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Re: smtp_pass: why is it unneeded?



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On Tuesday, June 24 at 12:20 PM, quoth dv1445@xxxxxxxxx:
>> So... your IMAP server will let you log in without a password?
>
> No, but once I'm reading my mail, an "unset imap_pass" together with 
> "unset smtp_pass" still allows me to send.

Ahh, yeah. Of course, mutt only consults $imap_pass if it needs to 
open a new IMAP connection. Existing connections don't need passwords, 
obviously.

The thing about this type of setup is that it often relies on 
timeouts. As you (the client) change IP addresses, the server doesn't 
want to slowly open itself up to the whole world. So what often 
happens is that your IP is only approved to send mail for a certain 
amount of time (say, 15 minutes) after you log in (this policy makes 
more sense for POP3-before-SMTP, but the same tools are frequently 
used for IMAP-before-SMTP as well). Thus, if you tend to have long 
IMAP sessions (i.e. if you leave mutt open for hours on end), it's 
probably a good idea to use SMTP-AUTH even if your system uses an 
IMAP-before-SMTP approach.

Of course, for really authoritative advice, it's probably best to just 
ask your sysadmin. :)

~Kyle
- -- 
In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question 
mark on the things you have long taken for granted.
                                                    -- Bertrand Russell
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