from those addresses also. What you'll then have is usually a drop down menu of email addresses to choose from (if you have multiple ones in the client that is) and you tell it which one to send from and away you go!

Having a webmail account depends on if it "is" a webmail account or includes webmail setup or not. What I mean by this is, we all know how Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail are all webmail accounts right? Well your ISP might give you email (today it's almost all got webmail of course), but years ago there was no webmail for a lot of internet providers, you set it up in a client and that was it. Today most include webmail also so you can do it either way your own preference is. Having said that, when you have a hosting package you almost always have a webmail system built into it so you can do email that way, but you can also find the settings in your cpanel emails (usually there is a link on your email accounts listing to get your email client settings) and then set it up in a client program.

Email is then sent automatically "from" your server if you set it up to do so, and it's also incoming from your server as if you were checking it on the webmail. What it won't do is archive your sent list because your email program is doing that for you. There may be settings on the webmail that will do this, but I haven't checked since I don't really ever use the webmail part of any of my emails. Gmail "does" archive all your incoming emails for you though if you tell it to do so.

Just tell the server not to keep them on the server when you check it and you're all set to go. Hope that helps and let me know if not

This is my first post here and figured I might as well do a little self promoting. I offer web hosting and support with a personal touch, ie: I do it all myself. Ask and you shall receive. In other words I help every customer myself, not support from a another country who wants to get you out of there project list.

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Any and all feedback is welcome and needed.

Thanks

Nice use of CoffeeCup software! I have a few comments regarding corrections, so I'll probably send an e-mail to the admin@ address if that goes to you. Integrating the WHMCS can be a hassle, but you did pretty well overall. The only catch I had noticed was once going to the Cart, I didn't see any links to return to the site other than to hit the browser's back button. Of course, ideally the "checkout" button would be the only way out. j/k