Recommended Way to Send Email Using PHP and PEAR on Windows Servers
When running PHP on Windows servers, the most reliable way to send email is by using the PEAR Mail package with SMTP authentication. This method ensures proper delivery, avoids local mail restrictions, and works with all modern mail servers.
Below is a recommended example showing how to send an email using PEAR Mail with SMTP authentication.
PHP + PEAR SMTP Example
<?php
require_once "Mail.php";
$from = "Your Name <you@your-domain.com>";
$to = "Recipient Name <recipient@your-domain.com>";
$subject = "Test Email";
$body = "Hi,\n\nThis is a test email sent using PEAR Mail.";
$host = "mail.YOUR-DOMAIN.COM";
$username = "you@your-domain.com";
$password = "YOUR-EMAIL-PASSWORD";
$headers = array(
'From' => $from,
'To' => $to,
'Subject' => $subject
);
$smtp = Mail::factory('smtp', array(
'host' => $host,
'auth' => true,
'username' => $username,
'password' => $password
));
$mail = $smtp->send($to, $headers, $body);
if (PEAR::isError($mail)) {
echo "<p>" . $mail->getMessage() . "</p>";
} else {
echo "<p>Message successfully sent!</p>";
}
?>
Replace the SMTP host, username, and password with your actual email account details.
Important Notes
- Use your full email address as the SMTP username.
- Ensure your SMTP hostname is correct (e.g., mail.your-domain.com).
- PEAR Mail must be installed on your hosting environment.
- For improved security, use port 587 with TLS if supported by your mail provider.
PEAR Mail remains a reliable option for legacy PHP applications, especially on Windows servers where built‑in mail functions may be restricted.
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