SMTP is how SMPP Center sends emails from your platform: login alerts, OTP, password reset, credit notifications, support tickets, invoices, and bulk or marketing email. This guide covers platform SMTP (Admin), reseller SMTP (White Label), testing the connection, provider profiles for bulk email, and common fixes.
Why SMTP Matters
| Mailer Type | What it does | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| PHP Mail (not recommended) | Uses the server’s built-in mail function | Quick tests only. Limited reliability. Attachments are not supported. |
| SMTP (Recommended) | Connects to your mail provider (Gmail, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, cPanel mail, etc.) | Recommended for production. Required for attachments and reliable delivery. |
Always use SMTP in production.
What Gets Sent Over SMTP
Once SMTP is configured correctly, the platform can send:
- Admin and user login alerts
- Welcome emails and password reset links
- Login / signup OTP emails
- Credit add or remove notifications
- Sender ID and support ticket emails
- Rate / price notification emails (optional separate SMTP)
- Marketing and bulk email campaigns
- Postpaid invoices and expiry / low-balance reminders
Part 1: Platform SMTP (Admin Panel)
Use this for the main platform email identity and for the root/admin account mail flow.
Step 1: Open E-Mail Settings
- Log in to the Admin Panel.
- Go to Settings → General.
- Open the E-Mail Settings tab.
You will see sections for:
- Email branding (logo, footer, copyright, unsubscribe text)
- E-Mail – SMTP Settings
- Marketing batch mail options
- Bulk E-Mail Dispatch – SMTP Provider Profile
Step 2: Set Mailer Type to SMTP
- Find Mailer Type.
- Select SMTP.
- The SMTP fields appear.
Note shown in the panel: SMTP must be enabled if you want to send attachments in email.
Step 3: Fill SMTP Connection Fields
| Field | Required | What to enter |
|---|---|---|
| SMTP Host | Yes | Your provider host, e.g. smtp.gmail.com, smtp.office365.com, email-smtp.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com, or mail.yourdomain.com |
| SMTP Encryption | Yes | SSL or STARTTLS |
| SMTP Port | Yes | Usually 465 for SSL, 587 for STARTTLS (the UI often auto-fills this when you change encryption) |
| From Name | Yes | Display name recipients see, e.g. SMPP Center Alerts |
| SMTP Username | Optional* | Leave blank for Gmail / most providers (From E-Mail is used). For AWS SES, enter the SMTP username starting with AKIA... |
| From E-Mail | Yes | A verified sender address, e.g. noreply@yourdomain.com. Never put an AWS AKIA... username here |
| Reply-To E-Mail | Optional | Where replies should go. Leave blank to use the From address |
| SMTP Auth Mode | Optional | Leave Default (automatic) unless your provider requires LOGIN, PLAIN, or CRAM-MD5 |
| SMTP Password | Yes | Mailbox password or app password / SMTP secret |
*AWS SES and some enterprise relays require Username.
Step 4: Set Admin Notification Address
On the General settings area (same Settings page), confirm:
- Admin Notification E-Mail – where test mail and admin alerts are delivered (comma-separated for multiple)
- Site E-Mail (MAIL FROM) – platform identity used in some notification flows
The Test Connection feature sends the test message to your Admin Notification E-Mail.
Step 5: Test Connection
- Click Test Connection.
- Wait for the result.
- Success shows: SMTP Connected
- Check the Admin Notification inbox (and spam folder) for a Test Mail message.
If the test fails, fix credentials or network access first. Do not assume Save alone means mail will work.
Step 6: Save Settings
Click Save on General settings so host, encryption, port, From details, and password are stored. The password is stored encrypted.
Part 2: Reseller SMTP (White Label)
Resellers who send their own branded emails need their own SMTP under White Label. Without this, reseller bulk email and many reseller-branded notifications will not send correctly.
Path A: Reseller configures their own SMTP
- Log in to the Reseller / User Panel.
