How to request and manage an SMTP feed
If you have a domain hosted on our servers (or have the MX record pointing at our servers) then we can DELETE any POP3 mailboxes that we may host for you and replace them with an SMTP feed; you can swap from one or the other but not have both at the same time. The SMTP feed functions as follows:
- Email message reaches our server destined for your-email-domain.com and our server puts the message in a mail queue.
- It is then scanned for viruses, and deleted if needed. This is not optional.
- It is then 'greylisted' - a process which verifies that the sending server is legitimate. This is optional, but ON by default.
- It is then scanned for signs of being spam and classified into 4 levels. Actions are taken based upon the spam level, including deleting the message entirely. This is optional, and OFF by default, allowing the local mail server at the client's offices to handle spam checking.
- Spam levels and default settings if you ask for spam checking to be enabled:
- Level: None - no signs of spam. Actions: none.
- Level: Low - possible spam. Actions: none / add 'hidden' header text / add subject text / delete message
- Text added: "[SPAM: low] "
- Level: Med - likely spam. Actions: none / add 'hidden' header text / add subject text / delete message
- Text added: "[SPAM: med] "
- Level: High- 99% spam. Actions: none / add 'hidden' header text / add subject text / delete message
- The message is then ready to be sent to the client's own mail server.
- If the client's mail server is offline for some reason (broadband failure, for example) then the message is queued for up to 2 days in our message queue and attempts to redeliver will constantly be made.
- Should a client with an SMTP feed encounter a problem that is likely to take longer than 2 days to resolve then we can be asked to extend the queue time or setup temporary POP3 mailboxes (with webmail) so that the messages can be viewed; we can then be asked to revert to the SMTP feed once the client's mail server is back online.
- The message is delivered to the client's mail server using the IP address supplied by the client
The entire process above typically takes 20 seconds.
To request an SMTP feed we need to know:
1) The domain name
2) The IP address of the mail server on the client's offices (where our server will send the email to!)
3) Any changes to the default spam settings mentioned above
We will liaise with you to ensure correct settings are tested and verified.
TIP: If your running Microsoft Exchange server then it might be a good idea to lock down the SMTP protocol so that it ONLY accepts email from our server. Here's how:
Exchange System manager > server > Protocols > SMTP
Right-click "Default SMTP Virtual Server" and choose Properties
On the "Access" tab click "Connection" button
Select "Only listed below"
Add 213.133.152.2 ("Single computer" - our server)
Add 127.0.0.1 ("Single computer" - the local loopback IP)
Add 192.168.x.x ("Group of computers" - your local LAN IPs
This means that even if spammers try to connect directly to your server, bypassing ours and thus skipping the spam checking, your server will cut off the connection to the spammers.
Warning: if you DO have other legitimate remote servers that will need to connect DIRECTLY to your mail server then be sure to add their IPs too.