Guide to Email SMTP

Set up an account with one or two email SMTP providers

Setting up simple mail transfer protocol accounts is a critical first step for using SMTP in any other application such as Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Outlook. It is wise to set up more than one account for important business emails so if one site goes down, you have a backup.

I recommend: Google's Gmail is an excellent service in terms of ease-of-use and the ability to use your Gmail account for many purposes, such as online collaborations for calendars and documents. Yahoo! Mail Plus, which processes email on a more frequent basis than Gmail, also offers SMTP services for a small annual fee.

Configure your SMTP email hosting mailbox preferences and troubleshoot problems

Once you have signed up for your business SMTP account, configure it so it uses both post office protocol (POP) and SMTP emails. POP accounts allow you to download your emails into another program, while SMTP settings allow you to send and receive emails while on the road, regardless of different Internet Protocol settings. If you run into trouble, check your ports.

I recommend: The Princeton tutorial offers general information on the SMTP setup, and also offers tips using telnet to change settings if your port is blocked. Code-Crafters Software Ltd. shows ports settings for SMTP.

Back up your SMTP email services with companies who provide alternate Port SMTP

Getting around ISP limitations and giving yourself a backup for emails is as simple as running your own SMTP server.

I recommend: ChangeIP.com provides businesses with unique IP addresses and SMTP servers. With this service you can run your own SMTP server even if your Port 25 is blocked. You could also consider ManagedMail: Alternate-Port SMTP provided by No-IP.com. With this program you won't have to change SMTP settings when you are traveling and it also enables your emails to go through other servers without a spam block.