Can my web server be at one hosting company, and my email hosted by a 3rd party?

Question

I have a web server that runs my web application.

If I want to outsource my email to another provider, is it possible if they are on their on network/data center?

Answer 1

Yes, this is possible. You need to use the combination of "A" record and "MX" record.

1. "A" record will point to your web server where your application is hosted.
2. "MX" record will point to the server where you want to host your email.

A complete step-by-step reference on how to do this can be found here Hosting website and emails on different servers

Answer 2

It is possible no matter where they are located, as long as you have control of your DNS records. I have run many sites where the web server is located in our building and the mail server is at the customer's own site, connected with via an unrelated ISP. In one case the web server is in the USA, and the mail server is in the UK.

The DNS records can be on a different server again. Some registrars include editing DNS records in their interface, others just let you set the DNS to another server.

The records that determine the e-mail server are called MX records. They take the name of the mail server (not it's IP address). The records that turn names to IP addresses are called A records - you use these for "www" etc.