Q: I currently use one of those free Web email services, Hotmail, and I have a private POP email account. I was wondering if there are any free POP3 email services out there?

-- John from Edison, New Jersey

A: At some free email sites, including Hotmail, you can access up to four POP mail accounts (as long as your POP server isn't behind a corporate firewall).

POP3 doesn't require a special mail server, so you can access your POP3 mail through a Web browser.

POP stands for post office protocol, a widely used protocol for sending email across the Internet. POP3 is a newer version that doesn't require a special SMTP (simple mail transfer protocol) server, so you can access your POP3 mail through a Web browser. If your current POP mail provider doesn't use POP3, you might be out of luck. Check with your service provider's tech support.

But what if you only want a POP mail account and not Web-based email that requires you to have a browser and an Internet connection? Juno doesn't require an Internet account; all you need is a computer with a modem so you can dial in.

Companies that provide free email services include Hotmail, Excite, Yahoo!, Juno, Email Today, and ZDNet.