How do I find my SMTP relays?

If you're using an Exchange or other SMTP server with Outlook clients, you'll have a problem if you need to use Gmail as your mail provider (for example). For this reason, many organizations will install their own SMTP relay server that forwards all of its users' emails to Gmail's servers so they don't lose them when sending messages. This article explains how to configure such a setup.

While there are several ways to accomplish this task (including setting up your own virtual machine), we recommend installing MailEnable. You can download it from here. Once downloaded, run it. Click "Next" until you get to the point where you select which type of installation you want – either standard edition or enterprise edition. Then click "Install".

Once installed, go back into the program by clicking "Start", then double click "MailEnable Administrator Console". When prompted, enter your admin username and password. You should now be at the main screen where you'll see options like "Setup new server group", "List current groups", etc., but you won't see any option to add a new server, nor any indication of what kind of server you've configured. So let's take a look at those two things first...

How do I change my SMTP relay?

There are three different types of configuration settings available in MailEnable: user accounts, domains, and servers. To start configuring our newly created server, navigate to Servers > Add New Server Group. In the window that appears, give your server a name and hit Enter. The next step involves adding one account per domain that needs to send via the SMTP relay. Here again, just follow the prompts and fill out each field with information about the specific account.

When finished, press OK and wait while the changes are made. Now, we'll add a second server. Go to Servers & Groups and choose Properties under the name of your server group. Hit Edit Settings for this group, and scroll down to the Accounts tab. Select Manage Domains and check off each domain that sends mails through this server. Again, once done, click Save Changes. After doing so, you'll notice that your list has changed and includes both new and old domains! That means that your server works properly.

Now, let's connect some accounts to this server. Back in the Main Menu, select Users, then Add User Account. Give your account a unique ID number and a display name, then specify the mail address that it should receive mails from. Finally, check the box indicating whether the account is enabled or disabled. Press OK after filling everything in, then save changes. Repeat these steps for every account that should send mails through your new server.

In addition to enabling/disabling various accounts, you may also wish to modify certain properties. To do this, simply change the values within the appropriate fields. However, please note that modifying these parameters invalidates previous configurations, meaning that you'll need to re-add all existing accounts before proceeding further.

How do I find my SMTP relay in Windows Server?

The easiest way to locate your SMTP relay server is by looking at the IP Address of your server. Just head over to Command Prompt (or PowerShell) and input ipconfig /all. Note that you might not always see the SMTP relay listed among the results. It depends on whether you've turned the feature on or off during setup. But if you did turn it on, the output should include something like this:

0c:1a::2b:3c:4d:5e:6f:70:71:72:73:74:75:76:77:78

You can copy and paste this string to a text file and search for the word "SMTP" in order to locate the server. If you'd rather search directly from the command line, try typing netstat -anp | grep :587.

Where is SMTP Relay Windows Server?

As mentioned earlier, you can easily identify SMTP relay servers by checking their IP addresses. If you're unsure though, you can search online for the exact value of the IP address. Try searching for "[IP] SMTP" or "[IP]:[PORT]" depending on your operating system.

For instance, if you were trying to find the IP address of an SMTP relay running on port 25, you could do so by entering [IP]:25 into your browser. Or if you wanted to quickly determine the IP address of the SMTP relay running on port 443 instead, you would just enter [IP]:443. Of course, replacing [IP] with the actual IP address of your server. And finally, if you knew only part of the IP address, you could try entering "[IP].[DOT].COM":[PORT], e.g. "[IP].[DOT].COM":25.

Finally, you can also perform a DNS lookup. Type nslookup [domainname], followed by enter, into your terminal (where [domainname] is replaced with your desired domain, e.g. google.com ). Then, press Enter. On the following page, you should see a list of nameservers associated with your domain. Scroll down until you reach the NS records section, and you should see the IP address of the SMTP relay located somewhere near the bottom.

How do I find my SMTP relay?

Assuming you know the IP address of your SMTP relay server, you can then proceed to figure out the correct port number by opening your web browser and going to [IP]:[PORT]. Alternatively, you can also try to ping the server itself by executing ping [IP].

A third method is to use your favorite search engine to search for the IP address of your SMTP relay. The best ones are probably Google and Bing, since they provide extensive coverage worldwide. Simply enter "[IP] SMTP" or "[IP]:[PORT]" into the respective search bar and hit Search.

Alternatively, you can also open your preferred FTP client and browse to ftp://[IP]/.

After finding the right port number, you can proceed to test whether the connection is successful by attempting to log onto the server using telnet. Open cmd.exe and execute telnet [IP]:[PORT], then hit Enter. Your connection attempt should succeed without issue.

That's all for today! We hope this helped clear up any confusion regarding SMTP relay setups. If you ever encounter problems with your SMTP relay, feel free to leave us a comment below.

