Source: https://help.spamfoo.com/guides/hosted-connect-mail-server
Last updated: 2026-11-10

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# Connect a Mail Server to Your Hosted Instance

With hosted SpamFoo, SpamFoo runs SpamFoo Client for you on its own servers. Your mail server sends each message to your hosted instance and gets the result back. This page shows how to find your instance's connection details and give them to your mail server.

## Before You Start

- Have a hosted SpamFoo license. Its page in your SpamFoo account shows a **Hosted instance** card.
- Wait until the card shows **Ready**. SpamFoo emails you when your instance is ready.
- Make sure your mail server can make outgoing HTTPS connections (port 443) to the internet.

## Copy the Connection String

The connection string holds your instance's address and its proxy secret, the password your mail server uses to reach it.

1. Sign in to your account at [www.spamfoo.com](https://www.spamfoo.com/account/licenses) and open your hosted license.
2. Click **Open Dashboard**. Your instance's dashboard opens, already signed in as a System Admin.
3. Go to **System > Status**.
4. On the **Connection string** card, click the copy button. The value stays hidden until you click **Show**, but the copy button works either way.

The connection string looks like `spamfoo+https://k3x9q2ab.h.spamfoo.com/#secret`. The part before `#` is your instance's address, and the part after it is the proxy secret.

> **Warning** The connection string contains the proxy secret. Treat it like a password, and do not paste it into email or tickets.

## Connect SmarterMail

1. In SmarterMail, open the setup card for SpamFoo.
2. Paste the connection string.
3. Save.

For more about connecting SmarterMail to a SpamFoo Client that runs somewhere else, see [Use SpamFoo Client on Another Server](https://help.spamfoo.com/integrations/smartermail/setup#external-client).

## Check That It Works

1. Send a test message to a mailbox on your mail server.
2. Open your hosted dashboard again and look for the message on the **Messages** page. See [Search Messages](https://help.spamfoo.com/guides/admin-console#messages).

If the message appears, your mail server is connected. See [Use the Admin Console](https://help.spamfoo.com/guides/admin-console) for a tour of the dashboard.

## Limit Who Can Reach Your Instance

By default, anyone who has your proxy secret can send mail to your instance. To accept connections only from your own mail servers, contact SpamFoo support with their public IP addresses. Support adds them to your instance's IP allow list.

## Troubleshooting

### No Open Dashboard Button

**Cause:** Your instance is still being set up, or it is stopped.

**Fix:** Check the **Hosted instance** card on your license page. Wait for **Ready**, or contact SpamFoo support if it shows **Problem** or **Stopped**.

### Mail Isn't Being Checked

**Cause:** The connection string was copied incompletely or the proxy secret was changed.

**Fix:** Copy the connection string again from **System > Status** and paste it into your mail server.

**Cause:** Your mail server can't make outgoing HTTPS connections, or its address isn't on your instance's IP allow list.

**Fix:** Allow outgoing connections on port 443. If support set up an allow list for you, ask them to add the mail server's public IP address.