SMTP Server

SMTP is an Internet standard for sending emails across Internet Protocol (IP) networks. It was in Request for Comments i.e. RFC 821 that SMTP was first defined and it was last updated by RFC 5321, which includes the extended SMTP (ESMTP) additions. It is a specified protocol which is used for outgoing mail transport and uses TCP port 25.

To explain this in simpler words, a SMTP server, works like a router, as it receives outgoing mail messages from users and routes them to the intended recipients. It makes use of either the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol or Unix sendmail program. Often the mail messages have to pass through a number of servers to reach their destinations.

You can have SMTP service installed on your local machine by following the below mentioned steps.

• Go to the 'Start' menu & go to 'Control Panel'.
• Then double click the 'Add or Remove Programs' option.
• In the left pane, click the 'Add/Remove Windows Components' option.
• In the 'Components' list, you will see 'Application Server'. Click it, & then select 'Details'.

• .In the sub-components of 'Application Server' list, select 'Internet Information Services (IIS)', and go to 'Details'.
• In the sub-components of Internet Information Services (IIS) list, check the 'SMTP Service' checkbox and then click OK.

• Now click 'Next'. Here you may be prompted for the Windows Server 2003 family CD or the network install path. Provide the required details and then click 'Finish'.

After you have installed this service, a default configuration is created. The message store is located in LocalDrive:\Inetpub\mailroot. While setting up this service for the first time, you may want to configure global settings for a virtual server as well as settings for individual components. Some of these commands include:

• HELO / EHLO: This is a command which is used to identify the sender (client).
• MAIL FROM: This is where the email (also e-mail) address of the sender is specified.
• RCPT TO: Here the email address of the recipient is specified.
• DATA: It is the actual data (body text, attachments etc).

• RSET (RESET): This command specifies that the current mail transaction will not be carried forward and will be aborted.
• VRFY (VERIFY): This command asks the receiver to confirm whether the argument identifies a user or a mailbox.
• HELP: With this command the useful information is sent to the client.
• QUIT: This command indicates that the server quits the session

In case you are collecting email from your ISP, you can find this address from the existing settings by :

• Start 'Outlook Express', go to 'Tools' and select 'Email Accounts' and navigate to the next page.
• In the new window that appears, select 'View or change existing email accounts' and click 'Next'.
• Select the name of your ISP account, and click 'Change'.

• Under the heading 'Server Information', you will come across an entry for 'Outgoing mail server (SMTP)'. Write down the entry in this box, which will usually appear in a format similar to: 'mail.myisp.com.'. This is the address which you are looking for and you will need while configuring your domain name based email.

These can be used to send email directly. Most of these programs do support email programs like Outlook Express and Eudora, but it is often seen that they work the best with Outlook Express. You will have to follow the instructions to set and test it, before you are able to communicate with people all around the world. You will have to make the relevant changes in the IIS as mentioned.

These servers are best when you are traveling or accessing the Internet from public places, or you have to send a bulk of emails. It will take care of security and privacy of the data that is being transmitted through your emails.