Setup Mail Server Redhat EL4

redfoxstore · 01-20-2006, 11:02 PM

Hello,

I use to be a newbie at linux, but I'm feeling my way around. I'm no expert, but I'm more comfortable now. So, enough with that small talk ...I want a mail server.

I own a couple of domain names and one static ip. How do I do this? Somebody point me to a good webpage. I'm looked and looked and yes I searched this forum for a basic tutorial and I can't find anything clean cut. I can't find one...help me out people.

Thanks,

fox

randyding · 01-21-2006, 09:00 AM

Everyone has a preference on what mail server to use, this is just mine.
Get the latest source tar from exim.com and follow all the build documentation to install it.
Once its built and installed change your mta symbolic link to point to the new exim, instead of sendmail.

Code:

/etc/alternatives/mta -> /usr/local/exim/bin/exim

Don't forget if you are running a mail server for incoming mail you also have to install BIND (a DNS server) and configure that too or you won't have much luck.

redfoxstore · 01-21-2006, 12:15 PM

So, I'm going to need to set up a DNS server?

randyding · 01-21-2006, 12:52 PM

Yes, a DNS server can be hosted on your network on either the same or different computer as the mail server, or you can pay your ISP a monthly fee to include the required MX record in their DNS for you.

redfoxstore · 01-21-2006, 04:54 PM

I'm using No-ip.com for the domain so they told me I could have control over my MX records..am I headed in the right direction?

randyding · 01-21-2006, 05:31 PM

I don't know what sort of services no-ip.com provides. If they provide a dns service to their customers then that should work... however you need some sort of configuration tool (web based?) to setup your domain information on their DNS servers.

Basically before you even begin thinking about a mail server, make the DNS work first. Its impossible to test the mail server effectively without it.

Try this to test your mailserver dns settings.

Code:

$ dig mx yourdomain.com

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;yourdomain.com.            IN  MX

;; ANSWER SECTION:
yourdomain.com.     10800   IN  MX  10 mx1.yourdomain.com.

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
yourdomain.com.     10791   IN  NS  ns1.yourdomain.com.

;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
mx1.yourdomain.com.     10800   IN  A   123.45.67.98

If you don't get all three of these in the response then you're not setup with DNS properly. The IP address 123.45.67.98 above should be your IP address.

redfoxstore · 01-23-2006, 08:51 AM

This is what I got.

Code:

; <<>> DiG 9.3.1 <<>> mx snickets.net
;; global options:  printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 21906
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;snickets.net.                  IN      MX

;; ANSWER SECTION:
snickets.net.           1800    IN      MX      5 mail.snickets.net.

;; Query time: 77 msec
;; SERVER: 192.168.0.1#53(192.168.0.1)
;; WHEN: Mon Jan 23 08:06:47 2006
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 51

randyding · 01-23-2006, 09:18 AM

Ok, I did a dig mx snickets.net and got that information and a bunch more too.
It should work from what I saw, though the reverse lookup on your ip address does not resolve to snicknets.net. This mostly won't be a problem.
You can try running the mail server.

redfoxstore · 01-23-2006, 09:39 AM

okay I installed the rpm exim 4.54x iFC4. now i have to switch my server to exim ?

-edit

I have webmin installed and it says that send mail is listening...would it be easier just to configure it?

-edit
Note: I also did this /etc/alternatives/mta -> /usr/sbin/exim

and i think it worked, not sure...so does this mean I need to use exim?

randyding · 01-23-2006, 02:33 PM

No, uninstall the rpm and install again from source. Get the tar.gz file and follow all the instructions. Besides 4.54 is old, check out their web site.

You have to shutdown sendmail and change the link to the mta as I explained above.
# service sendmail stop
# chkconfig --level 2345 sendmail off