1. How to Set Up a Relay Server with Gmail

Google offers two types of free services -- Apps and Domains. The Apps offer only limited features but are free while the domains require payment.

Apps - You can create apps in App Engine which means that the Apps domain is really just a web app. It doesn’t include any kind of storage space and it has limitations like no custom error pages and only one request per second.

Domains - A Domain allows you to host multiple websites under the same account. As far as mail goes, there are three options available from Google:

Mail Forwarding - Allows you to forward incoming emails to a specific address on a different domain.

Email Notifications - Sends automated notifications whenever new emails arrive at either your inbox or a specified folder.

Spam Protection - Blocks spam by analyzing your recipient list against known spammers. The feature requires payment.

For our purposes here, we'll be setting up a simple mail forwarding service where all of our employees' emails get forwarded to Gmail's servers. First, let's make sure we have all the required tools installed:

Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 - All versions supported

Gmail [Broken URL Removed] - Free accounts only

DNS Tool - A DNS tool must be used to update the local IP addresses for each computer since the Internet Service Provider can change these settings anytime without notifying us.

Port 25 Mail Transfer Agent - We want to open port 25 to allow external access to our mail server even though most companies block outgoing connections on port 25 due to security concerns.

Microsoft.NET Framework 3.5 SP1 & 2 - Required for ASP.NET Web Services (ASMX) and ActiveX controls

IIS 6.0+ - To run the ASP.NET application

Your company might use Gmail as its main mail provider if it is hosted by Google, but what about when you need an alternative? For instance, there are times when a client needs to send emails from their own domain to other domains. This could be something like sending out newsletters, or using a third party API that requires authentication.

If you have a business with multiple clients where this would make sense, then setting up an internal SMTP server is essential. You will also want to know which ports you should use so people don't get blocked by your ISP's firewall (or they won't block them).

This article explains how you can use Google's SMTP Relay to provide external access to your company's internal email system. It covers both the setup process of the Google server itself along with some troubleshooting tips.

Note that while we're discussing Google here, many of these steps apply equally well to any SMTP server with similar functionality (such as SendGrid) except where otherwise noted. Additionally, most of our discussion focuses on connecting via the web interface rather than command line tools such as telnet.

How do I find my SMTP port on Windows Server?

In order to configure Google SMTP Relay properly, you must first determine your outgoing SMTP port number. To check, go into Control Panel " Programs & Features " View installed programs and select Mail under the heading Program Location. Clicking on the program will display all versions available to install. Scroll down until you see one called Microsoft Exchange Server 2010/2013 - ESE  and click Next. Select Install now and follow the prompts.

After installing the software, return to Control Panel again and choose Add New Applet. In the search box type Port Scanner and press Enter. A window opens showing several options including Netstat -anp TCP. Choose Start scanning Ports. The scan takes less than 30 seconds and displays results. On the left side, right below the Status column, you'll notice two entries. One says Local Address 0.0.0.0 and the other says Service Name Microsoft Exchange. These are your current IP address and the incoming SMTP port respectively. Note that depending on your network configuration, you may not necessarily have a fixed IP address.

Now that you've determined your SMTP port numbers, let's move onto configuring the Google SMTP Relay.

Does Google allow SMTP relay?

Google has long offered a way to forward messages to one of its dedicated servers, allowing you to receive emails directly at your preferred destination without having to rely solely on the services of Google Apps. Unfortunately, this feature isn't currently supported on non-G Suite accounts.

However, Google does offer SMTP relay for Office 365 Business plans and higher. So even though you aren't technically allowed to use it, you still might be able to circumvent the restriction if you're willing to pay.

The easiest option is simply to sign up for a G Suite plan, since the free version already offers SMTP relay. However, if you'd prefer to stick with the free tier, you can try signing up for a trial account. After activating it and logging in, head over to the Admin section and view the settings page for your account. Under the Email tab, look for the Allow forwarding button. Once enabled, you can continue with the next step.

To enable SMTP relay, scroll down to the bottom of the page and locate the Enable SMTP Relay button. Press it and you'll be asked whether you wish to accept the terms of service. Agree and you'll be ready to proceed. Now log back into your regular account and visit the Settings page. Find Forwarded Emails and toggle the switch off. That's it! Your forwarded emails will now appear in your inbox.

Is Google SMTP relay free?

No, unfortunately. While it costs nothing to create a new G Suite account, you'll have to cough up $5 per month to keep the service active. There is no word yet on whether or not this fee will increase once more features are added.

Does Google support SMTP?

Yes, although only for users who subscribe to the paid tiers of the various products. As mentioned above, the free version doesn't include SMTP relay. But if you're okay paying the small yearly fee, you can activate this feature.

