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How to configure the SMTP server?



How to configure the SMTP server?


You have heard that email is a killer application, but its true power lies beyond sending and receiving messages. If you are using Gmail or Microsoft Office 365 for business purposes, then it would be good if you can send an email from your own domain name. Let’s see how to set up your mail server settings so that when someone sends you an email at gmail dot com they get sent back to them at their original address.

In this article, we will show you how to set up your SMTP configuration on Gmail, Hotmail/Outlook, Yahoo Mail, iCloud, Google Apps, Zoho Mail, etc., so that people can use your full email addresses (i.e. "yourusername@gmail") instead of having to type out long @domain names like noreply@gmx-hosting.com. We'll also cover some tips about security.

How do I enable SMTP in Gmail?

Enabling SMTP service means enabling access to port 25 via TLS encryption from any IP Address on internet. This method works best for most domains except those who block ports other than 80 by default. You need not worry much as there are plenty of free DNS services available which will allow you to forward all incoming requests to specific port number where your SMTP resides. Also, many popular web hosting providers offer SMTP services too. Here's what you should check before setting up your smtp servers:

Your first step must be to check whether your provider allows remote connections over TCP Port 25. Most of the companies provide instructions on how to enable such features after signing into your account. For instance, here is what you may encounter while trying to log into one of my favorite cloud hosts - Rackspace Hosting:

If you don't want to contact tech support every time you run into issues, try these two websites which list down various common problems faced by users along with solutions:

1. WhatThePort.net

2. CheckMyMail.org

Once you know whether your company supports SMTP, move onto next steps. To make sure that you've got everything working properly, test your new settings by issuing telnet commands manually. In case you face errors doing so, follow these simple guidelines provided by CloudFlare:

Open Command Prompt as admin user

Type “telnet [IP ADDRESS] 25″ without quotes

Hit Enter key

Try to login to your inbox

When you successfully logged in, type “quit” followed by enter

Check if you were able to receive a response message stating connection successful

Note: Make sure to replace the IP address mentioned above with actual public IP address assigned to your system. It could differ based upon your location.

Now that you're confident enough with your testing results, go ahead and create virtual host entries within your /etc/hosts file for each of your desired email accounts. Each entry will look something similar to below:

127.0.0.1 localhost

127.0.0.1 example_email_address.info

127.0.0.1 mx3.googlemail.com

127.0.0.1 outlook.live.com

Then, open command prompt as administrator and type ipconfig. The output should contain IPv4 Address field with four sets of numbers separated by dots. Find the first section which starts with 169. Now change it to 127.0.0.1. Restart computer and you should now be able to access your email through browser. However, keep in mind that you won't always get success immediately. Sometimes it takes a few minutes for changes to take effect.

Here is another quick tip if you ever experience problem logging into your Gmail account:

Go to Control Panel & Internet Options & Advanced Settings & Connections tab. Look under Connection Security header. Click LAN Settings button and select Custom level... Change authentication methods dropdown menu to either Simple or SSL. Then click OK. Reboot PC again and your issue should be resolved.

How do I enable SMTP Authentication in Outlook?

SMTP protocol has been around since 1977. Since then, hundreds of millions of emails have been sent daily across the world. As technology evolved, additional protocols have come into existence—such as POP3, IMAP, POP3S. These newer protocols came with additional requirements and thus became more complex to implement. Fortunately, modern software developers found ways to simplify things even further by introducing less complicated alternatives.

For instance, Windows Live Mail introduced SPF record during 2005, Sender Policy Framework was developed in 2006, DomainKeys Identified Email was made available in 2007, DKIM was launched in 2008, and DMARC was introduced in 2013. All major email clients today include built-in mechanisms to secure our outgoing communications. So let's explore how to add SMTP authentication to Outlook.

To begin with, you need to perform certain basic checks to ensure that your network infrastructure meets minimum standards required by your ISP. Otherwise, no matter how strong your password is, a hacker might still gain unauthorized access.

Next, head over to Control Panel " Small Business Center " Update Your System Software. Select Updates Available Automatically option. And finally launch Outlook 2016. Navigate to Tools " Accounts " Account Settings. Scroll down until you reach Message Format heading. From there, switch Enable Secure Socket Layer(SSL) radio toggle to On.

