How can you test your SMTP connection for issues?

Utilizing command-line tools such as Telnet or OpenSSL is an effective way to test your SMTP connection for issues. These tools allow you to interact directly with the SMTP server by initiating a connection, and you can send specific commands to the server to check if it's responding correctly.

When using Telnet, for instance, you can manually initiate a connection to the SMTP server on the required port (typically port 25, 587, or 465). This direct interaction helps verify if the server is reachable and can respond to commands such as HELO, MAIL FROM, and RCPT TO. If there are connection issues, commands may fail or result in error responses, allowing you to diagnose the nature of the problem.

OpenSSL can also be beneficial, especially when dealing with secure SMTP connections (SMTPS). It helps test whether the server supports TLS/SSL and can provide insights into any certificate issues. This level of testing is effective in troubleshooting various SMTP-specific problems, such as configuration errors or connectivity issues, giving you a hands-on approach to understanding what's happening with your email server.

The other options, while they can provide some insights into email functionality, do not provide the direct, interactive testing that Telnet and OpenSSL offer. Sending test