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Can you send e-mails to Korean e-mail servers?

Is it possible to send an email to my Gmail account using a local email server?

  • I am using XAMPP, and the local email server is Mercury. I've tried out sending emails to my Gmail account using a PHP framework, which accesses the remote email servers. So I am just wondering if it is possible to use the simple PHP mail() function and the email server running on my own laptop to send an email to my(or any other people's) Gmail/Hotmail/Yahoo!Mail accounts as well. I tried, but it seems not possible. I take it that it is because my local server does not have a unique host name on the Internet( anyway, one can't just receive an email from "localhost" which is not local at all, can he?)  So... please, any answers would be appreciated.

  • Answer:

    Yes, it is possible to use a local SMTP server to deliver mail directly. The first hurdle you would need to overcome is the possibility that port 25 (SMTP) is often blocked on most residential networks. To limit spam, only ISP approved email servers are allowed to relay mail to other servers. This is to prevent spam caused by Viruses turning your PC into a spam churning machine. Even if you can overcome or don't encounter the Port 25 problem, there are a number of reasons why this is a bad idea though... Many email systems use a system of trust when determining what is spam and what isn't spam. Many email servers would most likely refuse messages from your local SMTP server because it refuses email delivered via a dynamic IP. Many servers would also look up the SPF record for the domain you were sending from and if it didn't include the place you were sending from, then it would refuse the message. (If you don't have a SPF record, some email servers won't even talk to you) Many server would also do a reverse-DNS lookup on the machine sending mail, and if the name you claimed to be sending from wasn't the name looked up, then it would refuse the message. There are plenty more rules on accepting/refusing email. I've just summarized a few of the ones that would be specifically complicated in the scenario you've described. The best approach would be to relay messages to your ISP's SMTP server.

Tristan Irwin at Quora Visit the source

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I've done it.  There are plenty of instructions out there based on the SMTP server you use on your local email server.  I use postfix personally.  Just google "postfix gmail relay" (replace with your mail server software accordingly) and you're likely to get instructions how to configure it. Pretty much you setup a dummy account that it will send mail on behalf of.  Only thing to remember is Gmail has an outgoing quota (I think 200/hr) so if you go over, you'll get failed deliveries.

Robert Accettura

Yes of course you can—this is what is designed for—but the obstacle you will encounter is that many block outgoing connections on port 25 (SMTP). The simplest solution is usually to use your ISP's authorised SMTP relay; they will have the details. You may need authentication. You will probably find this easier and more reliable if you configure a local MTA (such as Mercury or, on other operating systems, ) to do the authentication and relaying; then submit your mail via localhost.

Toby Thain

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