Hi,

I'm trying to set up an IMAP server for local office email for 3 client computers. I have been surprised to discover that it is apparently very hard to do. I am surprised because I set up an Apache webserver in about 10 minutes with no prior experience. I have no idea where to begin for IMAP, however, and none of the information I have found has been helpful at all. It all assumes knowledge that I just don't have. Is there any source of information for basic concepts in mail servers? Am I missing something obvious?

Totally demoralized,

--C

some howto's, they seem pretty easy so it should work.
http://www.ubuntulinux.org/wiki/WhyIMAP
http://linux.sys-con.com/read/32735.htm

Hard maybe, maybe not see below...

To get an imap server up and running on my network required the following components:

postfix - SMTP delivery in and out of network
procmail - digestion of postfix messages in suitable mailboxes
fetchmail - retrieve mail from POP3 accounts
courier-imap - actual imap server. You can use the imap that comes with xinetd but courier supports qmail directory style mailboxes which I prefer (each mail saved as a separate file rather than all in same file)


1. Get postfix fully installed, configured and working as SMTP sender daemon.
2. Get fetchmail downloading your mail from POP3 server, if required.
3. Install procmail and set procmail config files in home directory.
4. Set up courier-imap.
5. Create imap account in Thunderbird (or preferred mail reader) and see if it all works.

I would caveat the above with "this is the way I do it" as my mail is POP3 based on my ISP and I took some 10 hours or so to learn the above and get it all working correctly.

The config files are pretty straightforward and there is plenty of resource on the Googling web for setting up and tinkering with your setup for the next 50 years!!

The Phantom

Thanks so much, that gives me a morale boost. I think that the biggest areas I need help with are host names and creation of users. The network consists of:

A windows XP server
2 XP clients
1 Debian Sarge Linux client (mine)

Here are my questions:

What host name should I use for configuring postifx and courier? In Konsole, I'm listed as frank@debian, the name of the windows workgroup is HOTSHOT1, and the name my computer is listed as on the windows network is FRANK.

How do I create user accounts for myself and the windows users, and how do I use these with Eudora (windows) and Thunderbird (Linux)? Do I need to create new user accounts in Linux, or can I just create a new IMAP account?

Thanks a lot,

--C

>>>What host name should I use for configuring postifx and courier?
Courier and postfix will exist on the same machine and thus use the same hostname. In this case it is whatever you call your linux box - so FRANK
Hostnames are only useful on a small network for translating IP addresses into meaningful names that you can remember. You can do it all with IP address if you prefer. Stick any hostname with associated IP address in the WinXP hostfile (C:\WINNT\system32\drivers\etc\host I think) and you can call the linux server anything you want.

>>>In Konsole, I'm listed as frank@debian, the name of the windows workgroup is HOTSHOT1, and the name my computer is listed as on the windows network is FRANK
Ignore your windows clients first off.
Get the mail working using just the linux box, ie. can load Thunderbird and see your mail via the linux box imap server (courier) and send via the linux box SMTP server (postfix)
Once happy, it is trivial setting up other clients. You just enter the linux box IP address or hostname in Eudora just like any other IMAP server/SMTP server.

>>>How do I create user accounts for myself and the windows users, and how do I use these with Eudora (windows) and Thunderbird (Linux)? Do I need to create new user accounts in Linux, or can I just create a new IMAP account?
Postfix and courier are configured to use the PAM modules so normal user accounts on the linux box can be used to authenticate email. Each user will need an account on the linux box not least so courier can store the mail in their home directories. Just create user accounts on the linux box (see useradd) and ensure they have very limited groups associated with them. When connecting via Thunderbird and Eudora, just enter these user accounts and passwords.

Have a look at this site -> http://www.jennings.homelinux.net/ma...er_config.html
It is one I used to get things going.

Regards

ThePhantom

apparently your hostname currently is debian, though you can change it using the command 'hostname' (what a suprise!). If you want to connect to your IMAP server by using its hostname, you'll need a DNS server and a static ip-adress for the debian server.
Is your debian server the DNS server, then [URL]http://www.aboutdebian.com/dns.htm[URL] gives you help on how to set it up. If it is the winxp... good luck! In such a small network, you can just use the ip adresses as well.
Docs to set up postfix can be installed by 'apt-get install postfix-doc' they'll be in the /usr/share/doc/postfix directory.
Creating users will probably be done by adding users to the debian system.

grtz,
elluva