What Is Email Hosting and How to Set Up a Custom Domain Email with DirectAdmin

Once you have your own website and domain, the next step every business should take is setting up email addresses that use your own domain name — for example, [email protected] — instead of continuing to use a personal Gmail or Yahoo account. This article explains what email hosting is, why it matters, and how to configure it step by step in DirectAdmin.

What Is Email Hosting?

Email hosting is a service that lets you create and use email addresses under your own domain name, such as [email protected] or [email protected]. These emails are stored, sent, and received through a mail server that is linked to your domain.

With AsiaGB Hosting, email hosting is included in every plan at no additional cost. You can create domain email accounts immediately through DirectAdmin.

Email Hosting vs Free Email (Gmail, Yahoo)

Many people wonder why they should bother with email hosting when Gmail works perfectly well. The answer is professional credibility and business trust.

Drawbacks of Using Gmail/Yahoo for Business

• Looks unprofessional — customers may hesitate to trust a [email protected] address
• Cannot create multiple role-based addresses like sales@, support@, hr@
• No control over policies — Google can suspend your account without warning
• Business correspondence lives on a third-party platform with potential privacy concerns

Benefits of a Custom Domain Email

• Projects a professional image and builds customer trust immediately
• Create unlimited addresses for different roles or departments
• Full control over data, policies, and configurations
• Works with Webmail or any email client like Outlook or Thunderbird
• Can forward mail to Gmail if you prefer that interface

Understanding Email Protocols: IMAP, POP3, and SMTP

Before configuring your email client or mobile device, it helps to understand the three main email protocols. Choosing the right one saves you from common problems like missing emails or inbox sync failures.

For businesses with multiple staff members or anyone who checks email on both a computer and a phone, IMAP is the right choice. Mail read on your phone will be marked as read on your desktop client automatically, keeping your inbox consistent across all devices.

How to Create an Email Account in DirectAdmin

AsiaGB uses DirectAdmin as its control panel, which includes a full-featured and user-friendly email management system. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to DirectAdmin at yourdomain.com:2222 or the URL provided by AsiaGB
2. From the dashboard, click E-Mail Manager
3. Click Create Account or Add Account
4. Enter the email name you want, e.g. info (the system appends @yourdomain.com automatically)
5. Set a strong password (mix of letters, numbers, and special characters)
6. Set the Quota (mailbox size) — 500 MB to 1 GB is recommended for most accounts
7. Click Create — your email is ready to use immediately

Configuring MX Records

If your domain and hosting are both at AsiaGB, the MX record is already configured automatically. If your domain is registered elsewhere, you will need to point the MX record to AsiaGB's mail server. Contact AsiaGB Support to receive the correct mail server details.

Configuring SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to Improve Deliverability

When you send email from your own domain, receiving servers check whether your message comes from an authorised source. Three DNS records control this. Without them, your email may be flagged as spam or rejected outright even though you sent it legitimately.

• SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Declares which IP addresses and servers are allowed to send email on behalf of your domain. Add a TXT record in DNS such as: v=spf1 mx a include:mail.yourdomain.com ~all
• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Adds a cryptographic signature to every outgoing message so recipients can verify the content has not been altered in transit. DirectAdmin generates DKIM keys automatically when your domain is configured.
• DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication): Sets a policy telling receiving servers what to do with messages that fail SPF or DKIM checks — reject them, quarantine them, or report them. It also sends you regular aggregate reports showing who is sending mail in your domain's name.

For domains and hosting both managed under the same AsiaGB account, SPF and DKIM are typically configured automatically. It is still good practice to verify all three records are in place using a tool such as MXToolbox or the built-in mail diagnostics in DirectAdmin before sending business correspondence at scale.

Accessing Webmail

Webmail lets you read and send email directly from a browser without installing any software — ideal for checking email from any device anywhere.

1. Open your browser and go to https://yourdomain.com/webmail or webmail.yourdomain.com
2. Log in with your full email address, e.g. [email protected], and your password
3. Select a Webmail client — RoundCube is recommended for its modern interface
4. You can now send and receive mail immediately

Setting Up Email Forwarding

Email forwarding automatically redirects incoming mail from your domain email to another address — for example, forwarding [email protected] to your personal Gmail inbox.

1. In DirectAdmin, go to E-Mail Manager and click Forwarders
2. Click Add Forwarder
3. Enter the source email name (e.g. info) and the destination address
4. Click Create — forwarding takes effect immediately

Configuring Email Clients (Outlook, Thunderbird)

To use your email through a desktop client like Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird, use the following settings:

• IMAP Server: mail.yourdomain.com, Port 993 (SSL)
• POP3 Server: mail.yourdomain.com, Port 995 (SSL)
• SMTP Server: mail.yourdomain.com, Port 465 (SSL) or 587 (STARTTLS)
• Username: your full email address, e.g. [email protected]
• Password: the password set in DirectAdmin

IMAP is strongly recommended over POP3. IMAP syncs your email across multiple devices, while POP3 downloads mail to a single machine and removes it from the server.

Adding Your Custom Email to iOS and Android

In addition to Webmail and desktop clients, configuring your business email on your smartphone keeps you responsive wherever you are. The steps for both iOS and Android are straightforward.

iPhone / iPad (iOS)

1. Go to Settings → Mail → Accounts → Add Account
2. Tap Other, then Add Mail Account
3. Enter your name, full email address, password, and a description
4. Select IMAP and enter the incoming mail server: mail.yourdomain.com, Port 993, SSL enabled
5. Enter the outgoing mail server (SMTP): mail.yourdomain.com, Port 465, SSL enabled
6. Tap Save — iOS will verify the connection and begin syncing your inbox

Android

1. Open the Gmail app or your device's built-in Email app and go to Settings → Add Account
2. Choose Other or Personal (IMAP)
3. Enter your full email address and password
4. If auto-configuration fails, manually enter: IMAP server mail.yourdomain.com, Port 993, SSL; SMTP server mail.yourdomain.com, Port 587, STARTTLS
5. Tap Next — Android will test the connection and start syncing

If you experience connection issues, verify that your network or device firewall is not blocking ports 993 or 465, and confirm that the username field contains your full email address rather than just the part before the @ symbol.

Email Management Best Practices

• Create role-based addresses such as info@, support@, sales@, billing@ to keep communication organized
• Set up auto-replies for out-of-office hours to maintain a professional impression
• Enable the spam filter built into DirectAdmin to reduce unwanted mail
• Monitor mailbox quotas regularly so inboxes never fill up and miss incoming messages
• Back up important emails by exporting or downloading critical business correspondence locally