IMAP - Internet Message Access Protocol

IMAP is a method of access electronic mail (email) on your email server. Unlike POP3 mail where you actually pull the email off the email server, IMAP the email is read and stored in your folders and can be left on the mail server.

You can use a personal computer at home, at the office, a laptop, i-phones and a many other "portable" devices to access your email and leave it on the web server without transferring it off the mail server.

You can use most any mail client to access your email using IMAP, like Outlook, Outlook Express, Vista Windows Mail, Thunderbird and others. Web based IMAP software more commonly called Webmail can access the IMAP server using a computer or portable device connected to the internet and a web browser. Some of the most popular Web based IAMAP software is Horde, SquirrelMail, RoundCube.