What is SMTP Server?
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SMTP, or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, is an application that transfers email all over the network. All in all, it enables computers and servers to exchange data no matter what their underlying hardware or software is. Besides, it standardizes the way email travels from sender to receiver. This way, it tends to make multiple email delivery possible.
Hence, SMTP server is a mail delivery protocol that delivers an email to the email provider’s mail server. However, it used a different protocol to retrieve that email from the mail server. It makes it effortless for the recipient to read it.
Features of SMTP Server
The features of the SMTP Server are as follows:
- Mail Relaying – This server uses ‘relaying mode,’ where email routes from one SMTP server to another to reach its receiver.
- Address Debugging – SMTP constitutes a VRFY (verify) command. Well, it checks the validity of an email address without actually sending mail to it.
- Mail Forwarding – Sometimes, the SMTP server accepts email from a non local mailbox and forwards it to its relevant destination.
- Turning – The original SMTP server consists of a command that enables the send and the receiver to change roles. Although it is not used widely, it is still implemented in some SMTP software.
- Mailing List Expansion – The SMTP server also includes a command called EXPN (Expand). Additionally, it determines the individual email addresses related to a mailing list.
Advantages of SMTP Server
The benefits of an SMTP Server are as follows:
- Reliable – Sometimes, it becomes time consuming to ensure that the email content is error free and gets your message across to the target audience. When the email lands in the junk folder, the entire time incurred is wasted. However, with an SMTP server, you only have to look at the content. The rest is handled by this server.
- Helpful Support – Any doubts related to the SMTP server is looked after by the SMTP server’s expert assistant. They also ensure to provide help until setting up the service. They solve problems that you might encounter in the future.
- Faster – With an SMTP server, you deliver transactional emails faster. It ensures that customers are not left waiting for their passwords or acknowledgements of purchase.
- Prevents Emails From Going To Spam – A spam newsletter or email does not reach the recipient’s account. They discard before opening and go to waste. SMTP server ensures that emails reach the receiver without fail.
We came to the main part of this article blog named how to Setup Windows SMTP Server using Windows SMTP Service.
How to Setup Windows SMTP Server using Windows SMTP Service
Follow this section, to show you how to setup Windows SMTP server using SMTP service.
1 - Install SMTP Service
Step 1 – Open the Windows server manager dashboard as shown below:
Step 2 – Click on add roles and features. You should see the before you begin screen.
Step 3 – Click on the Next button. You should see the select installation type screen.
Step 4 – Select role based and feature based installation and click on the Next button. You should see the select destination server screen.
Step 5 – Choose select a server from the server pool and click on the Next button. You should see the Select server roles screen.
Step 6 – Select Web Server (IIS) role and click on the Next button. You should see the select features screen.
Step 7 – Select SMTP server features and click on the Next button. You should see the web server role screen.
Step 8 – Click on the Next button. You should see select role services screen.
Step 9 – Click on the Next button. You should see the confirm installation screen.
Step 10 – Click on the Install button to start the installation. Wait for sometime to finish the installation. Once the installation has been finished, restart your server to complete the installation.
2 - Configure SMTP Service
After installing the SMTP service, you need to configure it from the IIS manager. Follow the below steps to configure SMTP service.
Step 1 – Open the Server manager => Tools then click on the Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0 Manager. You should see the IIS Manager screen.
Step 2 – Right click on the SMTP Virtual Server. You should see the following screen.
Step 3 – Click on the properties. You should see the following screen.
Step 4 – Select your IP address and click on the Access tab. You should see the following screen.
Step 5 – Click on the Connection. You should see the following screen.
Step 6 – Add your allowed computer IP then click on the OK button. Then, click on the Relay. You should see the following screen.
Step 7 – Add your relay IP and click on the OK. Then, click on the Delivery tab. You should see the following screen.
Step 8 – Provide all required configuration and click on the Advanced button. You should see the following screen.
Step 9 – Define your external domain and click on the OK button to save the configuration.
3 - Configure Windows Firewall
Next, you need to configure Windows firewall and allow SMTP port for external hosts. Follow the below steps to configure the firewall.
Step 1 – Open the Windows firewall as shown below.
Step 2 – Right click on the Inbound Rule and click on the New Rule. You should see the Rule Type screen.
Step 3 – Select Port and click on the Next button. You should see the Protocol and Ports screen.
Step 4 – Define your protocol and port then click on the Next button. You should see the Action screen.
Step 5 – Select Allow the connection and click on the Next button. You should see the profile selection screen.
Step 6 – Select your profile and click on the Next button. You should see the name specification screen.
Step 7 – Define your rule name and click on the Finish button to create your SMTP rule.
You can now deliver the mails with your windows server email server as per your requirements.
Thank you for reading this article blog about how to Setup Windows SMTP Server using Windows SMTP Service. We will summarize this article blog.
Setup Windows SMTP Server using Windows SMTP Service Conclusion
In this guide, we explored how to setup SMTP server using Windows SMTP service. I hope this guide assists you in setting up your own SMTP server using Windows SMTP service. If you are not looking for a complete mail server and just want to send emails through, you can use the above setup to send mails from your server. Nonetheless, if you have any queries or corrections, please leave them in the comment section below. As always, thank you for reading.
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