WordPress IntegrationCopy Anchor Link

By default, WordPress uses PHP's mail() function, which often results in emails landing in spam or not being delivered at all. This guide shows you how to route all WordPress email through NorthRelay for reliable delivery.

PrerequisitesCopy Anchor Link

• A WordPress site with admin access
• A NorthRelay account with an API key (get started here)
• Your SMTP credentials from Dashboard → API Keys

Using WP Mail SMTP PluginCopy Anchor Link

WP Mail SMTP is the most widely used WordPress SMTP plugin with over 3 million active installations.

Step 1: Install the PluginCopy Anchor Link

1. Log in to your WordPress admin panel
2. Go to Plugins → Add New
3. Search for WP Mail SMTP
4. Click Install Now, then Activate

Step 2: Configure SMTP SettingsCopy Anchor Link

1. Go to WP Mail SMTP → Settings (or the setup wizard that appears after activation)
2. Under From Email, enter the address you want emails to come from (e.g., wordpress@yourdomain.com)
3. Check Force From Email to override all plugins' from addresses
4. Under From Name, enter your site name
5. Under Mailer, select Other SMTP

Step 3: Enter NorthRelay SMTP DetailsCopy Anchor Link

Fill in the SMTP settings:

Click Save Settings.

Step 4: Send a Test EmailCopy Anchor Link

1. Go to WP Mail SMTP → Tools → Email Test
2. Enter a recipient email address
3. Click Send Email
4. Check the recipient's inbox to confirm delivery
5. Verify the email appears in your NorthRelay Dashboard → Email Logs

Storing Credentials SecurelyCopy Anchor Link

Avoid storing your API key in the WordPress database. WP Mail SMTP supports defining credentials in wp-config.php:

// wp-config.php
define( 'WPMS_ON', true );
define( 'WPMS_SMTP_HOST', 'smtp.north-pipe.ca' );
define( 'WPMS_SMTP_PORT', 587 );
define( 'WPMS_SSL', 'tls' );
define( 'WPMS_SMTP_AUTH', true );
define( 'WPMS_SMTP_USER', 'your-email@example.com' );
define( 'WPMS_SMTP_PASS', 'nr_live_xxxxxxxxxxxx' );
define( 'WPMS_MAIL_FROM', 'wordpress@yourdomain.com' );
define( 'WPMS_MAIL_FROM_FORCE', true );
define( 'WPMS_MAIL_FROM_NAME', 'Your Site Name' );
define( 'WPMS_MAIL_FROM_NAME_FORCE', true );

When credentials are defined in wp-config.php, the fields in the plugin settings page will be locked and display "Defined in wp-config.php".

Alternative PluginsCopy Anchor Link

If you prefer a different plugin, these alternatives also work with NorthRelay:

Post SMTPCopy Anchor Link

1. Install Post SMTP Mailer/Email Log from Plugins → Add New
2. Run the setup wizard
3. Choose SMTP as the transport
4. Enter the NorthRelay SMTP settings (same values as above)
5. Post SMTP includes a built-in email log for troubleshooting

FluentSMTPCopy Anchor Link

1. Install FluentSMTP from Plugins → Add New
2. Go to Settings → FluentSMTP
3. Click Add Connection and select Other SMTP
4. Enter the NorthRelay SMTP settings
5. FluentSMTP supports multiple SMTP connections and fallback routing

What Emails Does This Affect?Copy Anchor Link

Once configured, all WordPress emails will route through NorthRelay, including:

• New user registration emails
• Password reset emails
• WooCommerce order confirmations and shipping notifications
• Contact form submissions (Contact Form 7, WPForms, Gravity Forms)
• Comment notification emails
• Plugin and core update notifications

TroubleshootingCopy Anchor Link

"Could not authenticate" errorCopy Anchor Link

• Verify your username is your NorthRelay account email (not a WordPress user email)
• Confirm the API key is correct and active
• Check that authentication is set to On in the plugin settings

Test email succeeds but other emails failCopy Anchor Link

• Some plugins override the SMTP settings. Enable Force From Email in WP Mail SMTP to prevent this
• Check that no other SMTP plugin is active (deactivate competing plugins)
• If using a caching plugin, clear the cache after configuring SMTP

Connection timeoutCopy Anchor Link

• Verify your hosting provider allows outbound connections on port 587
• Many shared hosting providers block SMTP ports. Contact your host to request access, or try port 465 with SSL encryption
• If on shared hosting with no outbound SMTP, consider using the NorthRelay REST API via a custom plugin instead

PHP mail() fallbackCopy Anchor Link

If the SMTP connection fails, WordPress may silently fall back to PHP mail(). To prevent this:

1. In WP Mail SMTP, ensure the mailer is set to Other SMTP (not Default (PHP)
2. Use the email test tool to confirm SMTP is working
3. Monitor deliveries in NorthRelay Dashboard → Email Logs — if emails stop appearing there, the fallback may have activated

Plugin conflictsCopy Anchor Link

If you experience issues after installing WP Mail SMTP:

1. Deactivate other SMTP or email plugins
2. Switch to a default WordPress theme temporarily to rule out theme conflicts
3. Check WP Mail SMTP → Tools → Debug Events for error details

Related GuidesCopy Anchor Link

• SMTP Configuration — Full SMTP settings reference and TLS details
• DNS Setup Guide — Improve deliverability with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
• Troubleshooting — General troubleshooting guide