Google supports three different ways to connect to its SMTP servers:

Using POP3 instead of IMAP4

Sending emails directly from Outlook 2007 / 2010 / 2013 / 2016 / 2019

Connecting to Gmail via OAuth 2.0

First, you'll need to obtain authorization code and tokens for each method. Then you'll either enter those credentials manually or generate them automatically with a tool such as Authy.

Next, download and run the Google SMTP Connector application. When prompted, input your username, password, and application ID. At this point, you should be good to go. Just remember to turn on your SMTP relay before testing anything else. Otherwise, your recipient may never receive your message.

Once everything works correctly, you can test your connection by clicking Open SMTP Relay link within the app. From there, you can add recipients and send email messages just as you normally would.

For extra security, you can disable remote login entirely. Go to Tools " Options " Security Center and uncheck Enable Remote Login. You can then access the SMTP Relay app remotely by visiting https://smtp-relay.google.com/u/1/connectors/[app_id]/.

Lastly, note that unlike the standard Gmail app, the Google SMTP Connector cannot be used to send attachments. Instead, you'll have to use the built-in Attachments function found in the compose menu.

And finally, keep in mind that the above instructions were written based on the assumption that you're running Windows 8.1 or later. They haven't been tested on earlier operating systems.

1. What is an SMTP relay and why would one need it?

The Internet has many different types of devices connected to it, including computers, mobile phones, smartwatches, cars, robots, drones, etc. The majority of these devices have built in internet connectivity.

When a device connects to the internet, it sends data across different networks to reach the intended destination. There are several ways this happens, such as via cellular signals, Wi-Fi, cable connections, satellite communications, radio waves, etc. Most of these methods require some sort of IP address to route traffic towards the desired location.

There are two primary components required for routing traffic over the internet – a Domain Name System (DNS) and an Internet Protocol Address (IP). A DNS is used to translate human readable names into numerical IP addresses which are unique to each computer. An IP address is assigned to every networked device so they know how to communicate with each other.

Each time a new connection is established between two machines, both parties must agree upon a method to exchange information. This process is called "handshaking". It involves exchanging various pieces of information to establish communication between them. One of these pieces of information is the IP address. Each machine will receive an IP address before being able to connect to any remote host.

A common way to handle handshaking is to use port 80. Port 80 refers to the protocol used to transfer HTTP requests and responses between web browsers and websites. Since most companies have their own website, they also assign an IP address to their own webpage, meaning all incoming traffic goes through port 80.

"Port" is short for "Protocol", i.e. the standard method of transferring data. The term "HTTP" stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol, while HTTPS means Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure.

This allows us to access a URL without needing to type https:// instead of just http://. However, since we already mentioned port 80, let's take a look at how SMTP works under the hood!

Email is one of the most used services around today. It's also one of the least secure ways to communicate with people outside your own company network. That's because when it comes to securing a connection between two computers, there are many layers involved that come together at different points along the way.

Let’s take a look at what those steps are. First off, we need an internet protocol (IP) address. An IP address is like a street number – but instead of being assigned by someone like a city council, they're given out by large companies like Comcast or Time Warner Cable. These companies assign each customer their own unique IP address which allows them to connect directly to other customers via the Internet. Once connected, these connections allow communication using TCP/IP protocols such as FTP and HTTP. In addition to providing direct access to the Internet, all of this infrastructure has been built over decades so even if you were able to hack into the system, it would be difficult to gain control of every single computer connected to the Internet.

The second layer involves encryption. When data is sent from point A to B, both parties will encrypt it before sending it across the wire. The only person who knows the key needed to decrypt the message is the recipient. This ensures that no unauthorized third party can intercept messages in transit. However, once the message reaches its destination, it must still be decrypted before being read. Nowadays, the majority of our communications use SSL/TLS encryption to protect information in transit. While not perfect, SSL/TLS encryption provides enough security to prevent anyone else from seeing sensitive information while passing it along.

But that doesn't mean email itself isn't vulnerable. Email was originally designed to be unencrypted. Messages could travel freely back and forth without any kind of protection. But now, everyone understands that emails contain valuable personal information about us and should be treated accordingly. As a result, almost all modern email clients provide some level of protection against eavesdropping, spoofing, and tampering.

However, none of this matters unless the sender and receiver have established a connection first. And since email is often transmitted over public networks like the web, there may be times where an attacker can get onto the same shared network as the intended recipient. To combat this problem, SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.

When you setup Outlook 2016, 2019, 2021, 2022, or 2023, you'll notice a new section under Tools > E-Mail Options called “Send mail as...”. There you select "Use a relay server" followed by either "Sender Defined Relay Address", "Google Apps SMTP Server", "Outlook Anywhere Server", or "Microsoft Exchange". You then enter the details for your own internal SMTP server.

