My Techno-Saga Continues: Please help re email setup

[MizzCindy]

Hello everyone,

I'm busy setting up my first WordPress blog on my hosted domain and I have to say that taking action is both exhilarating and a bit scary. I am reminded constantly how much I don't know. It's been very humbling.

My host is Hostgator. Could someone answer a couple quick questions or point me toward the answers re setting up email with them? I've done some research, but it's a bit like learning a foreign language - with no prior exposure! Ack! I'm a little lost...

My choices seem to be POP mail vs. web mail. It looks like POP mail gets downloaded to individual PCs and is not stored on the mail server while web mail is accessed and stored on the web server. Is that correct?

Why would I use one type over the other? What should I be thinking about here? Is there an extra cost associated with setting up mail that I'm not aware of? Any benefits of one over the other or downsides?

I must not know the right search terms to use because I'm not coming up with too much guidance when I google.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Cindy

P.S. Many thanks to Jeremy Kelsall and Jason Johns for their assistance with my blog setup. And to all the other folks who offered their services. You guys rock! I will make a point to pay your generosity forward.

[CSwrite]

Hi Cindy,

There shouldn't be any additional cost to set up an email. How many were included with your website package?

Ok - onto the next one: Pop vs Web

Pop email is perfect if you have only one computer and don't need to access your email from anywhere but home. You would basically set up your Outlook Express, or whatever email client you are using to pick up your mail for you.

Web mail is ideal for those that use more than one computer, like to be able to share files in between, etc... or for those that do a lot of traveling. Hotmail and Gmail are great examples of how web mail works.

So, I guess it's down to just figuring out what works for you.

To set it up, you'll need to pick the email address you want, ie: yourname@yoururl.com and choose a password. Pick which type of mail you want. If it's pop, they will give you instructions on how to set up your email client to get your mail. If it's webmail, you'll be given a url to access it. Typically, you'd just enter in your email address and password, and then you'll go right to your inbox.

Hope this helps!
Cary

[Craig Desorcy]

Here's how I handle this stuff.

I create an email address for the site. Then I use the email forwarding
system in cpanel (I use host gator) to point any email to my gmail account.

This way, gmail cleans most of the spam and my email program can download emails from them.

I have loads of folders for each account in outlook so when the emails come in from gmail, they go to their own folders using "custom rules."

Here are the steps...

1. Login to Cpanel

2. Click on mail

3. Click on Add/Remove/manage Accounts
Choose add an email. Give it a password but it's not important to remember.

4. Go back to "Mail Manager Main Menu.

5. Click on "Forwarders"

6. Add your gmail account.


Craig

[MizzCindy]

Thanks, Cary, for your reply. Reallly good info here!

I don't know how many/much (???) email is included with my hosting package. I have a baby croc account with Hostgator and I see that I have unlimited domains and a certain amount of storage space available, etc., but I don't see any mention of email accounts. I could just be missing it, though.

Are you saying that I can choose between pop or web mail based on my own needs and it won't affect visitors to my site? (Sorry if that's a stupid question.)

Craig - you are the technical-man! Always ready with great responses. I see you use Hostgator as well. Did you even have to specify POP or web mail when setting up your account(s)?

I thought I saw in their tutorial for forwarding mail that it had to be a POP account? I could be making that up, too. ;-)


Thanks to you both for helping me with this. I appreciate it!
Cindy

[CSwrite]

No prob, Cindy

Nope, your choice won't have any effect on your visitors at all. It's not a stupid question at all - just shows you care about your visitors and that is nice!

Looked at the HostGator plan you have and it looks like you have unlimited email addresses, so you don't have to worry about paying anything extra.

If you need anything else, just holler!

Cary