This article explains how to setup a small mail server very fast on fedora system.
After following this tutorial, you will have : (1) MTA - postfix (2) SMTP authentication -
CYRUS SASL (3) IMAP and POP3 - Dovecot (4) Webmail - squirrelmail
(1) Firstly, we need to install packages needed. Login as root and install the packages using
YUM. Type the following command :
# yum install postfix dovecot cyrus-sasl cyrus-sasl-devel cyrus-sasl-plain cyrus-sasl-lib
squirrelmail
Even if we have any of the packages already installed, it will just skip the installed ones.
Now, change the default mail transport agent, MTA. Type the following command and
choose postfix.
# system-switch-mail
Add postfix and dovecot and httpd (optionally if you choose to install the webmail) to
startup by
# chkconfig --add postfix and
# chkconfig --add dovecot
and add these services to init levels 3 and 5 by
# chkconfig --levels 35 postfix on
# chkconfig --levels 35 dovecot on
(2) Configure postfix
The main configuration file for postfix lies in /etc/postfix/main.cf and change the following
values.
myhostname = mail.<your-real-internet-hostname-or-ipaddress>.com
This will be the address that will receive the mails.
mydomain = <real-domain-name>.com
This will be the domain your mails appear to be sent from.
init_interfaces = all
The address used for receiving the mail.
mydestination = $myhostname, $mydomainname, localhost, localhost.localdomain
Specify all hostnames pointing at your IP address but don't specify the domains here.
home_mailbox = Maildir/
This is the path to save the mails to. The mailbox will store the mails to
/var/spool/mail/user or /var/mail/user. But Maildir/ will store mail in each user's home
directory (/home/user/Maildir).
Save the file and restart postfix.
# /etc/init.d/postfix restart
(3) Test your configurations.
Run the following command and check /root/Maildir/new for a message.
echo "Hello" | mail root
(4) Configure dovecot
Install dovecot and go to /etc/dovecot.conf file and change the following line :
protocols = imap pop3. Just remove the pound sign from the beginning of the line.
Restart dovecot.
Test : # echo "Hello" | mail <username>
(5) Start Apache for webmail and dovecot.
# /etc/init.d/httpd restart
# /etc/init.d/dovecot restart
Test : Open your browser and go to http://<your-hostname>.com/webmail and log in with
your user other than root.After logging in, you will have a new mail in your mailbox.
(6) Enable SMTP authentication.
Edit the /etc/postfix/main.cf file and add this lines at the botton of the file.
smtpd_sasl_auth_enable = yes
smtpd_sasl_security_options = noanonymous
smtpd_sasl_local_domain = $myhostname
broken_sasl_auth_clients = yes
smtpd_recepient_restrictions = permit_sasl_auththenticated, check_relay_domains
Now, start saslauthd daemon and restart postfix.
# /etc/init.d/saslauthd restart
# /etc/init.d/postfix restart
(7) Open your email client (thunderbird,et cetera) and set your account as follows:
Incoming
Name : Your name
Email address : <non-root-user>@<your-real-internet-hostname>.com
Account password :
Server type = POP
Incoming server = mail.<your-domain>.com
Outgoing
Description : Something
Server Address : mail.<your-domain>.com
Port : 25
Check "My SMTP server requires authentication"
Username : <non-root-user>@<your-real-internet-hostname>.com
Password:
Choose "PLAIN" for authentication type.
If you want to receive root's mail to non-root user mailDir, edit the /etc/aliases file and
uncomment the root line to look like this.
root: <non-root-user>
# /etc/init.d/postfix restart