- Open White Label.
- Go to the Email category.
- Open SMTP Connectivity.
- Fill the same style of fields as Admin SMTP (Host, Encryption, Port, From Name, Username, From E-Mail, Password, optional Reply-To and Auth Mode).
- Optionally set an SMTP Provider Profile for bulk dispatch (see Part 4).
- Click Test Connection.
- On success (SMTP Connected), Save.
If SMTP Connectivity is missing, sending email from the reseller panel typically shows a message asking you to configure and save SMTP under White Label first.
Path B: Admin configures SMTP for a reseller
- Admin Panel → Users → edit the reseller.
- Open the Reseller tab.
- Find Reseller SMTP Settings.
- Enter host and related fields.
- Leave Password blank on update if you want to keep the existing password.
- Use Test Connection, then save the user.
These values are stored the same way as White Label SMTP Connectivity.
Optional: Rate Notification SMTP
Under White Label you may also see Rate Notification SMTP. Use a separate mailbox if price/rate emails should go out from a different From address than general alerts. If it is not set, the default SMTP Connectivity is used.
Part 3: Encryption and Port Cheat Sheet
| Encryption | Typical port | Common providers |
|---|---|---|
| SSL | 465 | Many cPanel / hosting SMTP setups |
| STARTTLS | 587 | Gmail, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, many transactional providers |
Tips:
- Prefer 587 + STARTTLS or 465 + SSL as your provider documents.
- Port 25 is often blocked by cloud hosts. Avoid it unless your provider explicitly requires it and the server allows outbound 25.
- Firewall / security groups must allow outbound TCP to your SMTP host on the chosen port.
Part 4: SMTP Provider Profile (Bulk / Marketing Email)
This is not a second SMTP account. It controls how fast bulk email is dispatched so you stay within provider limits and avoid temporary blocks.
Where to set it
- Admin: Settings → General → E-Mail Settings → Bulk E-Mail Dispatch – SMTP Provider Profile
- Reseller: White Label → SMTP Connectivity → Bulk E-Mail Dispatch Settings – SMTP Provider Profile
Profile options
| Profile | Rough pacing | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Google Workspace (Safe) | About 20 emails/min | Gmail / Google Workspace |
| Standard | About 120 emails/min | Most shared / business SMTP |
| High Volume | About 600 emails/min | SendGrid, Mailgun, Amazon SES, similar |
| Enterprise | About 1200 emails/min | Dedicated high-capacity relays |
| Custom | You set batch size, rate, and reconnect interval | Advanced tuning |
| Use platform default (reseller) | Falls back to admin settings, then safe defaults | When unsure |
If you leave profile unset, the platform can auto-detect from the SMTP host (for example Google/Outlook-style hosts use a safer profile; SendGrid/Mailgun/SES-style hosts use higher volume).
Marketing batch settings (Admin)
Also configure:
- Enable Batch E-Mail
- Batch E-Mail Count
Then send campaigns from Marketing → Send E-mail (Admin) or Send E-Mail (Reseller panel, after SMTP Connectivity is saved).
Part 5: Provider-Specific Setup Notes
Gmail / Google Workspace
- Use host
smtp.gmail.com. - Encryption: STARTTLS, port 587 (or SSL 465 if your account supports it).
- Enable 2-Step Verification and create an App Password. Use that as SMTP Password.
- Leave SMTP Username blank (From E-Mail is used).
- From E-Mail must be the Gmail / Workspace address (or an allowed send-as alias).
- Prefer the Google Workspace provider profile for bulk sends.
Microsoft 365 / Outlook
- Host is usually
smtp.office365.com. - STARTTLS + port 587.
- Username is often the full mailbox address.
- From address must be allowed for that mailbox.
- Use a conservative provider profile if sending in volume.
