Buying and using a domain for email?

jayme1

I'm seriously thinking of buying a domain to use for email, as I understand all I need to do is

1. buy a domain (say from 123reg) and then to get email I would
2. set up a free google apps account and follow their set up instructions (having to change like the MX records ect.)

then just renew the domain name whenever it needs to be

it is really as simple as that?

leemoss

It really is that simple, ive done it for quite awhile now.

jayme1

thanks I though it was, but it just seemed 'too' simple so I had to check.

leemoss

I was surprised myself at how simple it was. The only slight issue with Google Apps accounts is at the minute you cant sign up to Google+ (if you're into social networking) with an apps account although I believe that is going to change.

System

i use yahoo small business (previously geocities) for my domain - probably a bit more expensive than other services now but was decent value when i set it up!
the good thing with it is that you get your mail via yahoo mail's interface

esuhl

jayme1 wrote: »

it is really as simple as that?

Yup! That's about it!

The only other thing you'll need to do is to get your email client (or the web-based client) to set the "from" field in to the email address that you're using with your new domain. That way, when you send an email it will appear to come from you@yourdomain.co.uk instead of user123@gmail.com (or whatever).

leemoss

esuhl wrote: »

The only other thing you'll need to do is to get your email client (or the web-based client) to set the "from" field in to the email address that you're using with your new domain. That way, when you send an email it will appear to come from you@yourdomain.co.uk instead of user123@gmail.com (or whatever).

Not quite sure what you mean by that. Your primary email address with a Google apps account is your @domain.co.uk address and not a gmail address.

esuhl

leemoss wrote: »

Not quite sure what you mean by that. Your primary email address with a Google apps account is your @domain.co.uk address and not a gmail address.

Ah, okay. I'm not familiar with Google Apps - I mis-read the OP and thought they had just created a web-based email account with Google, and so would (by default) be sending messages from [EMAIL="user123@gmail.com"]user123@gmail.com[/EMAIL]...

When I first bought my domain, I needed to change my email client so that when I replied to a message that it had collected from [EMAIL="user123@gmx.co.uk"]user123@gmx.co.uk[/EMAIL], it set the "from" field in the header to [EMAIL="me@mydomain.co.uk"]me@mydomain.co.uk[/EMAIL]. I presume the OP would need to do something similar if he/she wanted to use (say) Thunderbird to collect mail using a Google email address, but send messages using the new domain's email address.

leemoss

Ah yes, like you say, that's possible with a standard Gmail account. Google apps literally host your email for you.

mikey72

I have mine hosted by vidahost.
Send and receive through microsoft outlook to [EMAIL="xxxxx@xxxxx.org"]xxxxx@xxxxx.org[/EMAIL]
Nothing else to do apart from pay a few pounds each year.

leemoss

mikey72 wrote: »

Send and receive through microsoft outlook to [EMAIL="xxxxx@xxxxx.org"]xxxxx@xxxxx.org[/EMAIL]

I always used to access my emails through outlook but over the last couple of years ive moved to cloud/web based services, ive found it far more convenient and less hassle.