Determine smtp status

[Stooney]

Is it possible to find whether or not there is a working smtp server setup with the current installation?  Basically I'm working on a script which at some point attempts to mail().  I want to make something like:

 

if(smtp works){
    mail();
} else{
    no mail;
}

 

(Of course not quite like that, that's just the idea)

[micmania1]

$host = 'hotmail.co.uk';
if (checkdnsrr($host, "MX")) {
      mail();
} else {
      echo 'No Mail server.';
}