Arch Linux

suilenroc

Member

Registered: 2008-08-18

Posts: 23

I need help making a mailserver.

Hey all, this is my first post on the Arch-Linux forum. As you can tell by my title, I would like to allow this computer (running arch, as you may have guessed) to work not only as a desktop machine, but also an e-mail server, with the possibility of expansion in the future. I've found some guides, but I do have some questions, so I decided to ask them here.

First off: Will this even work? The guides to do this that I've seen recommend a server-based distribution, like ubuntu server edition, to do this. I'm making the assumption that this desktop system can do it as well, but I'm not sure.

Second: To do this, and be able to access it from a remote location (my ipod at a wifi hotspot, or a friend's house, for instance), will I need to register a domain name, or is there an easier way?

That's pretty much it. Thanks in advance for the help!

-Suilenroc

kett

Member

Registered: 2008-04-21

Posts: 104

Re: I need help making a mailserver.

First, you can definitely set up a mail server on Arch. 

As far as the second question is concerned, having never done it myself, I don't have all the answers.  But it really depends on what exactly you want from this mail server.  Do you want to have a domain name and be able to send and receive emails from that address?  Or, for example, do you want your computer to just retrieve emails from other accounts, and have them all accessible from one computer?

Also, if you have a dynamic ip address, you will probably want a domain name and then use a service that can handle dynamic ip address servers, such as http://www.dyndns.com/.  That would allow you to not have to check your ip address everytime your computer restarts. 

As I mentioned, I've never actually set one up, so there is a limit to what I know, but hopefully this is helpful.

pheon

Member

From: Berlin, Germany

Registered: 2008-05-14

Posts: 91

Re: I need help making a mailserver.

Hello and welcome to the forums!

First off: Will this even work? The guides to do this that I've seen recommend a server-based distribution, like ubuntu server edition, to do this. I'm making the assumption that this desktop system can do it as well, but I'm not sure.

You can install the mail-services on any computer. It doesn't matter if it is a "server" or a "desktop".

Second: To do this, and be able to access it from a remote location (my ipod at a wifi hotspot, or a friend's house, for instance), will I need to register a domain name, or is there an easier way?

Check out DynDNS

But please keep in mind, that making services aviable trough the internet implies a much higher security-risk than just having a linux box behind a firewall. Especially mail-servers need elaborate configuration - don't let your box become an open mail relay...

Br

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watching someone else use your computer is like watching a drunk orangutan solve a rubix cube