Emails connected with a domain name

[Blaby Loyal]

I'm connected with a not-for-profit organisation and we have had a few internal issues over compliance with business names on letterheads and emails etc.

Five years ago I registered a domain name in the organisation's style and set up at least two email accounts from it.

Test messages would have been sent at the time to make sure they were validated but that's all.

We now need to start using emails from that domain name.

I've finally found and got access to the domain name control area but I've still no idea what email addresses were set up. There are some MX records but I'm in the dark as to whether they will be the clue.

Is there any way to find this out please?

 

[BenJeffery]

If the domain name registrants are providing an email service, you should be able to find some reference to this in your account or control panel.

If not, copy the MX record names and search for them in Google. This should tell you who owns the MX records and is providing your email service. Then you'll need to find the login details for that company!

 

[arnydnxluk]

The MX records will indicate who your email provider is, then you just need to gain access to your email hosting provider's control panel to determine which addresses are set up. The domain registrar should be able to help you with this.

If you're not currently paying for email hosting (and since it sounds like you're not actively using any email service currently), then you can just change the MX records to point to your new email hosting provider (e.g. Google G-Suite, Microsoft Office 365, FastMail) and then configure your new accounts as required there.

 

[Blaby Loyal]

Thanks BenJeffery and arnydnxluk.

From what I can make out the emails were 'driven' from Windows Live Admin Centre. Again, from what I can make out WLAC has been defunct for some years now and so that email avenue is closed off.

I would like five email addresses but have the usual charity issue of cost (i.e. we have no funding for them).

Google looks like it offers free emails: does anyone know of any others?

They will be low volume accounts as we are not a day-to-day business type of outfit.

 

[matlob]

Depending on where the domain sits you may be able to set up free email accounts with the hosting that can either be directed to your computer/phone or accessed via basic webmail.

 

[Blaby Loyal]

Depending on where the domain sits you may be able to set up free email accounts with the hosting that can either be directed to your computer/phone or accessed via basic webmail.

Would that work across five separate accounts though or would they all need access to the webmail at the domain end?

 

[Alan]

Are you registered charity? If you are both Google & Microsoft donate software / services up to limits ...

 

[Blaby Loyal]

Are you registered charity? If you are both Google & Microsoft donate software / services up to limits ...

We're not registered with the Charities Commission but we are with HMRC. I've had a look at the Google option and we meet that criteria. I shall have a look at what MS might be able to offer as well - thanks.

 

[TotalWebSolutions]

As mentioned above does your domain host (Registrar) not provide email services? If so setting up with them should be the most straight forward route as they would update the MX records on the DNS automatically for you and allow you to create the mailboxes needed for POP/IMAP/Webmail.

However, should you choose another mail provider then they will be able to provide you with the necessary records to update the DNS through your domain control panel.

 

[Blaby Loyal]

As mentioned above does your domain host (Registrar) not provide email services? If so setting up with them should be the most straight forward route as they would update the MX records on the DNS automatically for you and allow you to create the mailboxes needed for POP/IMAP/Webmail.

However, should you choose another mail provider then they will be able to provide you with the necessary records to update the DNS through your domain control panel.

Thanks for the post. This is where I leave my area of the known universe. What I would like are five (at the moment) email addresses in the style of [email protected].

We have one chap whose world falls apart if it's not a hotmail or outlook account. The others should be OK regardless of how it's all eventually set up.

I can understand how it would work with, say, Google via their gmail for charities scheme but how would it work through the Registrar (TSO). I need for each email account-holder to have their own login password etc. and for the email service to be easily accessible and usable.

 

[TotalWebSolutions]

@Blaby Loyal if you are setting up the mail through your Registrar or another mail provider then they will just be creating the mailboxes to be used - you can then choose your own mail client such as Outlook/Mac Mail/Thunderbird or anything else to suit each user and of course have Webmail access for simple 'away form the office' send/receive access.

Your TSO control panel should give you the option to set up an email hosting subscription and then create the mailboxes/passwords or of course give them a call. Failing that, choose another mail provider and ask them for all the DNS records that you will need to update.

 

[Blaby Loyal]

@TWS - OK, cheers. I'll give TSO a call and see what's what.

I may well be posting up again though as there's something I'm just not getting!

 

[arnydnxluk]

I can understand how it would work with, say, Google via their gmail for charities scheme but how would it work through the Registrar (TSO). I need for each email account-holder to have their own login password etc. and for the email service to be easily accessible and usable.

The email provider and your domain registrar are completely separate in this case.

The email provider (e.g. Google) will provide you with a bunch of DNS settings which have to be configured, you then ask your domain registrar to set these DNS records for you. Now your domain's email is pointing at Google and you manage everything email relate via Google going forward.

If you have a chap who requires the Outlook web interface then Hosted Exchanged is the way forward, in which case you should go direct to Microsoft. If he just wants to use the desktop Outlook application, he should be fine to use his choice of application with any email provider via IMAP.

The cheapest and easiest way to set up 5 basic mailboxes with IMAP is probably to go with Tso's 'Personal' cloud hosting plan (since your domain is registered there) which includes 5 x 200MB mailboxes at a total cost of £17.88+VAT per year. This does not come close to the features offered by G-Suite, Office 365 etc but is a lot more cost effective if that's your main concern.

 

[Breffni Potter]

You guys are a charity, don't spend a penny on email from TSO or other providers.

Get business grade email at no cost from Microsoft or Google. There is zero reason for you to waste donation money when you got the best providers in the industry willing to give it to you for free!

Not to mention that 365/GoogleApps are dead easy to setup and access on all devices.