How do I get mail() to send email via my SMTP server?

[JonBlockBoston]

I have a smtp server on machine 'a'. Linux machine 'b' runs php. I want to ensure that mail() generated from php is sent out via the smtp server on machine 'a'. How/where do I configure that?

Jon

[wilku]

Try configuring smtp in php.ini and uninstall sendmail (because the manual says that even if sendmail isn't found in the path you provided, php will look for it in common localizations)

[MarkR]

Set up the local MTA on the web server machine (b) so that it uses your main SMTP relay (a) as its "smart host". Consult the documentation for your mail transfer software as to how to do that.

PHP will send mail using the local MTA, which will in turn deliver it, via SMTP, to the "smart host" (unless locally addressed, which it won't be in most cases), which will then send it on to its destination.

At both stages it will be queued if the route ahead is unavailable.

Mark

[NogDog]

phpMailer comes with a SMTP class you could use.