How to Use SMTP Relay for Remote Email Access

Setting Up An SMTP Remote Relay

When you use an email account that is associated with an Internet Service Provider (ISP), outgoing messages must pass through an SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) server, which sends the messages across the Internet to their recipients. This works fine when your computer is directly connected to the ISP that provides the SMTP server.

However, to prevent misuse, most ISPs will not allow your computer to connect to their SMTP servers if you are not directly connected to their network. An SMTP relay is an SMTP server that does not require your computer to be connected to a particular network in order to send email.

Instructions

1. Set up an account with an SMTP relay service. Record the SMTP settings they provide as you will need to configure your email program to use them.

2. Launch your email program and navigate to the options or settings page where you configure email accounts. In Outlook 2007, for example, you would click "Tools," then "Account Settings" to open the Account Settings dialog box.

3. Select the option to modify or change the email account that needs remote access. For Outlook 2007, you would click the "E-mail" tab, then select the account, then click the "Change" button to open the "Change E-mail Account" dialog box.

4. Record the SMTP settings that the account uses now. You will need these if you decide to stop using the SMTP relay service.

5. Replace the existing SMTP settings with those provided by the SMTP relay service. This will cause the email account to send all outgoing messages through the relay service's SMTP servers, rather than the ISP's servers.

6. Repeat the process for each email account that needs an SMTP relay.

Tips & Warnings

• Web-based email accounts like Gmail or Hotmail use SMTP servers that allow access from anywhere, so do not need to be modified to use the SMTP relay service.

• If you close your account with an SMTP relay service, you will no longer be able to send email messages from accounts connected to that service. Be sure to switch all affected email accounts back to the ISP's SMTP servers or to another SMTP relay service before closing your current account.

References

• SMTP2Go: How It Works