What is SMTP and who is it suitable for?
SMTP ( Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is an alternative to the normal POP3 mail delivery system. It’s better suited to businesses that handle email for a number of users who need separate mailboxes.
We don’t recommend using SMTP unless you have some knowledge of how it works. Although our Support Team are unable to provide help on using SMTP, you may find the best source of help is on our newsgroups:
plus.net.service.customer-feedback newsgroups
Get a static IP for your account or mail server
- Go to Connection Settings in the Member Centre and activate your static IP. If you don't have the option to activate this, you may need to upgrade your account.
Update mail delivery settings - default mail delivery
- Works with your email email address - forename@username.plus.com
- Doesn't automatically apply to your domains.
To setup your default email address for SMTP delivery, click Email Settings on the right hand menu of the Member centre.
- Click on 'Manage My Mail'.
- On the Manage My Mail page, click on the SMTP tab.
- You will need to provide
your Static IP. You can check this in the My Connection Settings section, by clicking on Static IP. - When you have typed in your Static IP address, click Submit.
Your mail delivery will be updated in a few hours. Once complete you won't be able to receive emails using the normal method, using Outlook Express or a similar email program. You will need to run a mail server. For support with running mail servers, please contact your software supplier.
Update mail delivery settings - Domain email delivery
- Works with a hosted domain, using the email address - anything@yourdomain.co.uk
- Doesn't automatically apply to your default mail address.
- Each hosted domain has separate mail delivery settings.
To setup SMTP to work with one of your domains, click the configure button under My Domains on the right hand menu of the Member Centre.
Then select the Mail Delivery method as "other" and then set up additional mail records for each domain using the "configure DNS records" button.
Remember to alter the delivery method back to POP3 if you decide you no longer require SMTP mail.
You will need to set up DNS records so that mail is directed to your server.
1. Click on the 'Configure DNS Records' button at the bottom of your Domains setup page.
There are 4 fields that need to be filled in and the details that need to be entered depend upon where mail should go:
(a) To deliver all mail to a mail server:
| Left | Type | Pri | Right |
|---|---|---|---|
somedomain.co.uk | MX | 5 | mail.domain.extension. |
This will get all mail to @somedomain.co.uk delivered to mail.domain.extension.
Note: the full-stop at the end of the address in the Right box - it is required.
(b) To deliver mail from a specific subdomain to a mail server:
| Left | Type | Pri | Right |
|---|---|---|---|
joebloggs.somedomain.co.uk | MX | 5 | mail.domain.extension. |
Note: the trailing dot that is required after 'mail.domain.extension'
You will then need to set up the "A" records to say what address the mail server is on, e.g.
| Left | Type | Pri | Right |
|---|---|---|---|
joebloggs | A | 5 | static IP or your server IP |
Static IP is your account's IP on dial-up, or server IP on broadband.
Note there is NO trailing dot on the A record address. Without the dot, the rest of the domain name is automatically appended to the record, so if you provide the full name it must be fully qualified with a dot at the end.
i.e. joebloggs.somedomain.co.uk.
The Pri (Priority) field determines in which order mail hosts are tried - the lower the number, the higher the priority. (These need to be lower than 10).
Set up the mail client
Mail will be delivered directly to the IP address of your mail server or your dial-up static IP, if the machine with that IP is online when our mail servers try to deliver mail for that domain or subdomain.
If your mail server is offline, the email will be queued externally and will be delivered to your server when it is back online. This may not happen immediately, depending on the 'polling frequency' of the external mail server which is queuing the mail.
Note: ETRN and AUTOTRN are not supported.