As soon as you hit Save Changes, Outlook will start installing necessary updates. Once installation is complete, restart your computer. After reboot, open Outlook and navigate to File " Info " Trust Center " View Additional Information. Switch Encryption Required for Non-Microsoft Products to Yes. Finally, close window and restart computer once more.

It might take anywhere between 20 seconds and several hours depending on your machine’s processing speed.



How do I connect to SMTP server?

There are multiple approaches to connecting to SMTP server. While older versions used Telnet command line interface, nowadays you can choose from graphical applications like Thunderbird, Evolution Mail, Apple Mail, Mailspring, Postbox Express, Sylpheed, Claws Mail, IceDove, Eudora, Roundcube, Horde, SquirrelMail, SeaMonkey, and many others.

Most of the programs listed above have native feature allowing you to manage multiple email accounts simultaneously. Therefore, it does not really matter which approach you prefer. Just pick one program according to your personal preference and stick with it throughout.

Also note that most of the aforementioned tools require.PEM certificate files (.crt/.cer). They usually come preinstalled with Open Source edition of operating systems like Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and later. Other platforms like Mac OS X 10.10 onwards ship with.PKCS12 bundle containing private keys and certificates signed by Certificate Authority (CA).

However, Linux users often complain that.CRT extension leads to compatibility issues. Thus, it's better to export certificates directly from browsers' security page.

How to configure the Gmail SMTP server?

Gmail provides three types of delivery options: standard, priority, and sensitive. Standard mode is suitable for non-sensitive content like newsletters, promotional offers, order confirmations, event invitations, feedback forms, etc. Priority deliveries are intended for urgent communications such as notifications, reminders, alerts, and ticket submissions. Sensitive mode is reserved for highly confidential materials such as financial statements, legal documents, credit card transactions, medical records, etc.

Let us assume that you want to enable priority mode for your website. Here is what you have to do:

Navigate to General Tab located right beneath Compose box. Choose Delivery Method dropdown menu and select Priority. Type in recipient email address and press Send.

Since the process requires confirmation code, it might take a bit longer compared to normal delivery. Go to Preferences > Spam and spam filters. Under Junk Filters header, double-check mark Delete Messages matching following conditions. Append condition Start-Secure validation=yes.

Finally, scroll down to Deliverability column. Set Quality Score threshold to 99%. Hit Save Changes. That's it!

Do remember that changing quality score level could lead to temporary interruption of service. Hence, adjust it accordingly.

What happens if you accidentally delete critical entries from junk filter? Don't fret! Simply repeat previous procedure described earlier. But instead of selecting Delete Messages matching following conditions, append Condition Start-Secure validation=no.

And lastly, don't forget to activate automatic replies. Head over to Settings " Forwarded Emails " Automatic Replies. Select Create template for automatically generated responses. Next, specify preferred language and save changes.

Have questions about your particular situation? Feel free to ask away in comments section below.

If there's one thing that everyone who uses Gmail can agree on, it’s that sending an email is never easy—especially if you have a lot of attachments or large files in your message.

Thankfully, Google has made things easier for us by simplifying how we access our mailboxes. However, this also means that when setting up your account, you need to make sure everything else works just right before moving onto more important tasks like adding contacts and calendars. This includes making sure your email settings are properly configured so they match what you want to use them for. Here’s how to set up your SMTP details.

Why does SMTP not work?

Before getting started configuring your SMTP settings, let’s first discuss why some people might be having issues using their SMTP servers. There could be various reasons from incorrect port numbers, missing TLS certificates, etc., but these may all cause problems while trying to get your messages out through your SMTP server. You should check both your IP address as well as ports to see whether any changes were made since you last used them. If needed, you can even change your router passcode to ensure no unauthorized users gain access to your network.

Also, make sure to double-check your internet service provider (ISP) password because sometimes ISPs block certain services such as SMTP due to abuse concerns. Although most providers allow you to whitelist particular domains, if you don't know where to start here then try contacting them directly about your issue. As long as you follow proper security practices, however, there shouldn't be anything wrong with your ISP.

Now that you've checked over all possible causes, let’s look at different solutions for fixing your SMTP configuration.

How do I fix my SMTP connection?

