Get Rid Of All Your Email Problems With SMTP Relay Service Office 365
SMTP or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is a reliable way to send bulk emails, which is a common requirement for any enterprise. You might have heard of this SMTP relay service concerning newsletter or transactional email providers. For the primary use of incoming emails, we use SMTP.
It is the standard way an email functions on the internet. This email service is a way to ensure that the emails reach recipients inboxes. For better understanding, imagine a relay race. A baton is passed from one person to another until it reaches the finish line.
In SMTP, the message is the baton, and the recipient is the ‘finish line’. Almost all email services in the world avail of this service to send out bulk emails. It provides customized solutions for your outbound emails.
How Does SMTP Service Work?
The email service authenticates the IP address or certificate of the sender before sending an email. An email service provider (ESP) connects to the configured SMTP server and communicates through SMTP protocol and delivers the message.
Your organization can privately own SMTP relays, or you can make use of an external establishment. For better understanding, think of how snail mail works and the role played by the post office. Similarly, SMTP utilizes domain name service (DNS) to ensure the email reaches the intended party.
Just like you fill the addressed envelope and fill in the return address, the email message includes the recipient’s address as well your ‘return address’. Your local server then sends the email to the recipient’s server, similar to how the post office redirects the letter to the nearest regional office.
MORE: Open mail relay
How Vital is SMTP Relay Service To Your Organization?
SMTP relay office 365 service is of utmost importance to any organization which sends emails on a server on behalf of multiple users. Email delivery is not as simple as it sounds.
In the long run, you may run into problems with your email delivery, like having your IP address blacklisted. Some of you might have faced such issues. The worst part is that it mostly goes unnoticed by the users until it’s late. The mails get lost in the ‘junk’ folder.
Please also note that many internet providers put a cap on the number of SMTP relays per day to combat spam.
MORE: Free smtp server list
SMTP Relay Service For Office 365
Though SMTP relay service is different across systems, there are limited options when it comes to Office 365. Any email address can send mail using SMTP relay as long as the domain used belongs to you in Office 365. It can get challenging to avail this service for devices that are not TLS capable. Let’s look at some of the pre-requisites for SMTP client submission
Port: The first recommendation is to use Port 587. Incoming port 993 can come useful for IMAP and 995 for POP.
DNS: Never use an IP address as the Office 365 server does not support it. DNS name smtp.office365.com is always preferred.
MORE: Free SMTP relay service
SSL Requirement For Office 365 SMTP
When tried configuring Office 365 on outlook 2010 client, it came out that SMTP works fine with smtp.office365.com on port 587 with TLS. However, it failed to work when TLS changed to SSL.
Let’s now look at the options available to avail SMTP if your mailboxes are in Office 365
SMTP Relay: This is used to send email from your organization by authenticating the IP address or certificate.
Client SMTP Submission: This service enables you to send emails with an address associated with Office 365 mailbox from your device or LOB application, which it achieves by authenticating the account on the device. Each device can use its address or can use a common one.
Direct Send: There are some devices or LOB applications that are programmed to send emails without Office 365 automatically. However, for delivery to Office 365 accounts, the emails must be received by Office 365.
Research is of vital importance before selecting the best relay service provider, which suits your requirements. Let’s now look at some of the precautions to be taken while choosing the SMTP service.
Features You Should Look For While Choosing An SMTP Service
Easy Integration: A provider that’s easy to integrate into your application or website is vital for a speedy setup (even in a matter of minutes).
Level of Support: The world of emails is not perfect. Even the best relay service can sometimes run into problems or get affected by an external force, which is why the support of your SMTP service becomes vital. A qualified expert is required to address all your deliverability issues effectively.
List of Features Provided: All SMTP services do not provide the standard features. You should look for an email service provider with features suitable for your business needs. Some of the features to look for are:
- Domain authentication and Link Branding
- Multiple Sender Addresses
- Reverse DNS
- ISP Feedback Loop Data
- Automated IP Warm-Up
Deliverability: As you have got to know, the purpose of SMTP is to ensure your emails reach the inbox of the intended recipient(s). Hence, there is no point in getting the service if the mails route to the spam folder. Deliverability becomes one of the critical features for choosing an SMTP relay software.
Pricing: Though of utmost importance, this should be the last thing you should consider while choosing your SMTP Provider. Some of the most extensive SMTP services in the market are freely available. Setting up of an open-source solution may not always be hassle-free. In this case, opting for a ready-to-go service can be a relief. It may turn out cheaper in the long run!
Final Words
Email communication is relatively crucial for the smooth functioning of any organization. SMTP mail relay service helps relieve the burden of email delivery issues and leaves you free to direct your focus to the other essential aspects of your business. SMTP safeguards the reputation of your business by ensuring prompt delivery of emails to the intended recipient(s).
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