How to use SMTP with your webhosting service

Each hosting account comes with an SMTP server, which can be used to send mail. This server requires SMTP authentication - below are instructions for enabling this.

Ensure that your Outgoing Mail (SMTP) server is set to hostingaccountname.dns-systems.net before continuing (where hostingaccountname is the username given at the top of your welcome letter).

enabling SMTP authentication in Thunderbird

1. Open Thunderbird
2. Click Tools.. Accounts Settings..
3. Click "Outgoing Server (SMTP)"
4. Tick the box Use name and password
5. enter your POP3 username (the username you use to receive mail)
6. click OK

enabling SMTP authentication in Outlook Express

1. Open Outlook Express
2. Click Tools.. Accounts..
3. Click the Mail tab
4. Select your mail account, then click Properties
5. Click the Servers tab
6. Tick the box My server requires authentication
7. click OK, OK

enabling SMTP authentication in Outlook 2003

1. Open Outlook 2003
2. Click Tools.. Email Accounts..
3. Click "View or change existing e-mail accounts", then click "Next"
4. click the "More Settings" button
5. click the "Outgoing Server" tab
6. Tick the box My Outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication
7. select "Use same settings as my incoming mail server"
8. click Next, then click Finish

enabling SMTP authentication in Apple Mail

1. Open Mail
2. Click the Mail menu, then click Preferences
3. go to the "Accounts" tab
4. ensure the account you wish to configure is selected
5. click the Server Settings button
6. enter the SMTP server address (eg. hostingaccountname.dns-systems.net)
7. click the Authentication menu, then click Password
8. enter your POP3 username and password
9. click OK, then close the Preferences box

enabling SMTP authentication on an iPad

1. from the main menu screen, select Settings
2. tap the Mail, Contacts, Calendars icon
3. select the account to change
4. in the Outgoing Mail Server box, tap SMTP
5. tap Add Server
6. in the Hostname box, enter the SMTP server address (eg. hostingaccountname.dns-systems.net)
7. enter your POP3 username and password
8. tap Save
9. tap the On button next to your OLD (previous) SMTP server
10. slide the switch to the Off position
11. tap Done

Note: For users of other email clients, try using a setting such as "use same username/password as my POP3 account" (in your account's SMTP authentication settings box).

Note: If you're using your hosting account to send mail (recommended), the port should be 465, except if you're not using SSL/TLS, in which case it should be 587.

See also:

• How-to: add an email account to your webhosting service
• How-to: use POP3S, IMAPS and SMTPS with your webhosting service
• How-to: troubleshoot a mailbox