This article applies to email included with a DirectAdmin web hosting service. For the separate Hosted Email product, use the current settings in that service's Setup tab.
Outgoing mail settings
- Server: use the mail-server hostname supplied for your hosting service.
- Port and encryption: 465 with SSL/TLS, or 587 with STARTTLS, as supported by the service.
- Username: the full mailbox address.
- Password: that mailbox's password.
- SMTP authentication: enabled.
Domain-based server names
Use mail.yourdomain.com only when its DNS and the mail service's certificate are configured for it. Creating a website subdomain or a website certificate alone does not prove that the SMTP or IMAP service presents the right certificate.
If you see a certificate warning, use the supplied server hostname or contact ArkHost. Do not disable certificate checks or switch to an unencrypted connection.
Mail authentication records
Publish the SPF and DKIM values supplied for your service at the provider hosting your authoritative DNS. That may be ArkHost DNS Manager, DirectAdmin DNS, or another provider. Do not replace an existing SPF policy without including any other authorized sending services, and do not publish two SPF policies for the same name.
Troubleshooting
For authentication errors, confirm the full address and mailbox password. For connection failures, check the hostname, encrypted port and local network restrictions. For outgoing mail that is rejected, retain the exact error message and contact support.
