What Youll Need To Set Up A Personal Email Server
- A separate computer with enough hard drive capacity, which will act as the email server.
- Domain name for the email server that youll use to set up email addresses.
- Reliable, high-speed internet connection.
- An operating system like Windows or Linux to run the server.
- Software programs like MailEnable that can sort and route emails, antivirus protection and spam filter like SpamAssassin .
- A system to streamline the setup process.
Setting Up Email On A WordPress Domain
Given that something like 70% of websites are hosted using WordPress, lets cover how to set up email on a WordPress domain. For the sake of the demo, were going to demonstrate how to use their Professional Email service. At the time of this edit, the service cost $3.50/month.
Test Your Email Address
Since Google confirmed that you correctly entered the MX records, this is technically not a necessary step.
But its the fastest way to take your new branded email for a spin inside the Gmail inbox.
Open another email account, Gmail, Outlook, AOL, it doesnt matter. Compose a new email and enter your new email address in the To field.
Write a random subject like First email and send it.
Now, head over to Gmail and log in with your Google Workspace credentials.
Testing your new Gmail address
If you did everything correctly, you should see the test email you send from your other account in your inbox.
Need a hosting solution that gives you a competitive edge? Kinstas got you covered with incredible speed, state-of-the-art security, and auto-scaling. Check out our plans
You can also try composing and sending an email the other way around to confirm that you can send mails without issue as well.
Don’t Miss: Can My Domain Name Be Different From My Business Name
Benefits Of Having Your Own Email Domain
So youve put together your own site, why invest in your own custom domain? With your own email domain, you gain:
- : Most websites or blogs that are seen as an authority in their niche or field will most likely have their own email domain for contact and communication. The authoritativeness will help contribute to social proof that you are considered like an expert.
- Brand Recognition: Branding is a great way to help grow an audience over time. Having your own email domain will just increase the overall branding of your blog.
- Customer Trust: When people see that you have an official website email, it can increase the legitimacy of your online business.
Create A G Suite Account And Follow The Wizard
To get started, website and follow the account setup wizard to configure the basic details, like which custom domain you want to use with G Suite. This will be the domain name at the end of your email address e.g. @yoursite.com:
If youre the only person who will be using Google Workspace , youre finished once you complete the wizard. If you want to give other people custom email addresses, you can also do that after completing the initial setup wizard:
Also Check: Where Can I Buy A Web Domain
How To Buy A Domain
Apple doesnt sell domains, so youll have to buy one from a domain registrar before setting up a custom email address. Entire books have been written about domain purchasing and management, but the process is relatively simple. Here are some registrars that we at TidBITS have used successfully:
I currently host my domains with Epik because of the companys strong civil liberties stances and outstanding 24/7 support. However, if youre new to domain registration, I would steer you toward Hover. Its the most user-friendly registrar Ive used, complete with excellent telephone support. If you start with one domain registrar and want to switch to another, you can transfer your domains at any time, though you usually have to pay for an extra year when you do so.
Once you own a domain, be sure to renew it every year or pay for a multi-year registration. Set yourself a reminder to renew it at least a few weeks before it expires. When the renewal day comes up, make sure your payment information is up to date. I once nearly lost my joshcenters.com domain due to a payment snafu with Hover. Domain squatters often scoop up lapsed domains and try to resell them back to their owners at exorbitant prices.
Below is a screenshot of me setting up a forwarding address for one of my Epik domains. I set it up so forwards any email it received to my main email address. That enabled me to receive Apples confirmation message.
Can I Use My New Personalized Email Address To Sign In To Microsoft Services Like Outlookcom Or My Microsoft 365 Subscription
No. We strongly recommend against setting your personalized email address as your primary alias for signing in. Doing this can create problems with signing in or even sending and receiving email.
You can still set your personalized email address as your default “From” address:
Go to your Outlook.com Email alias settings.
Set the default Fromaddress from the drop down of address available.
Don’t Miss: What Is Web Hosting Vs Domain
Email List Academy Student
When I purchased my domain name, MelyssaGriffin.com, I had the option of creating an email address through my webhost
That is, until I realized I could have both! Id heard that it was possible to use Gmail with a custom domain name, but always put off learning how to do it because I expected it to be difficult and time-consuming. Luckily, it was neither of those things, and I was able to create two professional, custom domain email addresses within minutes.
Connecting Your Email At Your Own Domain To Your Existing Email Client
If you already use a third-party desktop or mobile email client, such as Thunderbird, Outlook or Apple Mail, you may also want to add your email at your own domain to your existing email client. This has a major convenience bonus, and the process is very similar for all email hosts.
First, set up your email host to integrate with email clients. This involves enabling IMAP and varies per provider:
- G Suite: Load up your G Suite Gmail, clicking the gear icon and then Settings Forwarding and POP/IMAP. Enable IMAP and Save Changes.
- Zoho: Load up Zoho Mail, go to Settings Mail POP/IMAP and Email Forwarding. Under IMAP Access, change the Status to Enable. Save and youre done.
- SiteGround and most web hosts: IMAP is enabled by default.
You now just need to add your email to your client of choice. For most desktop clients, this is just a case of heading to Accounts Add New and then entering your email and password, and server details. For the iOS Mail app, youll need to go to Settings Mail first, and add the account as ‘other’. For the Gmail app on Android, tap the top left Menu icon, and then the down arrow next to your username. From there, you can Add account, selecting Other as your email service .
Once youre ready to add in settings, get the appropriate settings for your host:
Whichever email client you’re using, add your new email at your own domain for extra convenience.
Recommended Reading: How To Find If A Domain Name Is Taken
Available Default Web Applications
Choose whichever email dashboard you like the look and feel of the best! Horde gives you a basic layout that includes a calendar, address book, and notes section.
