Email sending limits and spam protection in WHM - Revision history

Docs admin: Rewritten for current WHM and Acenet servers (WHM section refresh)

2026-10-27T14:26:22Z

Rewritten for current WHM and Acenet servers (WHM section refresh)

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:26, 27 October 2026
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	~~{{note\|This article depicts functionality available only when logged into WHM as root~~. ~~The ability to set the max hourly email limit for a server requires either~~ a ~~Virtual~~ or ~~Dedicated~~ server ~~package. All of our shared servers have a max hourly~~ email ~~limit of 600/hour~~.}}		cPanel can limit how many emails each domain sends per hour. Limits stop a hacked website or email account from sending thousands of spam emails. Spam like that gets the server's IP address blacklisted, and then email from every account on the server stops being delivered.

			== Reseller hosting ==

	~~1 ) Login to~~ the ~~WHM of the server as root~~.		On our reseller servers we set an hourly sending limit for every domain and watch outgoing email for spam. If a domain reaches its limit, extra messages wait in the queue and are sent later.

			* To check whether a message was delivered, use '''Email''' > '''Mail Delivery Reports''' in WHM.
			* For newsletters and other bulk email, we recommend a dedicated email marketing service rather than your hosting account.
			* If one of your clients needs a higher limit, please [[Open a support ticket\|open a support ticket]].

	~~2 ) Click on~~ '~~Tweak Settings~~' ~~under the 'Server Configuration' section~~.		Every account also has cPanel's own spam filters. See [https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/email/spam-filters/ Spam Filters] in cPanel's documentation.

			== Your own server (cloud or dedicated) ==

	~~3 ) Click~~ on ~~the [[File:Mail_tab.JPG]] tab~~.		If you haven't set a limit on your server yet, we recommend doing so.

			=== Set a limit for the whole server ===

	~~4 ) Scroll down~~ to ~~the [[File:Max_hourly.JPG]] field~~.		'''1.''' Log in to WHM as root and go to '''Server Configuration''' > '''Tweak Settings'''.

			'''2.''' Click the '''Mail''' tab.

	~~5 ) Select the radio button to the left of the text box ([[File:WHM_radio_text~~.~~jpg]])~~.		'''3.''' In '''Max hourly emails per domain''', enter a limit that's higher than your busiest legitimate sender needs, for example 500.

			'''4.''' Click '''Save'''.

	~~6 ) Set~~ the ~~max hourly~~ number of ~~emails you want~~ to ~~limit all accounts on your server to by default in the text box~~.		The same tab has two related settings that help catch spammers early: '''Maximum percentage of failed or deferred messages a domain may send per hour''', and '''Monitor the number of unique recipients per hour to detect potential spammers'''.

			=== Set a limit for one account ===

	7 ) ~~Click~~ the [[~~File~~:~~WHM_save~~.~~jpg~~]] ~~button~~.		To give one account a lower limit than the rest of the server, go to '''Account Functions''' > '''Modify an Account''', select the account, and set '''Maximum Hourly Email by Domain Relayed'''. To set it for every account on a package, edit the package in '''Packages''' > '''Edit a Package'''.

			=== Stop scripts from going around the mail server ===

			Malicious scripts sometimes connect straight to other mail servers to send spam, bypassing your limits. '''SMTP Restrictions''' blocks this, so only the mail server can send email.

			'''1.''' In WHM, go to '''Security Center''' > '''SMTP Restrictions'''.

			'''2.''' Click '''Enable'''.

			If your server uses the CSF firewall, use either its SMTP_BLOCK option or WHM's SMTP Restrictions, not both.

			=== Block incoming spam ===

			* '''RBLs''' (real-time blocklists) reject email from servers known to send spam. In WHM, go to '''Service Configuration''' > '''Exim Configuration Manager''', and on the '''RBLs''' tab turn on the Spamhaus and SpamCop lists. You can add others, such as the Barracuda list, which requires free registration at barracudacentral.org first. RBLs only work if your server looks up DNS with its own resolver, not a public one such as 8.8.8.8.
			* '''Spam filters''' in each cPanel account move or delete messages that look like spam.

			For stronger filtering of incoming email, we also offer SpamExperts spam filtering. See {{Account Upgrades}}.

			For all mail settings, see cPanel's [https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/server-configuration/tweak-settings/mail/ Tweak Settings: Mail], [https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/security-center/smtp-restrictions/ SMTP Restrictions] and [https://docs.cpanel.net/whm/service-configuration/exim-configuration-manager-basic-editor/ Exim Configuration Manager] documentation.

	[[Category:WHM]]		[[Category:WHM]]

Docs admin: Docs admin moved page How to set the max hourly email limit for all accounts on the server through WHM to Email sending limits and spam protection in WHM: Clearer title (WHM section refresh, Oct 2026)

2026-10-27T14:25:58Z

Docs admin moved page How to set the max hourly email limit for all accounts on the server through WHM to Email sending limits and spam protection in WHM: Clearer title (WHM section refresh, Oct 2026)

← Older revision	Revision as of 10:25, 27 October 2026
(No difference)

Docs admin: Text replacement - "WHM - Web Host Manager" to "WHM"

2015-07-22T19:21:36Z

Text replacement - "WHM - Web Host Manager" to "WHM"

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:21, 22 July 2015
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	{{note\|This article depicts functionality available only when logged into WHM ~~- Web Host Manager~~ as root. The ability to set the max hourly email limit for a server requires either a Virtual or Dedicated server package. All of our shared servers have a max hourly email limit of 600/hour.}}		{{note\|This article depicts functionality available only when logged into WHM as root. The ability to set the max hourly email limit for a server requires either a Virtual or Dedicated server package. All of our shared servers have a max hourly email limit of 600/hour.}}


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	7 ) Click the [[File:WHM_save.jpg]] button.		7 ) Click the [[File:WHM_save.jpg]] button.

