What is SMTP Authentication and why does PagePlop use it?
SMTP is the acronym for "Simple Mail Transfer Protocol", which is the standard that defines how email is sent (RFCs 821 & 822). AUTH is short for "Authentication", as in usernames and passwords. In practice, SMTP AUTH means that email users must be authenticated in order to send mail through an email server, and is a recently adopted feature of mail servers in response to the plethora of spam sent through open relay servers (where anyone, authenticated or not, can send email through a server). Many email providers, including PagePlop, now refuse to connect to other email servers that are open relays (whether the "relay" has actually been used to send spam). Therefore, PagePlop has closed the relay in our servers in order to continue to deliver your email in a timely and reliable manner. By closing the relay, you must simply authenticate (send your username and password) not only when you receive email, but also when you send email. Most current version of email applications support SMTP Authentication. See our tutorials for more information about how to configure SMTP Authentication in your email application: Email Configuration Tutorials
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