You can easily test your SMTP settings by opening a new tab in Chrome and typing “mailto:test@gmail.com" into the URL bar. Your browser will show you options for composing a new message. Clicking Send lets you open the default compose window inside Gmail. From here, you'll be able to choose between other popular email clients including Outlook, Yahoo Mail, iCloud, etc.

However, if you're looking to send larger attachments via email, you should take advantage of Google Drive’s attachment sizes capabilities. By downloading the extension from the Chrome Web Store, attaching files saved to Google Drive automatically becomes much smaller than normal. Furthermore, you'll now have an option under Attachments to upload entire folders instead of individual files. And since you won’t lose quality, doing so ensures your recipients receive high-quality images without sacrificing file size.

Although Google offers its own apps rather than web versions, you still need to set up your SMTP settings within each app. For example, after logging into your iPhone's Settings menu, go to Email " Accounts " Add Account. Then input your name, phone number, email address, username, and password. Afterward, tap Next followed by Verify Password. Once done, head back to the main screen and select More Options next to the newly added account. Tap Continue once again under Connection Preferences and scroll down until you reach Port Configuration. Select Use Default TCP/IP Port Number which is usually 25. Under Protocol, select either POP3 or IMAP4. Finally, enter your full email address (i.e. yourname@domain.com).

Alternatively, if you already created an Apple ID during registration, you can simply log into iTunes and click on Edit next to Music & Podcasts " My Library " Downloaded Content. Then scroll down below Media Types, select All Files, and hit Save Changes. Now repeat steps 1-5 above to add another email account. Unfortunately, Android requires slightly more effort. Since there aren't many third-party alternatives to Apple’s stock Messages app, you must download a special SMS app called Mailswipe [No Longer Available]. Within this app, navigate to Menu " Settings " Connections and select Other accounts. Enter your login credentials for whichever account you wish to create and confirm the same way you did earlier. That said, keep in mind that you can only use two additional email addresses per device.

Once you’ve successfully connected your devices, the rest is pretty straightforward. In addition to checking your inboxes regularly, you can always type smtp://[email]@smtp.[provider].com into your browser to view recent activity.

How do I fix SMTP failed to connect to server?

Sometimes, despite following all necessary guidelines listed previously, you may encounter error codes saying something along the lines of 501 5.0.2 Authentication Required. Thankfully, this problem doesn't affect every single user. Instead, there are three primary causes for this issue. First off, maybe your domain isn’t verified yet. Second, perhaps someone changed your passwords recently. Lastly, it could be that you haven’t enabled two-factor authentication (2FA), which is extremely useful against hackers. To remedy this, visit your 2FA page and enable whatever level of protection best suits your needs.

In case none of those apply, however, you can reset your SMTP settings by going to Menu " Settings " General " Reset " Reset Settings. Or, if you'd prefer, you can contact support regarding your specific situation. But if you decide to continue anyway, try restarting your computer, uninstalling antivirus software, updating system drivers, and reinstalling your operating system. Also, verify your identity by calling the company yourself.

As mentioned before, there are tons of great alternative messaging platforms available today. While you may end up switching away from Gmail entirely, it’s worth noting that you can still use Google’s official tools for personal communications. These include GChat, Hangouts, YouTube Live Chat, Meet, App Engine Voice, etc. Regardless of platform choice, remember to check that no spam filters exist within your chosen client. Notifications can often flag suspicious content, especially if you tend to write lengthy messages, so keep track of your posts accordingly.

Additionally, consider installing smart notifications such as Smart Reply and Snippets to avoid unnecessary clicks. The latter allows you to save prewritten responses to reduce time spent replying to common questions. It’s also helpful to use labels to identify similar types of conversations.

Why are my outgoing emails not being sent?

There are several potential causes for this scenario, ranging from invalid signatures, poor formatting, broken links, etc. Fortunately, troubleshooting this issue isn't too hard provided you keep detailed notes. Before giving up, give the following tips a shot:

Double-check spelling errors by clicking Tools " Spell Checker.

Check grammar with Grammarly.

Try rewriting sentences to improve readability.

Remove extraneous characters and symbols.

Ensure capitalization and punctuation matches expectations.

Reformatting text helps eliminate unwanted spacing.