	[[Category:WHM ~~- Web Host Manager~~]]		[[Category:WHM]]

Docs admin: Text replacement - "WHM (Web Host Manager)" to "WHM - Web Host Manager"

2015-07-22T19:13:27Z

Text replacement - "WHM (Web Host Manager)" to "WHM - Web Host Manager"

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:13, 22 July 2015
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	{{note\|This article depicts functionality available only when logged into WHM (Web Host Manager) as root. The ability to set the max hourly email limit for a server requires either a Virtual or Dedicated server package. All of our shared servers have a max hourly email limit of 600/hour.}}		{{note\|This article depicts functionality available only when logged into WHM - Web Host Manager as root. The ability to set the max hourly email limit for a server requires either a Virtual or Dedicated server package. All of our shared servers have a max hourly email limit of 600/hour.}}


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	7 ) Click the [[File:WHM_save.jpg]] button.		7 ) Click the [[File:WHM_save.jpg]] button.

	[[Category:WHM (Web Host Manager)]]		[[Category:WHM - Web Host Manager]]

Docs admin at 18:44, 8 February 2013

2013-02-08T18:44:14Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:44, 8 February 2013
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	2 ) Click on ~~[[File:tweak_settings.JPG]]~~ under the ~~[[File:Serv_config.JPG]]~~ section.		2 ) Click on 'Tweak Settings' under the 'Server Configuration' section.

Docs admin at 18:41, 8 February 2013

2013-02-08T18:41:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:41, 8 February 2013
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	7 ) Click the [[File:WHM_save.jpg]] button.		7 ) Click the [[File:WHM_save.jpg]] button.

			[[Category:WHM (Web Host Manager)]]

Docs admin: Docs admin moved page How to set the max hourly email limit for all accounts on the server through WHM: to How to set the max hourly email limit for all accounts on the server through WHM without leaving a redirect

2013-02-08T18:38:53Z

Docs admin moved page How to set the max hourly email limit for all accounts on the server through WHM: to How to set the max hourly email limit for all accounts on the server through WHM without leaving a redirect

← Older revision	Revision as of 14:38, 8 February 2013
(No difference)

Docs admin: Docs admin moved page How to set the max hourly email limit for VPS/Dedicated server through WHM: to How to set the max hourly email limit for all accounts on the server through WHM: without leaving a redirect

2013-02-08T18:38:35Z

Docs admin moved page How to set the max hourly email limit for VPS/Dedicated server through WHM: to How to set the max hourly email limit for all accounts on the server through WHM: without leaving a redirect

← Older revision	Revision as of 14:38, 8 February 2013
(No difference)

Docs admin at 18:37, 8 February 2013

2013-02-08T18:37:03Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:37, 8 February 2013
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	1 ) Login to the WHM of the server as root.		1 ) Login to the WHM of the server as root.


	2 ) Click on [[File:tweak_settings.JPG]] under the [[File:Serv_config.JPG]] section.		2 ) Click on [[File:tweak_settings.JPG]] under the [[File:Serv_config.JPG]] section.


	3 ) Click on the [[File:Mail_tab.JPG]] tab.		3 ) Click on the [[File:Mail_tab.JPG]] tab.


	4 ) Scroll down to the [[File:Max_hourly.JPG]] field.		4 ) Scroll down to the [[File:Max_hourly.JPG]] field.


	5 ) Select the radio button to the left of the text box ([[File:WHM_radio_text.jpg]]).		5 ) Select the radio button to the left of the text box ([[File:WHM_radio_text.jpg]]).


	6 ) Set the max hourly number of emails you want to limit all accounts on your server to by default in the text box.		6 ) Set the max hourly number of emails you want to limit all accounts on your server to by default in the text box.


	7 ) Click the [[File:WHM_save.jpg]] button.		7 ) Click the [[File:WHM_save.jpg]] button.

Docs admin at 18:36, 8 February 2013

2013-02-08T18:36:45Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:36, 8 February 2013
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	1 ) Login to the WHM of the server as root.		1 ) Login to the WHM of the server as root.


	2 ) Click on [[File:tweak_settings.JPG]] under the [[File:Serv_config.JPG]] section.		2 ) Click on [[File:tweak_settings.JPG]] under the [[File:Serv_config.JPG]] section.


	3 ) Click on the [[File:Mail_tab.JPG]] tab.		3 ) Click on the [[File:Mail_tab.JPG]] tab.


	4 ) Scroll down to the [[File:Max_hourly.JPG]] field.		4 ) Scroll down to the [[File:Max_hourly.JPG]] field.

			5 ) Select the radio button to the left of the text box ([[File:WHM_radio_text.jpg]]).

	5 ) ~~Locate 'Maximum Hourly Email by Domain Relayed' and select~~ the ~~radio button~~ to ~~the left of~~ the text box ~~([[File:WHM_radio_text.jpg]])~~.		6 ) Set the max hourly number of emails you want to limit all accounts on your server to by default in the text box.


	6 ) ~~Scroll down and click~~ [[File:~~Save~~.~~JPG~~]].		7 ) Click the [[File:WHM_save.jpg]] button.