Mail hosting
Ray Greene
name for email. I'm now looking at the options for mail hosting.
Most hosting is quite expensive with limited storage so my latest idea
is to use DynDNSs free Mailhop service to forward mail to a Gmail
account. Apart from DynDNSs 10MB attachment size limit - which
wouldn't be a problem most of the time - I don't see any flaws in the
idea, plus it's free.
Any comments or suggestions?
--
Ray Greene
EMB
www.kiwihosting.net - $72PA for hosting with unlimited
domains/mailboxes/forwards.
Stephen Worthington
I do not think that DynDNS's MailHop service is free. Their web site
lists "MailHop Forward Lite" as US$32.50 and "MailHop Forward" as
US$42.50 per year.
What I have been doing for ages is to run my own SMTP server. I
signed up for DynDNS's Custom DNS service back when it was free and
true to their word it is still free. I have that DNS set up to point
the primary MX record to my PC and a backup MX record to DynDNS's
MailHop Backup MX service. I have to pay US$32.50 per year for the
Backup MX service, but it is well worth that. They have multiple
geographically separated servers and I have never had a problem with
it. I have been using this setup for at least 5 years and it works
well. Whenever I shift ISPs I have to just change the SMTP server to
forward emails via the new ISP SMTP server, and change my SPF records
to say that the ISP server is a valid source of my emails. My script
that sets up the dynamic IP address automatically handles changing
that. When my SMTP server is down, the MailHop servers keep my emails
for a long time, and they do not seem storage limited either. I was
once away for a couple of weeks on holiday and my server PC went down
due to a power failure the day after I left. When I got back, there
was several hundred megs of email to receive from the MailHop servers,
but nothing was lost.
There are disadvantages to running your own SMTP server, such as
having to do your own spam filtering. And have a PC running a lot of
the time to run the SMTP server (but I do that anyway to run my web
server). But I can have as many email addresses as I like, and invent
a new one when I think it is going to attract spam and then delete it
when I am finished using it.
A 10 MiB attachment limit is pretty standard - not many SMTP servers
will default to anything bigger. I put big files on blind URLs on my
web server and email the URL.
Ray Greene
That looks like a pretty good deal. 750MB storage is enough for my
needs.
--
Ray Greene
EMB
quick response to support queries. They are currently migrating to a
new hosting provider which seems from my so far limited testing to be a
big improvement over what was already pretty good.
Dave Doe
says...
I use dnsmadeeasy.com backup mail option (three MX records) for
$12.95/year (USD).
eg.
10 mail.me.com (client IP)
20 MX1.dnseasy...
30 MX2.dnseasy...
40 MX3.dnseasy...
Have a look at there other options maybe (eg full mail hosting).
--
Duncan
Ray Greene
<ste...@jsw12.gen34.nz56.remove_numbers> wrote:
>On Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:27:20 +1300, Ray Greene <ra...@es.co.nz> wrote:
>
>>I'm thinking of changing ISPs at some point so I got my own domain
>>name for email. I'm now looking at the options for mail hosting.
>>
>>Most hosting is quite expensive with limited storage so my latest idea
>>is to use DynDNSs free Mailhop service to forward mail to a Gmail
>>account. Apart from DynDNSs 10MB attachment size limit - which
>>wouldn't be a problem most of the time - I don't see any flaws in the
>>idea, plus it's free.
>>
>>Any comments or suggestions?
>
>I do not think that DynDNS's MailHop service is free. Their web site
>lists "MailHop Forward Lite" as US$32.50 and "MailHop Forward" as
>US$42.50 per year.
Damn, you're right. I must have misread that somehow...
>What I have been doing for ages is to run my own SMTP server. I
>signed up for DynDNS's Custom DNS service back when it was free and
>true to their word it is still free. I have that DNS set up to point
>the primary MX record to my PC and a backup MX record to DynDNS's
>MailHop Backup MX service. I have to pay US$32.50 per year for the
>Backup MX service, but it is well worth that. They have multiple
>geographically separated servers and I have never had a problem with
>it. I have been using this setup for at least 5 years and it works
>well. Whenever I shift ISPs I have to just change the SMTP server to
>forward emails via the new ISP SMTP server, and change my SPF records
>to say that the ISP server is a valid source of my emails. My script
>that sets up the dynamic IP address automatically handles changing
>that. When my SMTP server is down, the MailHop servers keep my emails
>for a long time, and they do not seem storage limited either. I was
>once away for a couple of weeks on holiday and my server PC went down
>due to a power failure the day after I left. When I got back, there
>was several hundred megs of email to receive from the MailHop servers,
>but nothing was lost.
Sounds like good service from DynDNS. I've only ever used them for
dynamic DNS but they always looked like a very competent outfit.