Avoid abbreviations unless absolutely necessary.

Use short words whenever possible.

Correct misspellings, typos, and improper punctuation.

Consider using spell checkers specifically designed for documents written in English.

Review your website code carefully for errors.

Restart your PC and mobile devices to clear temporary bugs.

It’s also advisable to run diagnostic tests on your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and email applications. Try connecting remotely to your home Wi-Fi with the intention of testing your speed. Afterwards, install a free tool like SpeedTest to measure latency and bandwidth speeds. Alternatively, you can perform a quick online search to determine whether your current ISP supports SMTP. If not, you should probably switch companies.

While performing diagnostics on hardware components, particularly wireless routers and modems, is ideal for identifying potential faults, it’s also essential to update outdated firmware. Otherwise, bad updates could result in serious data loss.

Finally, you can refer to your documentation supplied by the manufacturer to learn more about your respective products. Sometimes manufacturers provide instructions on how to solve technical challenges such as this one.

Hopefully, you found this guide informative enough to fix your SMTP setup. If you ever feel overwhelmed by tech jargon, don't forget that you can ask for assistance from customer service representatives. They typically respond quickly and are happy to assist anyone seeking answers.

The first thing that comes into mind when someone mentions "email," is probably an image of a person clicking on a button and sending it out, right? But there's so much more than meets the eye! Email plays such a vital role in our day-to-day lives because we need to be able to access data from anywhere at any time. So how exactly does this process work? How can you send emails using Gmail or Outlook? Keep reading as we explore everything about email services like Microsoft Office 365 (Outlook), Google Apps for Business (Gmail) and Hotmail/Live Mail (Yahoo).

Email providers use what is called an Internet mail transfer protocol (SMTP) to deliver messages across networks. The network may consist of one computer, but typically includes multiple computers within a company or organization. Your internet service provider uses SMTP servers to route traffic between different locations around the world. In other words, they're responsible for making sure that incoming and outgoing e-mails travel through their system safely.

So if you've ever received an error message saying something along the lines of "Mailer not found" or "Connection reset by peer", then chances are good that the issue lies somewhere in the middle. That means that either your ISP isn't routing your connection properly, or perhaps your own personal settings aren't configured correctly. If you're receiving these kinds of errors, keep reading until the end where we'll show you how to fix them.

Why are my emails failing to send?

This problem has plagued many users over the years. There could be several reasons why your emails fail to go out including:

Your IP address gets blocked due to spam complaints

You have too few credits left before your account expires

There was a glitch affecting all accounts connected to certain ISPs

One of the most common causes of failed email delivery issues is related to your browser security certificate. When you connect to a website, your browser checks whether the site’s SSL certificate is genuine. You should see a green padlock icon next to the URL bar indicating that the page is secure. However, some browsers might block sites which don’t have valid certificates. This would prevent your browser from connecting successfully. To check whether this is happening to you, try visiting another similar site instead of the one you intend to visit. If successful, click on the lock symbol again. You should now see the normal SSL notification.

If your browser still doesn’t recognize the certificate, look into your options. One option is to install additional software, known as a plug-in, onto your PC. Plugins allow websites to interact with programs running on your machine, allowing them to perform functions like accessing your webcam or microphone, playing audio files, displaying video content, etc. Another way to get rid of the error is to disable add-ons entirely or temporarily.

To resolve the issue, open up your web browser's developer menu (F12 key if using Chrome) and select “Network”. Check under the HTTPS header to make sure that TLS 1.2 encryption is enabled. Make sure that the server name matches what appears in your Address Bar. Also, ensure that your DNS hostname shows as the Host Name field. Click Save Changes. Once saved, refresh the page.

How to find the SMTP server of his email?

In order to send an email via Gmail, Yahoo, or any other popular online email service, you must know its SMTP details. These include the following fields:

Domain Name - It refers to the domain name used by the recipient's email provider. For example, @gmail.com indicates a user associated with Google Inc..

Authentication Method - This is essentially the method used by your email client to authenticate itself to the email server. Most modern clients use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology to protect sensitive information during transmission.

Port Number - Port numbers are often followed by a plus sign (+) and a number. An encrypted port ensures that no one else can intercept the communication between your device and the remote server while also preventing spoofing attacks.

