SMTP Set up - where do I configure mail accounts on Windows Server 2008?

Question

I know about MX records, have configured SMTP and mail leaves my PICKUP folder on inetroot folder within Windows Server 2008 but I am stumped on where I actually configure the email addresses before I add them to Outlook 2010.

For example.

Sales@
Info@
PayPal@

I use Outlook as mentioned but when trying to set my email up ([email protected]) it asks for a username and password (I have not created a username and password, or this email in effect? Do I use the username and password used to log-onto the server?

When using EKM Mail subscription they made username and password for me, was this just a user account on the server or is there somewhere to configure this and the email itself?

Am I right in thinking once you've set up and configured a domain and an SMTP server for that domain, you can go ahead and use [email protected] as an email address? And the username and password is infact the username on the server E.G Administrator and the password is the one you created to log into the server.

I have used an email.rbs (I believe it was .rbs) file that stated "email sent" so I know SMTP is working.

Microsoft Exchange in itself is a mail server, which is what I have set SMTP up for myself, to avoid needing this and its cost right?

As mentioned I am using outlook to try to receive from mail.upnorthsound.co.uk but it fails to log on to incoming mail server (MX record setup with 123reg some time ago). I also get an error when Microsoft tries to send the test email. 550 5.7.1 Unable to relay

I have also tried to use smtpdiag.exe to get a black screen flash of the window but the .exe will not open.

Please take it lightly on me, this is my first time configuring a server and I'm learning slowly. This is the only issue can't seem to get past at the minute. Thanks for your time in advance and as I say take it easy on me if this is a stupid question.

Solution

The Windows Server SMTP feature doesn't allow you to create accounts, store email in inboxes, or deliver email to your Outlook clients. It's simply a SMTP forwarder.

If you want to create mail accounts for [email protected] and similar, you're looking for Microsoft Exchange or another full featured mail server.

The SMTP role on Windows Server is meant so that applications can send email from the server that they are running on. It is not meant to be a replacement for Exchange, Zimbra, etc. As a matter of fact, this role been deprecated in newer versions of Windows because it hasn't been terribly useful to most people for quite a while.

---

To answer your specific questions:

I use Outlook as mentioned but when trying to set my email up ([email protected]) it asks for a username and password (I have not created a username and password, or this email in effect? Do I use the username and password used to log-onto the server?

You would use Active Directory users for this and assign them a mailbox through the Exchange management tools. You can't do this using Microsoft tools without Exchange and AD.

Am I right in thinking once you've set up and configured a domain and an SMTP server for that domain, you can go ahead and use [email protected] as an email address? And the username and password is infact the username on the server E.G Administrator and the password is the one you created to log into the server.

Nope. That's not right. Exchange leverages Active Directory users for this. It's not local users on the server.

I have used an email.rbs (I believe it was .rbs) file that stated "email sent" so I know SMTP is working.

The mail was "sent" but likely marked as spam immediately by the receiver if you don't have things like MX, DKIM, and rDNS in place.

Microsoft Exchange in itself is a mail server, which is what I have set SMTP up for myself, to avoid needing this and its cost right?

Nope, you need Exchange here (or another mail server.) Exchange is the most common mail server on Windows, though you do see Domino from time to time (shudder).

I have also tried to use smtpdiag.exe to get a black screen flash of the window but the .exe will not open.

That is a command-line tool. You need to launch it from a command prompt. The executable is in fact launching, completing, and exiting, which is the black flash you're seeing. If you launch it from within a command prompt or PowerShell environment, the window will not close immediately and you can inspect the output.

Please take it lightly on me, this is my first time configuring a server and I'm learning slowly.

Good Luck!

Comments

[user173421]

PS: When I sent a test email, it left the pickup folder but didn't hit the Gmail account I had sent it too and didn't reside in the badmail folder.

[kralyk]

Are you wanting this 2008 server to be an SMTP MTA (route mail) or an actual mailbox/email account server with local mailboxes? Is mail.upnorthsound.co.uk your server or a 3rd party mail server?

[user173421]

Ok Great, just before I read your post I had watched this video which basically shows the user adding an Active Directory User within the domain. Then using exchange to configure the mailbox, then onto Outlook. Guess I need to go and get Exchange/Zimbra then... What has the SMTP role been replaced with if it has not become useful these days out of curiosity?

[MDMarra]

Yep. You need Active Directory and Exchange if you want to do this with the Windows email stack.

[joeqwerty]

user173421 - The SMTP role is not and never was a "mailbox" server. It's simply an SMTP server. What you're probably referring to is the POP server that was deprecated sometime around the release of Windows Server 2008. You don't necessarily need an Exchange server, you can try hMailServer or MDaemon or any one of a number of other "email" servers that are available for Windows.

[MDMarra]

@user173421 .Net has a native mail function that allows you to specify a remote SMTP server, so most applications just send the mail themselves directly to the Exchange (or other vendor's) mail server. Back in the good old days, this wasn't the case and the application needed the server that it was currently running on to be able to send the mail on its behalf. There's no need to replace it, since all that it did was act as a dumb relay. It never could do what you wanted it to do, and now its usefulness is limited to legacy applications in old languages.

[user173421]

MDMarra, thankyou Sir! - I am now looking into all available mail server options.