Sending email from a foreign address is known as forging headers, which puts your email (and SMTP server) at high risk of being flagged as a SPAM or Open-Relay server. This is a big no-no. SMTP Authentication helps prove that you are sending the email through an SMTP server that can authenticate you, which results in less SPAM being sent.
As far as sending large attachments, how large? SMTP servers can control how large of an attachment it will allow. This is to keep things flowing so the server/network is not bogged down. If you are trying to email large files, consider FTP instead of email.
William Eaton, MCSE
iTech Computer Solutions, LLC
www.itechcs.com