I managed to get a domain name, and configure all of it so that people can view my apache server from the outside world, but that is about all they can do.

I would like to know how I could begin setting up a mail server so I can send mail from me@mydomain.com.

Also, is it possible for a visitor to my website to be able (with the correct password) to acess a shell on this pc, or possibly browse the directories. I would like to be able to do this so that I can check my email when I am abroad and do work on my computer. What kind of a script would that require?

This is all rather new to me, but I think it will be pretty cool once it is all done.

Thanks for your help,
Lbb

Mail is possible. You just need an MTA like sendmail, postfix or maybe qmail runnning and configured properly. You'll also need your mx records for the mail server setup proplerly on your DNS server, etc.

To retrieve email you can either use pop3 or imapd, or both even. Most these days seem to be using imapd and setting up web based email using horde, openwebmail or squirrelmail, etc.

And you can allow outside access. I would suggest using ssh instead of telnet as its more secure.

To learn more about these, I suggest alot of reading. Telling you how to do all of this here in the forums would be pointless when there are howto's and such scattered across the net that explain these already.

Cheers.

Thanks for your help. Just one more question: can I do this if I dont have a DNS server?
" You'll also need your mx records for the mail server setup proplerly on your DNS server, etc. "

All I have running here is apache

You have to have some kind of DNS server pointing your domain to your actual IP of your server.. even with apache! I'm not sure how you have yours running now with a domain but there has to be some DNS involved or its not going to work.

I bought the domain from aplus.net, and set url forwarding to my local IP address. I never had to configure any dns server

And that would explain that as it would seem they are posing as your DNS for your webserver. If you don't want to setup a DNS server yourself, you better make sure and see if they offer setting up mx records for mail servers, etc. If not you could use something like www.zoneedit.com for free DNS services.. etc.

It looks like this is going to be more complicated that I thought. I suppose I can do without a mail server for a while. It isnt very important, I just thought it would be something thats useful to have.

Thanks for your help

i have a similar setup also registered with aplus.net and if u want a remote shell i suggest u use the webmin package. if it is installed goto the console and type webmin. then goto your browser and goto https://localhost:10000/ and log in with your root info. then if u goto the other tab, there is a remote shell.

webmin can be found at www.webmin.com and if u use the rpms, it is very easy to install and configure.