XAMPP SMTP Mercury question?

[piperazine]

Hello,

I've just installed XAMPP on my windows XP machine for the first time (I used the ZIP install not the .exe, and ran the setup script). I'm pretty new to all this, and want to make sure I've got everthing working.

Ive started Mercury, Filezilla, MySQL, and Apache from the Control Panel and all of them say that they are running. Everything seems to be working OK. I can type localhost in the browser and I get the XAMPP welcome screen etc.

But, when I check Status I get everthing activated except IPv6 (which I believe is normal), and SMTP. I thought SMPT should be activated as I have Mercury allready running.

Could anyone confirm if SMTP being deactivated is normal, and/or explain why this is the case.

Thanks in advance

Matt

[Izzy]

Until you configure Mercury Mail to listen for incoming mail then SMTP will remain deactivated in the Status page - to configure Mercury there are good help files in the MercuryMail folder.

When Mercury is first started from a default installation of XAMPP nothing is automagically configured as it would be impossible to know how to do this with everyone having differing needs for this component.

BTW unless you are specifically requiring a full blown email service on your LAN then there would normally be no need to start Mercury and that would also apply to FileZilla if you have no need of a full blown FTP server - this will help conserve your system resources etc. etc.

Also if you do require to run an email server it would pay to check with your ISP if they permit it's use, check your ISP's TOS or email their support service - most are reluctant to allow an email server from a domestic IP because of it's possible use by spammers and with today's prolific use of IP banning and the associated complexities of removing a ban from an banned IP block, they often monitor and block various ports that a home mail server uses, unless of course you actually go through your ISP's mail exchange.

[piperazine]

Many Thanks for that explanation.

I'm not wanting to set up a full blown e-mail service at this point. Although I would like to maybe get Mercury configured just for testing purposes locally (if thats possible).

I'll look at the help files, but any more help would be appreciated (as I dont really know what I'm doing)

Happy new Year

Matt

[kikamuller]

I have been hours trying to figure out why this was happening!! thanks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[scanreg]

I have been hours trying to figure out why this was happening!! thanks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

how did you get it working?

thanks