Existing users, 
Problems sending iPhone mail through “MobileMe” alias accounts
Posted 18 July 2008 @ 11am in Troubleshooting
iPhone users seem to have a problem with the latest version 2.0 update in which MobileMe email accounts all send mail through the primary email name. This means that for accounts which are set up with email alias names, the iPhone software will not send email with a “reply to” address as the alias, but instead use the main account name as the reply email address. As described by one Apple Discussion member:
As described by Apple Discussions poster 24Golfer:
“If you use Alias email names and receive emails as you normally would - and reply to an email from your Alias - it still sends it out from the proper account instead.”
There currently are no direct fixes for this problem for iPhone users, as full support for email aliases will require an update from Apple. However there is a method for bypassing Apple’s MobileMe SMTP servers to get mail sent from alias account names. The fix for Apple’s Mail application is a more straightforward setup issue.
However, you can workaround the issue as follows:
Use Gmail as a pipe for handling aliased MobileMe names While the iPhone cannot fully handle MobileMe alias names, it can connect to Google Gmail accounts which can be used as a middleman for sending email via the alias names. The process to do this is as follows:
Set up a Gmail account Go to http://www.gmail.com and set up a free Gmail account. Then under the gmail settings go to the “Accounts” section and under “Send mail as:”, click the link to add another email address and enter the MobileMe email alias account (a confirmation email will need to be sent to the account).
Configure the iPhone to use the Gmail account SMTP server In the iPhone’s settings, go to the mail section, then to MobileMe, and get to the “Account Info” section. Select “SMTP” and add the following server “smtp.gmail.com”. Then use the new gmail name and password as the authentication information, and save the settings. Ensure the SMTP server for Me.com (smtp.me.com) is disabled.
NOTE: While this process has been outlined for Gmail, other free webmail accounts may also work if they support both sending mail as another account name and setup via alternative mail clients.
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3 Comments
Posted by daddygadgetdude
19 July 2008 @ 5am
If you want to have multiple “from” addresses - whether they are .mac, .me or anything else…the only way to do this is to setup your MobileMe account as an IMAP account (within Mail) instead of letting it automatically configure it for you.
Mail Account Information:
Description: MobileMe IMAP (or whatever you want to call it)
Account Type: IMAP
Email Address: primary@alias.com, secondary@alias.com, etc
Full Name
Incoming Mail Server: mail.me.com
User Name: (your MobileMe username)
Password: (your MobileMe password)
Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP): you will have to use an SMTP server that allows you to send from a different from address with authentication. You can not use default MobileMe SMTP server. If you have a gmail account - you can use gmail smtp but there are some downsides to using gmail, i.e. Outlook clients display “sent on behalf of your gmail account) when they reply to your e-mail.
You will sync this account to your iPhone and use it for e-mail - once you sync to iPhone once you don’t need to sync again unless you change something so you can uncheck sync box in iTunes
On your iPhone you will set up a (second) MobileMe account using your MobileMe information, i.e. username@me.com. Then you will turn OFF e-mail sync and turn ON the Contacts, Calendars and Bookmarks.
The only downside to this solution (besides it is not as easy as letting it auto configure everything for you) is that you give up “PUSH” e-mail. I found the PUSH e-mail to be too distracting anyway.
This will allow you to set your primary address for sending/replying to e-mail…but still be able to select any of the others when you reply or create e-mail.
The other practical use of this solution is that you can share contacts, bookmarks, calendar with another person, i.e. spouse while having your own e-mail accounts.
My wife and I share bookmarks, addressbook and iCal so that our Macs and iPhone have the same information.
Posted by wingsmith
19 July 2008 @ 3pm
To use an alias or reply-to with MobilMe:
Use the Gmail SMTP server. Create a new Gmail account (free). Settings: POP/IMAP Forwarding - select POP account. Settings:Accounts: Send mail as - Add another email address - for the account name use the alias or reply-to that you need. Proceed with verification. Make default. Select “Reply from same address mail was sent to”. On iPhone: Settings:Mail, Contacts, Calendars: select previously established @me.com account: Account Info:SMTP: Add Server: smtp.gmail.com, user name: full new gmail address, password: gmail password, ssl on, Authentication: password, port: 587. Go back one page by tapping smtp arrow at top of screen. Turn me.com server off, turn on new gmail server, make sure all other servers are off. Close all windows. Test by sending mail from iPhone mobilme account. Check reply-to at receiving email client.
Posted by Snaab
27 July 2008 @ 10am
OK. I have five .mac aliases. Will this work with all of them or only one?