Username - Usually, the username represents the login ID assigned to your email account.

Password - Password credentials represent how you log in to your preferred email platform(i.e., Gmail, iCloud, AOL, etc.). They usually differ from the password used to set up your email service.

When using Gmail, here's how you locate those important details:

Click on Settings & Forwarding & POP3 Access. Under Account Options, scroll down to Show Server Information. Now copy and paste the entire line containing the details listed above into the popup window. After copying, press OK to save changes.

Once done, restart your browser. Then, type https://www.google.com into your browser's search bar. From there, hit enter. On the resulting screen, head back to the main page. Select More Tools & Accounts. Scroll down to Manage Addresses & Ports. Copy and paste the new information into the appropriate boxes. Next, select Close [Account] from the dropdown box located below each section. Finally, close the tab by selecting X on the upper-right corner of your screen.

Alternatively, you can find your SMTP server information by going to Preferences " General " Network Connections. Here, you can view detailed info pertaining to your active connections. Look for anything labeled Protocol or Transmission Control Protocol. Right-click on the entry and select Properties. Go to Connection " LAN TCP/IP properties. Find the value labelled Use the Following DNS Servers. Paste the values directly underneath. Lastly, click Apply and Ok.



How to enable SMTP?

Enabling your SMTP requires that you implement two separate steps: configuration and activation. Configuration involves changing your email preferences to accept external requests. Activation simply allows your email provider to identify and verify your identity.

Activating your SMTP only takes a few minutes. It consists of adding a single setting to your existing email profile. Before proceeding further, however, take note that enabling SMTP activates both authentication and authorization methods simultaneously. This means that anyone who gains unauthorized access to your account can modify all subsequent actions. Therefore, it's best to create strong passwords and change your account password regularly.

Here's how you turn off SMTP once activated:

Head to Settings " Security & Login. Within Security, scroll down to Prevent Sign-Ups and click Edit. Remove Authentication Required. Ensure that Allow Less Secure Applications Is Not Set. Change it to No. Confirm your action by hitting Done.

Nowadays, activating SMTP varies depending on the specific email provider. Some require little effort whereas others ask you to complete lengthy verification procedures.

For instance, creating an account on Hotmail/Live Mail entails registering for an Active Directory account. As such, the procedure differs slightly from one email provider to the next.

However, regardless of the differences, follow the same guidelines presented earlier for ease of implementation.

How do I activate SMTP?

Below are three commonly used activation protocols:

TLS: With TLS, your email provider verifies that your request originated from the source IP address and port combination provided in your activation packet. Once verified, your email server sends a response confirming receipt of the packet.

STARTTLS: STARTTLS works similarly to TLS except it automatically encrypts every session initiated between your email provider and yourself. By default, STARTTLS only supports TLS version 1.0. However, newer versions of TLS offer increased security features compared to older ones.

None: Unlike TLS and STPTL, none disables encryption altogether. Instead, None simply transmits unencrypted packets without checking authenticity. Because of this, hackers can easily steal valuable information regarding your private communications. Moreover, if you choose this option, make sure that you update your MX records immediately after disabling it. Otherwise, old entries will remain unresolved.

Most email providers utilize TLS or STARTTLS. TLS and STARTTLS are particularly effective since they provide improved privacy and protection over plain text systems. However, they come with some limitations. First, TLS depends heavily upon a third party, namely your internet service provider (ISP). Without proper setup, your email provider won't receive crucial updates required to maintain security. Second, STARTTLS fails to support international domains. Consequently, you cannot use it to reach emails hosted outside your country. Thirdly, even though TLS offers enhanced safety, it introduces potential delays during transmission. As such, it's advisable to test your email thoroughly beforehand.

Finally, although it sounds complicated, activating SMTP is actually quite easy. Simply start typing smtp into your favorite search engine and hit Enter. Alternatively, you can navigate straight to the relevant link.

Hopefully, you were able to learn enough to avoid future trouble. Remember that having a functional email service is essential if you want people to believe that you're trustworthy. And trustworthiness goes hand-in-hand with professionalism. Thus, always double-check your settings for accuracy prior to submitting documents.

For assistance troubleshooting your email problems, be sure to read our guide detailing how to track down missing attachments.


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San Francisco

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