SMTP, which is short for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, is the software that permits you to send out e-mails from your email addresses. Without this, you will not be able to employ email applications or webmail. Once you send an email, your SMTP server creates a connection to a DNS server to discover where the e-mails for the recipient domain are handled. Following that, it creates a connection to the remote email server and exchanges information. In case the recipient mailbox is accessible, your server sends the e-mail to the receiving POP/IMAP server and the latter delivers that message to the precise mailbox where the recipient can find it. If you want to be able to send emails, you should always make certain that the web hosting company provides the service with their plans. Even though you work with an online form that website visitors use to get hold of you, you still need an active SMTP server for your hosting account for the web form to function.