SMTP, which stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, is the software that permits you to send out emails from your email addresses. Without this, you will not be able to employ e-mail applications or webmail. When you send a message, your SMTP server creates a connection to a DNS server to discover exactly where emails for the recipient domain name are handled. Subsequently, it creates a connection to the remote mail server and trades details. In case the recipient mailbox is available, your server transmits the email to the receiving POP/IMAP server and the latter delivers that email to the specific mailbox in which the recipient can find it. If you would like to be able to send emails, it is recommended to ensure that the hosting company provides the service with their plans. Even though you use an online form that website visitors use to get hold of you, you'll still require an active SMTP server for your hosting account for the web form to work.