Email Hosting

I started off trying to get my business email sorted via Windows Live but their support is woeful (36 hours for a response which just refers you to a forum)

I then moved to zoho whose support is non-existent (still waiting after five hours)

I seem to have problems verifying domain name ownership.

Can anyone recommend some more to have a look at.

 

[InternetMarketingPlatinum]

Purchase a domain name and setup hosting for it? Assuming you haven't already done this...

 

[Leo-InstallingIT]

I'd be more than happy to have a look for you and see what the problem is. Obviously we do offer email hosting, but you wouldn't have to use us if you had someone else in mind

 

Apologies - I seem to have used incorrect terminology.

My domain is hosted, I just want to set up email with say Outlook, Google or zoho and then change my DNS pointers in my cPanel.

My previous emails were set up through Google Apps but that's now a paid service.

 

[Leo-InstallingIT]

No problem.

You mention cPanel, usually if you have hosting which gives you access to cPanel you will be able to setup email addresses on that (sometimes it is disabled). Is there a particular reason you are wanting the emails elsewhere?

 

[KCC54]

I set up my emails through my webhost using cPanel and Outlook express, it's pretty straightforward. I prefer to have my emails configured as me at mydomaindotcodotuk.
I can't understand people who have a website but use Hotmail etc as email addresses, or am I missing something?

 

No problem.

You mention cPanel, usually if you have hosting which gives you access to cPanel you will be able to setup email addresses on that (sometimes it is disabled). Is there a particular reason you are wanting the emails elsewhere?

I'm aiming for practically all of my business to be done by email so the email platform (or whatever it's called) needs to have as many bells and whistles as possible such as font size, style, colour etc adjustment, bullet points, indents, signature facility and the like.

 

[Leo-InstallingIT]

OK, that makes sense. If you are planning on using a client on your PC (Outlook for example) the actual server that you are using has little affect on the content of the email.

However if you are going to be using a webmail for your emails it then your choice of server as you say does have any effect. Hosted Exchange may not be a bad choice as that will come with Outlook Web Access which is a pretty advanced webmail.

Do you know how you plan on accessing/sending your emails? Will it be on a client on your computer (outlook for example) or will you be using a webmail?

 

I've had a look at the webmail options in my cPanel and it looks like I have access to

1. Horde
2. Roundcube and
3. Squirrelmail

Do you know if these are similar to what I'd get with gmail and hotmail?

Would I have to configure them in the same way I'd have to configure for gmail, zoho etc.

 

[Leo-InstallingIT]

If I'm completely honest they aren't as rich as Google Apps or Outlook Web Access, but they do give you a fair amount of fomatting ability. My personal favourite is RoundCube, but that's just my preference.

If you haven't made any DNS changes, all you will need to do is setup the email accounts in cPanel. To do that, simply click on Email Accounts on the home screen and add an account for yourself. You will then be able to login to the webmail with those details.

 

I've got to confess that I've really got all this around my ears.

I need a decent email platform because of the professional business services work I'll be doing and the emails need to be constructed 'nicely' with indents, numbering, bullets etc etc.

I don't have MS Outlook installed and my only experience of Outlook is via Hotmail which now uses the Outlook 'style'.

What is Windows Live then?

A couple of years ago my business emails (separate business) were on gmail. This was good but now gmail apps is a paid service so my budget can't cover that outlay at the moment.

Or do I just get my domain hosts (Vidahost) to configure me for Horde, Roundcube or Squirrelmail?

My head really aches

 

Someone's just thrown Thunderbird at me now as an option.

Anyone help as I'm lost at sea!

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

OK, this is where I was at, and I got the whole thing sorted by Steve at www.posilan.com who not only got me sorted with email, but also (very kindly) remotely set the whole thing up for me on my PC, imported the old stuff over, and is permanently on hand and prompt to help out.

Cheap at twice the price (but don't tell him I said that!)

 

Thanks but no funds to instruct at the moment.

 

[Alan]

Thomas,

OK
---------------------------
there are email desktop 'clients',

these are tools that run on your desktop, the most popular is Outlook, but being Microsoft its not free (except their really basic outlook express) and not that good.

The alternative, client is Thunderbird. This is what I recommend you have on your desktop.

They communicate with your email server (see later) they send via SMTP and receive by IMAP
-------------------------------
There are web email 'clients'

these are accessible anywhere, not just your desktop,
clients like Squirrel & Roundcube can be attached to yourown hosting account (I recommend Roundcube)

Other webmail clients are specific to service providers e.g. gmail or zoho mail and communicate with their respective server

----------------------------
There are mobile device email app 'clients'

These apps work like a desktop client an communicate via SMTP and IMAP.
On Android I recommend K9 Mail rather than the native mail app.
On iPhone I think the native mail app is fine, but I don't own an iPhone so can't really say.

----------------------------

There are email 'servers',
this is the place in the internet where you email really is 'managed'
examples of email servers are
1. in your own hosting package
2. some other provider (including gmail / zoho )

------------------------------


If your hosting already has mail accounts (you will know by looking at your cpanel - if it has mail icons then you have it) then you should just use that, set up squirrel mail for webmail access and put Thunderbird on your desktop.

If your hosting does not have email, open a zoho account, verify your domain, set up your MX records & download Thunderbird and you are away.

 

[amac]

You're probably best using Google Apps (including Gmail) if you're starting out today. No exchange, no hardware, easy configuration are the hallmarks of Google Apps.

You might want to look at exchange again if want to run your own mail server but to start with, Google Apps is the way to go.

 

[Quest Cloud Solutions Ltd]

You can get a hosted Exchange mailbox for £3.95 and a copy of Microsoft Outlook for £1.50 a month. Might be worth considering. Outlook will give you all the functionality you're after, as well as the ability to send mail merges etc. through it (if you're looking to do marketing through it as well, for example).

Setting it up is easy peasy with a guide, as long as you have your own domain name (example.co.uk).