>There are disadvantages to running your own SMTP server, such as
>having to do your own spam filtering. And have a PC running a lot of
>the time to run the SMTP server (but I do that anyway to run my web
>server). But I can have as many email addresses as I like, and invent
>a new one when I think it is going to attract spam and then delete it
>when I am finished using it.
I thought about running my own SMTP server again but I just can't be
bothered maintaining one at the moment.
>A 10 MiB attachment limit is pretty standard - not many SMTP servers
>will default to anything bigger. I put big files on blind URLs on my
>web server and email the URL.
10MB isn't too bad. Gmail do 20MB but then they do everything bigger.
I use YouSendIt for large attachments but having your own web server
is a pretty good option.
--
Ray Greene
Peter
> Most hosting is quite expensive with limited storage
What do you consider "quite expensive"?
Email only plans are available from around NZ$50 pa.
For example, Webfarm ...
http://www.freeparking.co.nz/
HTH
Peter
Ray Greene
Thanks for the suggestion Dave. It looks OK except for the limited
storage quotas. I think kiwihosting might be a better deal.
-
Ray Greene
Ray Greene
wrote:
I'd forgotten about them. They are more expensive than kiwihosting
when you compare storage size but I'll keep then in mind.
--
Ray Greene
thingy
yeah I noticed the silly money being charged.....I use a dyndns account
and my own Linux box...squirrel mail for web access...imaps inside...but
your idea sounds fine, gmail etc all have a decent mail box size...dunno
if its backed up mind.
What you could do is get the gmail account to forward to hotmail (or
something) then if gmail crash and burns you have it stored on hotmail
and a working account.
regards
Thing
Puddle
Why do you have to forward mail to a gmail account?
Why not just host the domain on gmail? (it is free) and set your mx
records to them?
http://www.google.com/a/cpanel/domain/new
The paid version gives a few advantages but the free version should do
all you want, you can create users in your domain etc etc.
You can use imap to access your domains mail so ads a not an issue.
I believe MS have something similar also.
Puddle
You can see the differences between the paid domain hosting and the free
domain hosting here for gmail
Richard
> There are disadvantages to running your own SMTP server, such as
> having to do your own spam filtering. And have a PC running a lot of
> the time to run the SMTP server (but I do that anyway to run my web
> server). But I can have as many email addresses as I like, and invent
> a new one when I think it is going to attract spam and then delete it
> when I am finished using it.
And if your IP changes having your mail hit a random IP address which
will refuse the mails untill you come back online and update the dns record.
Ray Greene
Well you really do learn something new every day!
That looks like a pretty good setup, especially if the ads are only in
webmail. I think I've found the solution to my problem.
Thanks Puddle, you're a top bloke :-)
--
Ray Greene
Ray Greene
wrote:
Good plan, I think I'll do that. It won't be hotmail though, but there
are plenty of others to choose from.
--
Ray Greene
Enkidu
>
> I thought about running my own SMTP server again but I just can't be
> bothered maintaining one at the moment.
>
Cheers,
Cliff
--
Tax is not theft.
Your Name
"Enkidu" <enkid...@com.cliffp.com> wrote in message
news:49339b17$1...@news2.actrix.gen.nz...
It's against the terms and conditions to run any kind of Internet server off
of your broadband account (or at least the cheaper / "home" ones).
Enkidu
> "Enkidu" <enkid...@com.cliffp.com> wrote in message
> news:49339b17$1...@news2.actrix.gen.nz...
>> Ray Greene wrote:
>>> I thought about running my own SMTP server again but I just can't
>>> be bothered maintaining one at the moment.
>> Once you are set up there's minimal maintenance.
>
> server off of your broadband account (or at least the cheaper /
> "home" ones).
>
In any case, I let my ISP collect my email, then I pull it down to my
home server.
Stephen Worthington
wrote:
I always ask about that when I change ISPs. Xtra do not allow it (or
did not when I asked years ago), but none of the others have had a
problem with my running servers.
Lawrence D'Oliveiro
> And if your IP changes having your mail hit a random IP address which
> will refuse the mails untill you come back online and update the dns
> record.
If the new customer isn't running a listener on port 25, then the sender MTA will get a "connection refused" error, and it should simply retry.
If you're unlucky and the new customer IS running an MTA, then they'll likely return a 500-series error saying either "unknown recipient" or "relaying denied", and the sender will get a bounce message.
EMB
>
> It's against the terms and conditions to run any kind of Internet server off
> of your broadband account (or at least the cheaper / "home" ones).
Xnet are quite happy with you running a server on any xDSL account.
From their T&C
> Static IP addresses may be provided to customers on request at WxC’s discretion. Static IP address cannot be
> used for hosting services where there is a possibility that spamming or any other activity detrimental to the
> network can occur. This includes, but is not limited to open relays, P2P services or FTP. Any customer who
> wishes to host service should contact WxC, as WxC will provide a Static IP where, in their reasonable opinion
> these services can be managed effectively.