Amazon SES
- Host looks like
email-smtp.<region>.amazonaws.com. - SMTP Username = SES SMTP credentials user (
AKIA...). - From E-Mail = a verified SES identity (domain or email). Never put
AKIA...in From E-Mail. - Use the SES SMTP password from the console.
- Prefer High Volume profile for bulk.
- Confirm SES sandbox / production access and region match your host.
SendGrid / Mailgun / similar
- Use the SMTP host from the provider dashboard.
- Username/password (or API key as password) as documented by the provider.
- From address must be authenticated (SPF/DKIM domain).
- Prefer High Volume profile.
cPanel / custom domain mail
- Host is often
mail.yourdomain.comor the hostname your host provides. - Use the full email as From (and usually as username if required).
- Match SSL/465 or STARTTLS/587 to your host’s mail docs.
- Start with Standard profile.
Part 6: End-to-End Verification Checklist
After saving SMTP:
- Test Connection succeeds with SMTP Connected.
- Test email arrives in Admin Notification / reseller session inbox.
- Trigger a real event (password reset request, login alert, or a small Send E-mail campaign).
- Confirm From Name and From E-Mail look correct to the recipient.
- If using Reply-To, reply to the message and confirm it lands in the right mailbox.
- For bulk mail, confirm the Provider Profile matches your provider’s sending limits.
Part 7: Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Test fails / SMTP Not Connected | Wrong host, port, encryption, user, or password | Re-check provider docs; try STARTTLS/587 vs SSL/465; regenerate app password |
Authentication failed / 535 | Bad password or auth method | App password for Google; correct SES SMTP user; try Auth Mode LOGIN or PLAIN |
| Connection timed out / refused | Firewall, blocked port, wrong host | Allow outbound 465/587; confirm host and region |
| From E-Mail validation error about AWS username | AKIA... placed in From E-Mail | Move AKIA... to SMTP Username; put verified email in From |
| Please fill in all SMTP fields | Incomplete form | Fill required host, encryption, port, From, password |
| Please configure SMTP Connectivity under White Label | Reseller SMTP missing | Reseller → White Label → SMTP Connectivity → Test → Save |
| Emails paused / SMTP temporarily disabled after repeated failures | Auth guard after repeated handshake failures | Fix credentials, Test Connection successfully, or ask Admin to reset the reseller SMTP auth guard on the user Reseller tab |
| Attachments missing / not sent | Mailer Type is PHP Mail | Switch Mailer Type to SMTP |
| Bulk mail slow or provider blocks | Wrong Provider Profile | Use Google Workspace for Gmail; High Volume for SES/SendGrid/Mailgun; or Custom with lower rate |
| Works for Admin but not Reseller | Only platform SMTP set | Configure reseller White Label SMTP (or Admin → User → Reseller SMTP) |
Password tips
- Prefer app passwords / SMTP secrets over the main mailbox password when the provider offers them.
- After a successful save, leave password blank on later edits if you are not changing it (admin reseller form supports this).
- Avoid copying passwords with hidden spaces or HTML-encoded characters.
Deliverability tips (beyond SMTP login)
SMTP “connected” only means the server accepted the message. For inbox placement:
- Send from your own domain.
- Set SPF, DKIM, and preferably DMARC for that domain.
- Use a recognizable From Name.
- Keep marketing content compliant and include a clear unsubscribe footer (platform email footer settings support this).
Quick Setup Summary
Admin (platform):
Settings → General → E-Mail Settings → Mailer Type = SMTP → fill host/encryption/port/From/password → Test Connection → Save → set Provider Profile for bulk if needed.
Reseller:
White Label → SMTP Connectivity → fill and Test → Save → optional Rate Notification SMTP → optional Provider Profile.
Admin for a reseller:
Users → Edit → Reseller tab → Reseller SMTP Settings → Test → Save.
Need More Help?
If Test Connection still fails after verifying host, port, encryption, and credentials, contact your SMTP provider’s support with the exact error text from the Test Connection result, and share that message with SMPP Center support if you need platform-side assistance.
