SMTP Connector
The SMTP connector configures the outgoing email server used by Kiwire for all system-generated emails. Without a working SMTP configuration, email-based features — OTP delivery, welcome messages, password resets, voucher notifications, and security alerts — are unavailable. The connector supports any standards-compliant SMTP server, including cloud relay services like Amazon SES, SendGrid, Mailgun, and Microsoft 365.
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Configuration Fields
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
host | SMTP server hostname or IP address (e.g., smtp.gmail.com, email-smtp.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com, smtp.office365.com) |
port | SMTP port number. Common values: 25 (unauthenticated relay, often blocked), 465 (SMTPS / SSL), 587 (STARTTLS / TLS submission — recommended). |
encryption | Transport encryption type: none (plain SMTP), ssl (SMTPS on port 465), tls (STARTTLS on port 587). Always use ssl or tls in production. |
username | SMTP authentication username. For most cloud providers this is the full sender email address or an API key value. |
password | SMTP authentication password or API secret. Stored encrypted at rest. Never logged or displayed after saving. |
from_address | The sender email address shown in the From header of all outgoing emails (e.g., noreply@yourcompany.com). Must be an address authorised to send from the configured SMTP server. |
from_name | The sender display name shown alongside the from address in email clients (e.g., Kiwire WiFi or your organisation name). |
Port and Encryption Reference
| Port | Encryption | When to use |
|---|---|---|
25 | None | Server-to-server relay only. Rarely suitable for application-level email sending. Many ISPs and cloud providers block outbound port 25. |
465 | SSL (SMTPS) | Legacy SSL-wrapped SMTP. Still supported by many providers. Use encryption = ssl. |
587 | TLS (STARTTLS) | Modern standard for authenticated email submission. Recommended for all cloud relay services. Use encryption = tls. |
2525 | TLS | Alternative port used by some providers (Mailgun, SendGrid) when port 587 is blocked by hosting firewalls. |
What SMTP Powers
A working SMTP connector enables the following Kiwire features:
| Feature | Email sent |
|---|---|
| Email OTP login | One-time password code to the user's registered email address |
| New user welcome | Account confirmation and login details on first registration |
| Voucher by email | Voucher code and access instructions delivered directly to the guest |
| Admin password reset | Secure password reset link to the admin's registered email |
| Security alerts | Failed login threshold alerts, MFA disabled notifications, superuser activity warnings |
| Account expiry notice | Reminder email to users approaching their account expiry date |
If the SMTP connector is not configured or is disabled, email-dependent login methods (Email OTP) will be unavailable on the captive portal, and admin password reset will not function. Admins will see a configuration warning banner on affected pages.
Testing the Configuration
After saving, click Send Test Email to verify the configuration. Enter any valid recipient email address — Kiwire will attempt to connect to the SMTP server, authenticate, and deliver a test message. The test result shows:
- Success — test email delivered; the Last Tested timestamp updates on the connector card
- Connection refused — check
hostandport; ensure firewall allows outbound traffic to the SMTP server - Authentication failed — check
usernameandpassword; for Gmail, ensure an App Password is used (not your account password) when 2FA is enabled
For Gmail personal accounts, use an App Password (Google Account → Security → App Passwords) rather than your main account password. For Google Workspace, use a dedicated service account or configure Gmail SMTP relay in the Admin Console to avoid per-user App Password management.
Common Cloud Provider Settings
| Provider | Host | Port | Encryption |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon SES | email-smtp.{region}.amazonaws.com | 587 | tls |
| SendGrid | smtp.sendgrid.net | 587 | tls |
| Mailgun | smtp.mailgun.org | 587 | tls |
| Microsoft 365 | smtp.office365.com | 587 | tls |
| Gmail | smtp.gmail.com | 587 | tls |
| Brevo (Sendinblue) | smtp-relay.brevo.com | 587 | tls |
Required Permissions
view-connector-smtp · edit-connector-smtp