# Recommended E-Mail Hosts



## Replytoken (Oct 28, 2011)

I recently registered a domain name for upcoming use with either SmugMug or Zenfolio.  But, I would also like to have e-mail accounts for this domain, and need to choose a mail service.  I know that Google offers mail through Apps, and they have a free version for lite use.  Are there any other affordable or free services that will work with your own domain name that folks recommend?  My needs will not be extensive, and I am open to any suggestions.  I had a recommendation for Zoho Mail, but I have not yet had time to see what they offer.  Any advice or wisdom would be appreciated.

Thanks,

--Ken


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## edgley (Oct 28, 2011)

With whom did you register it?
If it was 123reg they offer email, that might be good enough for you.


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## Replytoken (Oct 28, 2011)

I registered with pairNIC.  They offer web hosting through their sister company, Pair, but I do not believe that they offer a mail-only package.

--Ken


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## Victoria Bampton (Oct 28, 2011)

I've got Google Apps mail running on numerous domains (1 paid, rest free), and I've been very happy with it.  The spam filtering is second to none, and as it's not tied to a specific ISP or domain host, I can shift around to my heart's content.


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## clee01l (Oct 28, 2011)

Victoria Bampton said:


> I've got Google Apps mail running on numerous domains (1 paid, rest free), and I've been very happy with it.  The spam filtering is second to none, and as it's not tied to a specific ISP or domain host, I can shift around to my heart's content.


Not to intentionally be chimping off of Ken's post, but how do you get a free Gmail server for your domain?


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## Victoria Bampton (Oct 28, 2011)

Here you go Cletus http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/group/index.html


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## Replytoken (Oct 28, 2011)

Thanks for the reply, Victoria.  Google's free Apps account was my first choice, but I wanted to see what my other options were.  I am still trying to decide between Zenfolio and SmugMug for my images, and it appears that SmugMug plays well with Google's Blogger, as opposed to WordPress.  Thankfully, I am not really under pressure to have things up and running, so I can explore a bit before deciding.  I am still interested in Zoho's free package, but will probably not decide between the two until I figure out how they both handle things like e-mail aliases.  I still have not ruled out hosting my own web site, so that is also in play.  I would imagine I will be aksing a few more questions, so I ask for your patience.  Choosing a domain registrar was a hassle enough.  Some of the "deals" these companies offer seem to give used car salespeople a good name.

--Ken


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## Replytoken (Oct 29, 2011)

Victoria Bampton said:


> Here you go Cletus http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/group/index.html


Victoria,

One more question.  In the free version of Google Apps, are the messages free of ads?

--Ken


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## clee01l (Oct 29, 2011)

Replytoken said:


> Victoria,
> 
> One more question.  In the free version of Google Apps, are the messages free of ads?
> 
> --Ken


You are not required to use the GMAIL website as a mail client for a gmail account or any other domain hosted by Google. Ads only appear on the browser client for Gmail.   I use Outlook for my Gmail client. Google is only the mail server not the client. You set up the mail client of your choice and point it to the Google mail server just like you would do if another server is hosting your domain.


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## Victoria Bampton (Oct 29, 2011)

Replytoken said:


> In the free version of Google Apps, are the messages free of ads?



So just to clarify this point, yes.  You have complete control of the email content, whether via web interface or email software.  It doesn't add anything to the email footers (unlike hotmail, etc).


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## Replytoken (Oct 29, 2011)

Thank you both for your responses.  Unfortunately, I muddled my question a bit.  First, I am not certain why I did not remember that Gmail does not add anything to the body of a message, as I have a personal Gmail account.  Perhaps I am remembering Hotmail messages that I have received, as Victoria alluded to in her post.  Second, what I actually meant to ask was if Google Apps mail client was free of ads.  I am finding my Gmail screen to be a bit cluttered with ads, and was hoping that they might have offered a less cluttered interface in Apps.  Wishful thinking, I guess.  Sorry for the confusion.

--Ken


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## Victoria Bampton (Oct 29, 2011)

The free version has the ads down the right hand side of the interface, although you can disable them with various browser plug-ins - the Rapportive plug-in replaces it with useful information.  The paid version allows you to disable them completely.  And of course, if you use any other email software like Outlook or Thunderbird, you'd never see the ads anyway.


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## Replytoken (Oct 29, 2011)

Thank you for the plug-in recommendations, Victoria.  I am going to push my luck and throw out another question, albeit one that is still OT.  While I have not yet decided between SmugMug or Zenfolio to host my images, I would like to get Google Apps set up so I have access to mail.  Will first setting up Google Apps cause me any problem when I do set up my photo host, or am I primarily setting my my e-mail in Google Apps?  In other words, after I set up Google apps, where will I be taken if I type in my URL?  Currently the page is parked with my registrar.

--Ken


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## Victoria Bampton (Oct 30, 2011)

It would only affect your emails, not your webpage.  When you set up for Google Apps, it takes you through some instructions of MX record settings you need to change with your domain registrar, and those MX records only affect email.


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## Replytoken (Oct 30, 2011)

Victoria Bampton said:


> It would only affect your emails, not your webpage.  When you set up for Google Apps, it takes you through some instructions of MX record settings you need to change with your domain registrar, and those MX records only affect email.



Thank you again for the reply, Victoria.  I opened up the Google Apps account assuming, as you said, that only the mail settings would be impacted.  I did manage to get the account set up, but I somehow seem to have lost the page that "parked" my domain with my registrar.  I do not believe its a big deal, but I wish I understood all of this a bit more.  There are also a few other settings that may need some attention, and Google's instructions are a bit lacking, so I may post back if that is OK.  I'll try to keep it brief as this is a LR forum, but I trust the folks here more than I do at many other forums, so my preference is to work with friendly folks if at all possible.

Thanks,

--Ken


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## Victoria Bampton (Oct 30, 2011)

If you want to drop me an email Ken, I'll talk you through any bits you're missing.  A screenshot of your DNS settings will probably provide a clue.


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## Replytoken (Oct 30, 2011)

Thank you so much, Victoria! 

--Ken


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