Frequently Asked Questions

Requirements & Setup

Blocking Spam & Viruses

Backup & Security


Q. What are the requirements to use the service?

A. To use the service you require your own domain name and a destination to which we can deliver your email. This can be your own mail server or a hosted mail service. Should your ISP not support the configuraton required we can provide POP3 email accounts.

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Q. How does the service work?

A. The service works by routing your email through to our servers before it is sent on to your mail server. As we receive your email, we filter out the spam and carry out anti-virus scanning. Once an email is deemed safe it is sent on to your mail server.

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Q. What changes do I need to make to my email configuration?

A. Generally the only change necessary is an MX record change. No changes with your mail server or mail host are needed. Should your mail host not support our service you may need to change your POP3 settings.

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Q. What are MX records?

A. MX records specify where on the internet your email should be delivered. They are defined in your DNS records. When signing up to the service it is necessary to change your MX records so that sending mail servers know to deliver your email to our servers. Once you have sent us your details we will instruct you on the necessary changes. Your current MX records can be checked using our MX Lookup Tool.

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Q. How do I change my MX records?

A. MX record changes can be made through your hosting company. An online control panel is often provided for these purposes. Alternatively you may need to email in the request from the domain administrator's email address.

If you require any help in changing your MX records, we will of course offer any assistance we can. In certain circumstances, a hosting company may accept a faxed request on company headed paper signed by the domain administrator. The form below outlines the required MX record changes.

MX Record Changes

If you would like us to send it in to your hosting company, please download it, add in your domain name, sign it and send it back to us on your company headed paper. We will then approach your hosting company with the changes.

Our fax number is +44 (0)1505 706067. Alternatively you can email it to us at support@yourcleanmail.com.

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Q. Will my mail server work with your service?

A. Our service is based on established internet standards and protocols and will work with any mail server that utilises these standards. These include Microsoft Exchange, MDaemon, Postfix and Sendmail.

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Q. Will my hosted mail account work with your service?

A. The vast majority of hosted mail accounts work seamlessly with our service. However certain hosted mail providers will not accept customers mail if the customer's MX records are not directed to the provider's mail servers. Please confirm this with your hosted mail provider before changing your MX records. Should your provider not support our service, we can provide POP3 accounts with webmail to accommodate this.

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Q. How do you block spam?

A. We use a combination of SMTP connect-time filtering and email content analysis. Further details can be found on our How We Block Spam page.

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Q. What happens to blocked spam? Is it quarantined?

A. When a spam email comes through our servers it is automatically deleted. Our service has been designed specifically without a quarantine area. This means that no administration of the service is required.

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Q. Do you scan for viruses?

A. Yes we do. Anti-virus scanning of email is part of the overall service to ensure that email-borne threats are blocked before reaching your network. Our anti-virus signatures are updated in real-time every 15 minutes. In addition we scan for phishing emails, trojans and worms.

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Q. Should anti-virus scanners be disabled on my local network computers?

A. We do not recommend this as viruses can be transported by other methods, for example USB keys or downloaded unknowingly from compromised websites.

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Q. What happens if my mail server goes down?

A. In the event of your mail server or mail host going down (either unexpectedly or for maintenance), we will queue your email on our servers until your mail server or mail host is back online. Once this happens all email that was queued will be delivered to you.

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Q. Are there any additional security measures that can be put in place?

A. If you are running your own mail server there are a number of additional security measures that can be put in place to further tighten your email security. Once you are setup on the service we will advise of these measures. These measures are generally only available to customers with their own mail servers.

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