Alias what's it mean and why you use it instead of redirect?

[#1]

I've created an email address and redirected the mail to my main PlusNet account, but rather than the TYPE being 'redirect' it is alias.

What difference does it make being an 'alias' type, what's its purpose?

[#2]

In effect very little. Aliases stay local but Redirects can go anywhere.

[#3]

Thanks for the reply.

When you say local you mean another plusnet account and redirect can forward to an email account with any other provider?

Aliases doesn't mean being able to send an email with the address of the sender concealed? 

[#4 · Accepted solution]

Thanks for getting in touch @christmas

Effectively an alias would redirect to a mailbox you've already created under your account

A redirect would go to whatever address you specify

[#5]

No, an alias is associated with a mailbox in the •same• account. A redirect can go anywhere, including another Plusnet account (because you have to specify what comes after @).
Unfortunately (for some) aliases do not allow the sender name to be concealed.

[#6]

One can use anonymiser services to provide this capability. These are sometimes called temporary addresses which work for a while (eg to receive a validation message), then expire.

[#7]

Hi @christmas 

Think of alias as another name for the same thing.  Say you have a mail address of Christmas@ then the following might be alternative (alias) names for the same mailbox...

• Xmas
• Chrimbo
• Noel
• Yuletide
• Yule
• Santa

Some email clients allow the use of alternative identities on a given mailbox.  The round cube webmail client certainly allows that.  Outlook 2016 does as well, but it will identify the email as (for example) From Christmas@ sent on behalf of Santa@

[#8]

PS the use of sending aliases is usually quite distance from creating aliases for receiving email.

For example with round cube you can create no end of aliases (identities) for sending (that client really does send as alias@) without needing to configure the alias name on the mailbox using mail manager. This can be very useful when used with the catchall mailbox. It allows you to use different email addresses with different parties (especially companies) - should one such party abuse / leak your email address, it becomes a simple task to redirect that alias to the black hole. It is a highly effective method of planning to manage spam and abuse of your email service.