What are my SMTP Emailing Options?

[Jas]

Okay, so I failed miserably at creating a script to send an email. I tried PHP's mail() function and I tried using LibGMailer, and none of it worked. So what are my options? I need an email script, but I can't figure out what to do. Here are some of the problems that I am facing:

1) I have a "dynamic IP address" (What is that, exactly? I know it means I can't be traced, which is why it doesn't work) and I can't change my ISP (Vonage).
2) I don't know what was wrong with Gmail, I could connect, but that was it.

Any suggestions would be great, thanks.

[thetestingsite]

Upload to a live web server that has a functioning mail server and then you can simply use the mail() function in php; or you can set up your computer to be a server by installing either netserver or another wamp package (or install everything separately).

1) I have a "dynamic IP address" (What is that, exactly? I know it means I can't be traced, which is why it doesn't work) and I can't change my ISP (Vonage).

Go through a service like dyndns.com or no-ip.com.

Hope this helps.

[Jas]

Thanks thestestingsite.
Is there a no-cost solution? My website is non-profit, and I don't want to pay for more then the domain name ($10 a year, I think it is), and I want to host it myself (on windows XP or linux-- don't know which yet).

(And I already have wampserver.)

[Jas]

. . . Sorry, but I still don't have a solution. Is there a way to go through another server, perhaps? For free? (I know I sound cheap, but, again, it's a non-profit site, and I don't have money to burn on it. . .) What ISP's would support the mail function? Does it make a difference if the site is online or offline?

[benslayton]

I use dyndns.com. there is an option in my router setting s to automatically update my ip when it changes. dyndns.com and no-ip.com both have a free option...

[Jas]

Thanks. I didn't realize that. I am guessing that it is the same as http://freedns.afraid.org/, which a friend told me about. From what I can gather, you use that site to connect your IP to your domain, so to speak. In other words, you buy a domain name, set up an account through freedns.afraid.org or dyndns.com, and that allows you to host your site and send emails through a secure, tracable IP address. Am I correct, or am I way off?

[Jas]

Anyone have any idea?