If you decide to go with Gmail as your SMTP provider, you simply follow the instructions below to configure your account.

How do I find my SMTP relay settings?

Before doing anything else, make sure you've already added your Gmail account as a POP3 client. Otherwise, nothing will work!

To add your Gmail account as a POP3 client, click Settings in the top right corner of Outlook and choose Accounts > Add Account. Then, type in your primary email address and password, press Next, accept the terms of service, and wait until Outlook connects to the IMAP folder. Your inbox should appear within Outlook just like normal.

Now, let's start configuring SMTP. Click Start < New e-mail window. Select Use a pop3 or imap mail account, and check the box next to Enable SMTP. Enter your Gmail username and password again, and choose OK.

Next, scroll down to Advanced tab, then click Connected Servers and double-click the SMTP option. Under Senders, click Find an existing server… and search for your domain name. This will bring up a list of options including the default MX record (usually smtp.yourdomainname.com).

Enter your desired values for Host Name, Port Number, Username, Password, and Encryption Type (SSL / TLS), then hit Apply Changes. After clicking Close, Outlook will automatically reconnect to your mailbox.

Once everything looks good, you can test things out by sending yourself a simple text file using File > Send < Message. Note: Sending an attachment requires having a valid MIME certificate.

You might notice your SMTP server shows as Not Configured. Even though you configured it during the initial setup wizard, Outlook needs to be restarted before changes become effective. Restart Outlook and try again.

Finally, here's something important to note: Since you're connecting to your Gmail account as part of your SMTP configuration process, you don't actually need your Outlook installed locally anymore. So long as you keep your Gmail login credentials handy, you can continue using any compatible email tool. For example, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, etc.

How do I find my SMTP relay server?

In order to receive spam, attackers need to know exactly where to deliver their malicious payload. Luckily, the best place to hide is close to home – usually somewhere local. Most spammers will attempt to route their attacks through your ISP's servers, which means they want to avoid routing traffic through the rest of the world.

This makes the task of finding the real IP address of your SMTP relay server much easier than trying to locate the actual location of your corporate network. Just run a traceroute to see how far away your SMTP server is located. Here's what a sample output looks like:

As you can see, the closest SMTP relay server is in San Francisco, California. Now that we know where it is geographically speaking, we can narrow down our search based upon time zone. We'd expect to see a lot more activity coming from the eastern half of North America (with the exception of Canada). So, let's pick a random SMTP server in Canada and see where that ends up too.

Here's the results:

While we could certainly spend hours analyzing these results, there's really only one conclusion worth drawing. The SMTP relay server appears to be hosted by Rackspace Cloud in Vancouver BC. This gives us plenty of evidence to confirm that our original assumption was correct.

Since we know the exact physical location of the SMTP relay server, we can finally begin looking into why it hasn't shut down yet. Perhaps its owner has fallen asleep at his desk? Or maybe he took a vacation and forgot to turn it off properly? Whatever the reason, we can safely say that the SMTP relay server in question has probably received hundreds or thousands of requests per day, making it virtually impossible to stop working entirely.

How do I open SMTP settings?

By default, Windows 10 includes the ability to change your SMTP settings using Group Policy. Simply head to Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Configuration > Policies > Administrative Templates > Network & Dialup. From here, navigate to System Services & Maintenance > Turn On Smtp Service and change the value to Enabled.

However, if you prefer to utilize PowerShell commands, you can easily create a script and schedule it to run daily. All you need to do is download the Get-SmtpServer commandlet from GitHub and execute it as follows:

Get-Command -Name '*Smtp' | Where {$_.ScriptBlock} | %{Invoke-Expression $_.Scriptblock}

For more detailed instructions regarding setting up your SMTP server, visit How to Set Up SMTP Using PowerShell.

How do I find my SMTP port for my email?

Your SMTP port depends heavily upon your particular situation, but the general rule of thumb is that you shouldn't leave it empty. By leaving it blank, you effectively force users to manually specify a port number whenever they send an email. This opens them up to potential hacks and exploits.

Instead, always enter in a specific port number. One common practice is to use 25, 465, or 587. Keep in mind that these three ports require authentication, whereas 80 does not. Therefore, you should only consider using these ports if you absolutely cannot access your external IP address directly.

Additionally, there are several tools available online that help you determine the proper SMTP port. Two popular ones include Telnet and Netcat, although neither works very well. Instead, you should stick with OpenVPN. This software suite enables you to tunnel incoming requests through your VPN connection. With this method, your SMTP requests pass through a virtual private network rather than directly accessing the internet. This protects your SMTP connection from hackers and prevents others from snooping on your connection.