So You Want To Host Your Own Linux Mail Server ...

Jeff writes "Recently, I moved my personal mail from a hosted Windows 2003 application to my own virtual Linux server. I now have nearly unlimited storage, full control over my e-mail and it's less than $10/month. Here's why I did it and here's how I did it. And I'm not a Linux geek."

Comments

Not a linux geek?

[Blackknight]

How many non-geeks know how to install Debian and configure mail services?

For normal users the best solution is to either get a hosting account somewhere that supports webmail, or open a gmail account. They configure everything for you so all you have to do is login and read your mail.

WOW.

[Anonymous Coward]

Amazing. The guy actually learned to set up Debian, and Courier, and SquirrelMail!

Holy shit!

This is sort of a blind-leading-the-blind situation, with little reference made to the official docs for any of these packages. And I'm sorry, I don't have time to read some fellow's long, hard journey to understanding Debian apt-get. Or better yet, screwing up the relationship between sudo and visudo and negelecting the latter entirely.

I also love how 2 gigs is seen as "unlimited" space. Sure, it's a lot more than you'll get from a free webmail account, even gmail, but that's the reason to roll your own server, not buy time on a virtual server and stumble around learning what you shouldn't do with linux.

Bleh. Don't waste you time.

A virtual host sounds nice and all that . . .

[user no. 590291]

. . . but when the man wants your mail, all he has to do is get the directories from your vhost. If you host your own, he has to serve a no-knock warrant, and can seize your encrypted drive.

Domains..

[maskedbishounen]

If you do this, just remember to keep your ISP address around (and check it). Why?

I have a cousin who seemingly does this who forgot to renew his domain. So when e-mails start bouncing because my mother can't send mail to her relatives, who gets called in? Me. Although the errors clearly mention it's a problem on their end .. but since when did average users start reading their past the "Mail Returned" header?

To summarize: do it right (ie, have a backup plan), or not at all.

You are in denial

[Lord Kano]

And I'm not a Linux geek.

Let's see.

• In response to the questions during the install, I chose the following. In almost every case I selected the default options:
• 
  
  ? Choose daemon since redwood virtual has a network connection
  ? Select the default URL
  ? Select yes to notify
  ? Select Internet Site when asked for configuration
  ? Select postmaster as the root account
  ? Select default mydomain.org
  ? Select defaults for mail routing etc...
  
  Be sure to remember to add a user account for the postmaster later. I?ll come back to this shortly.

If you know enough to alias postmaster to root, set your default domain and set up mail routing you sir are too a linux geek.

LK