Paul Szilard (Australia)

I’ve just invented a new device: iPhad (it applies to BOTH the iPhone and the iPad) – such apps are denoted in the iStore with a + sign.

So, I am going to share my email setup on my iPhad, which I have worked out after days of digging. And before you think I am a complete Dummy, I wanted more than the “simple” setup, that everyone knows about.

The Challenge:

To send emails from an iPhad using my own registered domain.

To achieve the above requirements, I am leveraging GMAIL (free) and own registered domain.

My iPhad group  comprises two devices:

1. iPhone 3Gs – on Telstra’s 3G network
2. iPad on WiFi only, without a 3G SIM card – attached to Bigpond Cable Extreme at home, or any other WiFi when on the go

You don’t have to follow my setup, to get benefit from this writeup, but let me give my reasons for using these services:

Bigpond Cable doesn’t allow SMTP relaying. What this means in human speak is that outgoing emails have to go through Bigpond’s mail server, instead of my own domain’s server. So I can’t send mail via “mail.mydomain.com”, but can via “mail.bigpond.com”. This is ok for home connected devices, which can be just setup for SMTP server=mail.bigpond.com, however I might want to use my iPhad device on another ISP’s connection, when the Bigpond mail server is not allowed.

An exception to the above rule is if you send via GMAIL’s SMTP server – as every ISP knows that GMAIL is legit. To use GMAIL for sending, however you must have a GMAIL account. No problems here, it’s free.

Step 1

is to create a GMAIL account and then set my iPhad to send via GMAIL server. This is to be so not only for the iPhad’s incoming GMAIL account, but also for my own domain’s email outgoing server.

Step 2

I want to be able to Delete some emails from my mail box, which means that I would need IMAP connection, however my mailbox on my domain is not so big. SOLUTION: auto forward all incoming emails to GMAIL and use my desk PC to empty incoming emails using a local POP3 client. This is for backup only! I’ll do my real work on GMAIL

Step 3

Create a dummy email address on my domain which will never receive anything. Call it some obscure id, such as “neverusethisdummyaccount@mydomain.com” but make sure you have a working account and know it’s password!

Step 4

On my iPhad I set up my real GMAIL account and test it. This will be my working email space.

Step 5

on the iPhad, I setup a POP3 email account that uses my proper email address (myaddress@mydomain.com”, however after this works I am going to edit this!

Step 6

Modify the account on the iPhad that was setup in the previous step,

1. so that the login goes to the empty account – as I don’t want duplicate emails and my real incoming message are via GMAIL
2. AND set the outgoing server to GMAIL’s SMTP – this will allow sending from ANY ISP’s WiFi connection without being blocked for relaying, and also means that my outgoing messages will show in GMAIL

Setting up is now complete.

Usage:

1. All incoming emails arrive and read in my GMAIL account. I can Delete/Archive/Reply from there BUT…
2. If I am sending or replying, there is an extra step, otherwise the sent from address will show GMAIL. This is to tap the “From:” field on the iPhad, and then select my domain email to send from.

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Summary

1. Incoming mail is forwarded from myname@mydomain.com ==>> myname@gmail.com
2. The iPhad has a dummy email account at my domain that never receives incoming messages, but allows a login for the iPhad’s verification; and the outgoing server on the iPhad is changed to go via the GMAIL account
3. Before sending any messages, must select the myname@mydomain.com account, to ensure that the Sent From/Reply Address shows my domain and not GMAIL

If I’ve totally confused you, have a coffee or a beer and read all this again

Good Luck!

Paul

ps: I’ll add screen shots when I have time…

pps: To get PUSHed emails you need to buy a MobileMe account from Apple, and then use that instead of GMAIL in the above scenario.