beginner to mail servers
 

First of all, hello! I want to set up a mail server on a spare computer I have at home. I registered a free dyndns.org domain name - let's call it name.place.com - and I want to use this server as an ISP replacement. That is, I want to set up a webserver too, and have it deliver mail, send mail, receive mail, etc. Not just deliver local mail. Is this possible with Debian?

Also, what is the best way to make a user that's just used as a mail account? I don't want to give all my users shell, just the ability to download messages (I want to use IMAP), with their mail client. Is MySQL the way to do this? I am clueless about SQL.

Also, is there some sort of howto or guide? I want to learn, but I don't want to have to trial-and-error this. I am sick of using free webmail like yahoo and hotmail, and I hate the limitations of ISP mail. Any help, tips, suggestions, questions, etc. are welcome! Thanks!

www.qmailrocks.org
qmail is the MTA that u want. just install it. u dont have to add system users. it stores users in a vpopmail db or msql.

or u must configure the default MTA of debian (i dont know about debian). and u must add users to system then edit "/etc/passwd" and change their shells to /sbin/nologin:

user:x:502:501::/home/user:/sbin/nologin

so user cannot login, if u have ftp service that user can login via ftp. if u dont want ftp access either, u must choose another sheel which is not listed in /etc/shells, for that user

good luck.

qmailrocks.org = cha ching, you'll be up in notime :D

Download sme server 6.0 beta unsupported, this is a full featured mail server. Put the bootable cd in and follow the instruction on screen, within 30 minutes you'll have a full email server running and configured. This program will format the drive for you, then you configure via your web browser, and it also has a webserver with php support you can download it here and see if this is what your after. I've used it and it works great.

http://www.e-smith.org/content/downloads/

Did u mean this,This mail server will remove all the content of our drive.
or something else. plz clarify.

And how to configure SME server for mailing....



-jack

I am busy with a project at the moment and found this excellent howto that will probably suit you.

I have tried that and I got lost at the MySQL database part.

Anyway, I think I found my problem. I got impatient and just went for postfix and tried to get it working. I'm pretty sure it was working, but I got mad and quit. It turns out my ISP blocks port 25. I was able to get local delivery working, but when I tried to send mail to my domain (dyndns), it didn't get through. So the port 25 deal is my problem. Is there any workaround for this? I am pretty sure postfix was working otherwise. And if I can, I'd like to set it up all manually, for the learning experience. Thanks for the suggestions so far.

The dynamic ip service I go through no-ip.com they redirect port 25 for you. Other than that, there is not a whole lot you can do except beg your isp to let port 25 for yout ip (but since its dynamic, they would have to let it through for everybody). Look into getting a static iP, it isn't too much more, depending on your ISP.

Jon

I noticed this reflector service, but you still can't send outbound mail from the mail server; you must use your ISPs smtp server. I want a full-blown mail server. I will look into getting a static IP and begging Cox to open port 25 for me.

I guess I don't see a problem here. You can still have a full-blown mail server (as you state), just outbound e-mail is sent via your ISP's MTA. Trust me, there are days when I wish my MTA was configured to send through my ISP's MTA.