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SMTP Configuration for Email Clients

What SMTP server setting do I use for my Email Application?

If you use a commercial Internet Service Provider (ISP) or have DSL/Cable modem, configure the SMTP setting to either match the SMTP server of your commercial ISP or use mailrl.sfsu.edu and turn on authentication/authorization.

Typically the SMTP server setting in your email application must be set to match the SMTP server (outgoing mail server) of your ISP. Some popular ISP's however such as SBC Global Yahoo DSL, MSN and Dell will not allow you to send mail from your SFSU Internet Account unless the SMTP server is configured as mailrl.sfsu.edu

If your computer is dialing directly into the SFSU student or faculty modem pool (or if your computer is located on the SFSU campus and directly connected to the network via an ethernet cable) you can use SFSU's SMTP server setting: sfsu.edu

Using mailrl.sfsu.edu as your SMTP server is strongly recommended if you are using laptops and other portable devices when you connect to the Internet from multiple locations. For instance, if you use a laptop at wi-fi hotspots such as coffee shops, through a wireless network at your home and also on the SFSU campus, you should use mailrl.sfsu.edu (with authentication) as your SMTP server.

Understanding the SMTP setting

The SMTP server is a configuration setting within all email applications that use the POP and/or IMAP protocol. The SMTP server is sometimes referred to as the 'outgoing server' in certain programs. When using an email application such as Qualcomm Eudora, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Outlook Express, Microsoft Entourage, Mozilla Mail, Thunderbird, Netscape Mail, Apple Mail, etc., the SMTP server setting must be configured correctly or outgoing mail will not be sent. (Normally, checking mail will still work even if the SMTP server is not configured correctly within your POP or IMAP mail application).

If your home computer connects to the Internet using a commercial ISP you can still check and send messages using your SFSU email account. Change the SMTP server setting within your email application to match the SMTP server of the ISP, DSL, or Cable modem provider or use mailrl.sfsu.edu (and turn on authentication/authorization). If you use SBC Global Yahoo DSL, MSN and Dell service, however, you must use mailrl.sfsu.edu otherwise, mail will not be sent from your SFSU email address with the ISP's normal SMTP server setting. For instance, if you use Earthlink to create a dial-up or DSL connection, you will need to change the SMTP server to mail.earthlink.net or use mailrl.sfsu.edu and turn on authentication.
If you are unsure of the SMTP server setting, you should contact the ISP's technical support or check the ISP's web site for this information. Remember that the SMTP setting will only affect mail being sent, not mail being received. If you are having problems sending mail, check your SMTP server settings. There is a listing of popular ISP's SMTP settings in the table below.

How to Change the SMTP Server with Eudora

Apple Macintosh

1. Launch Eudora.
2. From the Eudora menubar select Special then select Settings... from the drop down menu.
3. Under Category scroll down and select the Sending Mail icon (in older versions of Eudora select the Host icon) and enter the SMTP server for your ISP or use mailrl.sfsu.edu and check the box next to Allow authorization.

Microsoft Windows

1. Launch Eudora.
2. From the Eudora menubar select Tools then select Options.... from the drop down menu.
3. Under Category scroll down and select the Sending Mail icon (in older versions of Eudora select the Host icon) and enter the SMTP server for your ISP or use mailrl.sfsu.edu and check the box next to Allow authentication.

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The SMTP server setting when using SBC Yahoo DSL Eudora 6.2.1 on Macintosh is used in the example below. Note that the SMTP server is set to the SFSU SMTP server mailrl.sfsu.edu with authorization rather than using SBC's Global Yahoo's SMTP smtp.sbcglobal.yahoo.com. Certain ISP's, such as SBC Yahoo, will not allow you to send email through their SMTP server from an SFSU email account.

The SMTP Server setting through Earthlink Dial Up Eudora 5.1 on Windows is used in the example below. This example demonstrates the SMTP server setting for checking and sending mail for the SFSU account 'helpdesk' while dialing into Earthlink. Note the SMTP server is set to smtp.earthlink.net rather than SFSU's SMTP server sfsu.edu. Alternatively, you could use mailrl.sfsu.edu and check Allow authentication.

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How to Change the SMTP Server with Apple Mail

1. Launch Mail.
2. From the Mail menu bar select Mail > Preferences.
3. Click on the Accounts tab.
4. Select the account you wish to modify in the Accounts field by clicking on it with the mouse.
5. Under the Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) field select Add Server.
6. In the Outgoing Mail Server field add mailrl.sfsu.edu
7. In the Authentication field select Password.
8. In the User Name field enter your SFSU account name (without the @sfsu.edu)
9. In the Password field enter your SFSU account password.
   
