Re: [COMP] Email and ISP's

>I am changing ISP's and for a short time have two to play with.  I
>noticed that I can fetch mail from ISP # 1 while being connected
>through ISP # 2.  This surprised me as I thought you had to connect
>directly to an ISP in order to get your mail there.  I guess my
>question is, how is this possible, since ISP # 1 never checks for a
>login id or password?
>
>Thanks,
>Kurt

The basic answer to how this is possible is that every function of 
everything on the internet has an IP address. You know that long series of 
numbers that every server on the internet has. Well when you enter the name 
of a email server to say a pop mail server that name is translated into a IP 
address. From there a dns server(either the ISP's server or an internet 
router servers for this) sends your request to the server of the pop mail 
account. Basicly your ISP's server has very few ways of telling the 
difference between someone connected to them by slip and someone connecting 
to them through their T-1 or whatever they have.

That you can connect without a password means that ISP needs to do a better 
job of setting up their server and that not a issue I care to discuse.

Kevin

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