The next available default client is roundcube. Its feature list is smaller but the dashboard looks a bit more modern.
Last is SquirrelMail. You can customize personal information with features like email signature and edit your incoming messages with different highlights based on which set of recipients you receive mail from.
Do I Need A Com Domain Extension For My Business
The .com domain is the original extension for e-commerce companies, and its still the leading domain extension today.
However, the dot.com domain doesnt have the same effect it used to in search queries. Today, Google prioritizes local searches to local domains.
Therefore, if youre running an accountancy business in New York, you dont need to go with the .com or .org extension.
Choosing a local domain extension, like .nyc, is a better option, especially for rising through search and SERP rankings.
These custom domain extensions look great on your business card and online, adding more value to your brand identity.
One of the biggest issues with choosing a .com domain is the cost. Some premium domains sell for thousands of dollars. If youre bootstrapping your startup, you cant afford that expense.
A local custom domain like .nyc is more affordable, and youll probably find what youre looking for, and it costs you less than $10.
Read Also: How Do I Get My Domain Name Back
Why You Need A Business Email Address
Here are the important reasons for using the business email address:
- It is a custom business email address and thereby is more professional.
- Business email address is short and can be remembered easily.
- You can ensure that every email you send has a standard format and therefore maintain consistency.
- Sending emails with a business name enables you to promote your brand.
- Professional email addresses are less unlikely to be marked as spam by customers.
Get A Free Email Domain With Mailcom
If you want a 100% free email domain without needing to purchase your own web hosting and/or domain name, this is your best option.
This method wont enable you to create a custom email domain, so it may not be the best solution for established businesses. However, if youre a freelancer or just starting out and dont mind using a generic domain name, it could be optimal for you.
Mail.com enables you to set up an industry-specific email account thats completely free. You can pick from a variety of domain names such as example@graphic-designer.com or example@programmer.net. Simply sign up for an account to get started:
Once youve filled in your details and chosen your password, click on I agree. Create an email account now. Then, click on Activate your account now, and youre done:
Note that, unfortunately, this option wont allow you to send and receive emails via Outlook or Gmail. Youll have to log in to Mail.com each time you want to use it.
Also Check: How To Transfer A Domain From Google
Connect To Your Outlookcom Account In Outlook
Youre done with the web configuring part and now it is time to get everything into Outlook. This is an easy process by using Auto Account Setup.
- File-> Add Account
Depending on your version of Outlook, youll get one of the dialogs below.
When you get this screen, fill out your email address and press the Connect button. When youve already stored your credentials for this account in Windows, the account will be added directly. If not, youll get prompted for your password. When you have Two-Step Verification enabled for your Outlook.com or Microsoft Account, then youll also be prompted for additional confirmation such as by entering a code obtained via an SMS text message or the Authenticator app.
When you get the dialog shown above, fill out your name, email address and password. When you have Two-Step Verification enabled for your Outlook.com or Microsoft Account, then youll have to use a special App Password instead of your regular password.
This Is Hard And Even A Bit Scary
E-mail is hard. If you want an easier sysadmin project, go set up a Web server. E-mail is a lot more complex, with many more moving parts. On the other hand, your correspondence with others is one of the most personal aspects of your online lifein a medium ultimately made of text, your words are you. It’s worth learning how to claw your online life back from those who would data mine and monetize it.
There are pitfalls and caveatsthe biggest of which is that if you run your own e-mail server, you will be the sysadmin. The upside of this is that no bored or tired customer service rep about to go off-shift is going to fall for a social engineering attack and reset your e-mail password. The downside is that you are responsible for the care and feeding of your system. This is not an impossible taskit’s not even really difficultbut it is non-trivial and never-ending. Applying critical updates is your responsibility. When do critical updates come out? That’s your responsibility to keep track of, too.
Worst of all, if you screw up and your server is compromised or used as spam relay, your domain will almost certainly wind up on blacklists. Your ability to send and receive e-mail will be diminished or perhaps even eliminated altogether. And totally scrubbing yourself from the multitude of e-mail blacklists is about as difficult as trying to get off of the TSA’s No Fly list.
You have been warned.
Read Also: How Do I Get A Domain Name For My Business
A Quick Primer Custom Email For Beginners
Creating a new email account is actually simple! Even if you are completely new to the process, youll get the hang of it in no time. Think of it as creating a website, since you begin by purchasing a domain name and choosing an email hosting provider. If you have a website for your business, then you already have a domain name of your own. In that case, the best option is to use that domain name for your email.
If you dont have a domain name yet, you will have to buy one. You can purchase a domain name from a domain registrar and connect it to the email hosting provider. Or you can buy a domain name right from the email hosting provider of your choosing. We will show you in detail how to make email accounts with different companies.
Domain Owners: Outlookcom With Microsoft 365 Family/personal Or Microsoft 365 Exchange Online
When you own a domain and also have a Microsoft 365 Family/Personal subscription, then you can link your domain to Outlook.com so that everyone in your subscription can also use a personalized address with their Outlook.com mailbox .
The benefit of this method is that you dont have to configure any forwarder or Send Only POP3 account. You are however limited to only 1 personalized address per Outlook.com mailbox. The Microsoft 365 Family subscription allows up to 6 people with such a personalized address whereas the Microsoft 365 Personal subscription only allows 1.
To set this up, the one managing the Microsoft 365 Family/Personal subscription will have to do this in Outlook.com via
- Settings-> View all Outlook settings-> Premium-> Features-> Personalized email address
Currently, this benefit is only possible when GoDaddy is the registrar for your domain.
Setting up a personalized email address via Outlook.com Premium.
Recommended Reading: How Do I Find Out Where My Domain Is Registered