ABSTRACT

This project is about developing a web based mail

client connecting to a Linux Server running a Mail
Server and with Tomcat as the Web Server.

The Project has the following main functionality

1.Receiving/Sending/organizing mails using POP3
2.Sending mail using send mail
3. Performing Admin functions like managing new
user, resetting passwords etc.

The key feature of the project is its capability of

accessing mails from other mailing servers like
Rediffmail, Gmail, yahoo etc. In a nutshell, this
system will act as a single window-multiple mail
accounts access platform.

Physical Structure

WEB BASED MAIL CLIENT Page 1

The major components of the physical structure
are client systems, mail servers, and the Internet.
A client system can be a personal computer,
laptop, or personal digital assistant. The client
system must have a POP3 client capable of
communicating with an SMTP service for sending
mail and a POP3 service for receiving mail. The
typical client configuration includes a setting for
the SMTP server and the POP3 server, either as IP
addresses or as resolvable host names.

WEB BASED MAIL CLIENT Page 2

EXISTING SYSTEM

What Is a Mail Server and What Does It Do?

A mail server is a computer that moves and stores mail over
networks and across the Internet.In order for a computer to
become a mail server, the computer must have “mail server”
software loaded on it. A mail server can send, receive or both
send and receive mail.

In order to send mail, the mail server software uses SMTP, or

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.

Here is how SMTP works:

• The mail client, which is the software used to compose the e-

mail (like Outlook
Express), will send the mail to the mail server that is configured
in the mail client software package. The mail server’s address
can be found under the SMTP server configuration.

• The SMTP server will analyze the “To”, “CC”, and “BCC”
addresses to determine which server or servers the e-mail is
supposed to go.

• Finally, the SMTP server will send the e-mail to the

destination mail server or servers.

Because of the latest trend of “spam” (unwanted e-mail), some

SMTP servers are
WEB BASED MAIL CLIENT Page 3
becoming more sophisticated. Some SMTP servers are
analyzing the “From” address to make sure that the e-mail
address is a legitimate address for that domain before sending
the e-mail.

In order to receive mail, the mail server software will use either
POP3 - Post Office Protocol 3, or IMAP - Internet Message
Access Protocol.

Here is how POP3 works:

• The POP3 server will receive the e-mail from an SMTP

server.

• The POP3 server will analyze the “To”, “CC”, and “BCC”
addresses to determine where it is supposed to go.

• The POP3 server will send the mail to the “inbox” for that
address (if the e-mail address is a legitimate address for that
domain). If the address is not a legitimate address for that
domain, the POP3 server will send an error message back to the
SMTP server.

• When the user opens his/her mail client (like Outlook

Express), the software package will check the POP3 server for
new mail. The mail server’s address can be found under the
POP3 server configuration.

IMAP is a newer protocol used for receiving e-mail, and a

number of mail server software packages are using this protocol
rather than POP3 to receive mail.
WEB BASED MAIL CLIENT Page 4
POP3 ARCHITECTURE

WEB BASED MAIL CLIENT Page 5

E-MAIL DELIVERY USING POP3

In the figure POP3 E-mail Delivery, e-mail is sent to

someone@example.com.

1. The e-mail is submitted for the user

someone@example.com.
2. The SMTP service resolves the e-mail domain, example.com,
to a mail server on the Internet, mailserver1.example.com.

WEB BASED MAIL CLIENT Page 6

 3. E-mail is routed to the example.com domain where it is
received by the SMTP service on mailserver1.example.com.
4. The SMTP service places the e-mail in the Queue folder on
the destination mail server. The delivery service is notified of
new e-mail for the domain example.com.
5. The delivery service moves e-mail to the recipients mailbox,
P3_someone.mbx, in the mail store.
6. The user checks for e-mail by connecting to the mailbox for
someone@example.com. The POP3 service verifies the
credentials for the user and then either accepts or denies the
connection.
7. If the user authenticates successfully, the e-mail is
downloaded to the user’s computer.

WEB BASED MAIL CLIENT Page 7

PROPOSED SYSTEM

Barring a few exceptions, everyone gets their mail in one of

three ways: using Webmail, using IMAP on an e-mail client, or
using POP3 on an e-mail client.

“Webmail” refers to these: Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail,

Rediffmail and more. In this method, you log on to a Web site
with your username and password, and you’re taken to a page
where you can click on links to read your mail.

A mail program refers to these: Outlook Express (it’s installed

on all non-Vista Windows computers), Outlook (which comes
with Microsoft Office), Thunderbird (which was developed by
the same group that made Firefox), and others. These are
programs dedicated to the sending and receiving of mail; they
are not browsers.
There are two main “ways” you can use a mail program—
IMAP and POP3.

With the advent of free E-mail services it is commonplace for

every Internet user to have multiple email accounts. If a user
uses a mail program like Outlook Express or Thunderbird then
accessing mails from multiple accounts is not such a big deal.

WEB BASED MAIL CLIENT Page 8

But accessing multiple mail accounts while on the Web requires
the same number of Windows or Tabs to be open as the number
of mail accounts.

Hence our project aims at easing the process of accessing mails

from multiple mail accounts by providing a “single window”
where in a user can access all his mails no matter on which mail
server his mails are stored in.

Along with all the feature that a Mail-Client usually have for
instance receiving mail,sending mail,managing Inbox and other
folders,address book etc,our proposed system includes the key
feature of “Single Window” as explained above.

MAIL STORE

WEB BASED MAIL CLIENT Page 9

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

PC with 2 GB HDD and 256/512 MB RAM (This

machine will host the Web Server as well the Mail
Server)

SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS AND TOOLS

1.OS- Windows or Linux
2.SERVER- Apache Tomcat or Sun GlassFish
3.BROWSER- Chrome or Safari
4.ENVIRONMENT- JDK 1.6
5.IDE- NetBeans or Eclipse
6.GUI- Dreamweaver
7.LANGUAGES- HTML,JAVA(JSP,APPLETS)
8.DB- MYSQL or ORACLE

WEB BASED MAIL CLIENT Page 10

REFERENCES
1.JAVA Complete Reference
2.J2EE Tutorial
3.RED Book by IBM
4.java.sun.com
5.JSP by O’Reilly
6.Technet.microsoft.com

WEB BASED MAIL CLIENT Page 11