10. Click on the OK button.

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How to Change the SMTP Server with Microsoft Entourage 2004 and Entourage X

1. Launch Entourage.
2. From the Entourage menu bar select Tools > Accounts.
3. Select the account you wish to modify by double-clicking on it with the mouse.
4. Under the Sending Mail section in the SMTP server field enter mailrl.sfsu.edu
   
5. Click on the Click here for advanced sending options button.
6. Check the box next to SMTP server requires authentication.
   
7. Check the radio button next to Use same settings as receiving mail server.
8. Close the window by clicking on the small square in the top left corner.
9. In the Edit Account window click on the OK button.

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How to Change the SMTP Server with Microsoft Outlook 2003

1. Launch Outlook.
2. From the Outlook menu bar select Tools then select email Accounts from the drop down menu.
3. Check the radio button next to View or change existing email accounts, then click Next.
4. The Name field should list the account. Highlight the account by selecting it with the mouse then click the Change button.
5. Modify the Outgoing mail server (SMTP) field to mailrl.sfsu.edu or to the SMTP server of the ISP your computer uses to make a connection to the Internet. For example: If you are using Comcast to connect o the Internet you would change this setting to either mailrl.sfsu.edu or smtp.comcast.net
   (Leave the Incoming mail server field sfsu.edu).
6. If you are using mailrl.sfsu.edu as the SMTP server, do the following (otherwise skip the following 5 steps):
   1. Click the More Settings... button.
   2. Click on the Outgoing Server tab.
   3. Check the box next to My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication.
   4. Check the radio button next to the words Use same settings as my incoming mail server.
   5. Click the OK button when finished.
7. Click the Next button.
8. Click the the Finish button, then click the OK button to close the Options window.

How to Change the SMTP Server with Microsoft Outlook 2002

1. Launch Outlook.
2. From the Outlook menu bar select Tools then select Options from the drop down menu.
3. Click on the Mail Setup tab.
4. Click on the email Accounts button.
5. In the email section, make sure View or change existing email accounts button is checked then click the Next button.
6. The Name field should list the account. Highlight the account by selecting it with the mouse then click on the Change button.
7. Modify the Outgoing mail server (SMTP) setting to the SMTP of the ISP your computer uses to make a connection to the Internet. For example: If you are using Comcast to connect o the Internet you would change this setting to: smtp.comcast.net
   (Leave the Incoming mail server field setting to sfsu.edu).
8. Click the Next button.
9. Click the the Finish button, then click the OK button to close the Options window.

How to Change the SMTP Server with Microsoft Outlook 2000

1. Launch Outlook.
2. From the Outlook menu bar select Tools > Accounts.
3. Highlight the Account by selecting it with the mouse then click on the Properties button.
4. Click on the Servers tab and modify the 'Outgoing mail (SMTP)' setting to the SMTP of the ISP you are using to make your connection to the Internet. For example: If you are using Netzero to dial into the Internet you would change this setting to: smtp.netzero.net
   (Leave the 'Incoming mail server' set to sfsu.edu).
5. Click the Ok button, then click the Close button.

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How to Change the SMTP Server with Netscape Messenger

Netscape Communicator

From the Edit menu choose "Preferences..."
Enter your ISP's SMTP server in the section for Outgoing mail (SMTP) server Netscape Navigator 2.0 and 3.0 From the Options menu select "Mail and News Preferences..."

The SMTP server for Ricochet is used in the example below.

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SMTP Servers for Bay Area Commercial ISP's

ISP	SMTP Server
America Online (AOL)	Does not support pop mail.
AT&T Worldnet	mailhost.worldnet.att.net or imailhost.worldnet.att.net
Comcast	smtp.comcast.net
Earthlink Network	mail.earthlink.net or smtp.earthlink.net
Earthlink Network (International only)	ismtp.earthlink.net
IBM.Global net	smtp1.ibm.net
Juno	smtp.juno.com
Mindspring	smtp.mindspring.com
MSN	smtp.email.msn.com
Netcom	smtp.ix.netcom.com
Pacbell	mail.pacbell.net
Prodigy	smtp.prodigy.net
RCN	smtp.rcn.com
SBC Global	smtp.sbcglobal.net
SBC Yahoo DSL	mailrl.sfsu.edu (and turn on authentication) (smtp.sbcglobal.yahoo.com will only work for SBC global yahoo accounts) If you experience problems sending email through mailrl.sfsu.edu you may need to request a Port 25 filter removal from SBC.
Sonic.net	mail.sonic.net Please read Sonic's Port 25 block FAQ.
Speakeasy	mail.speakeasy.net
SprintLink	smtp.a001.sprintmail.com

If your ISP is not listed or the SMTP server listed is not working (for instance, you can not send mail from your SFSU account), use mailrl.sfsu.edu (and turn on authentication/authorization) or contact your ISP's support staff for the SMTP server information or check your ISP's web site.

Other SMTP Resources:

University of Illinois at Chicago

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Last Modified: 1 Aug 2005
doit@sfsu.edu