Howto: set up a mail server in Ubuntu

[dcstar]

A general question:
Is there a version of the tutorial for 8.04 that describes how to set up an outgoing only mail server? (Ideally for ppl who have comcast or verizon as their ISP?)

Ubuntu comes with an "outgoing" mail server installed by default - postfix.

All you may need to do is:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure postfix

and make sure it is set to "Internet", then edit the /etc/postfix/main.cf file with a relayhost (if you want your ISP's SMTP server to do the work).

Set you mail clients to use your system for outgoing mail and it should work. Can't get much simpler than that.

[lisati]

I was struggling to get SASL working, and then noticed that the following command would simply hang.

I proceeded to copy over my existing main.cf file with main.cf.debian, made all changes noted in the walkthrough, and the above command continues to hang. I can view the following in mail.log.


**edit**
Added main.cf and master.cf for reference.

Is port 25 blocked from the machine you're running the telnet command on to your server?

[mcfly1204]

Is port 25 blocked from the machine you're running the telnet command on to your server?

No, port 25 is not blocked. I even ran iptables -F to flush all the rules. I feel my issue has to be connected to the two files I posted given postfix is bound to 25.

[q.dinar]

i have got this error after i sent a mail:

host ***[***] said: 550 Access denied
- Invalid HELO name (See RFC2821 4.1.1.1) (in reply to MAIL FROM command)

this is mail from MAILER-DAEMON@***(mydomain).

[mcfly1204]

i have got this error after i sent a mail:

host ***[***] said: 550 Access denied
- Invalid HELO name (See RFC2821 4.1.1.1) (in reply to MAIL FROM command)

this is mail from MAILER-DAEMON@***(mydomain).

Can you post a copy of your main.cf file?

[q.dinar]

# See /usr/share/postfix/main.cf.dist for a commented, more complete version


# Debian specific:  Specifying a file name will cause the first
# line of that file to be used as the name.  The Debian default
# is /etc/mailname.
#myorigin = /etc/mailname

smtpd_banner = $myhostname ESMTP $mail_name (Ubuntu)
biff = no

# appending .domain is the MUA's job.
append_dot_mydomain = no

# Uncomment the next line to generate "delayed mail" warnings
#delay_warning_time = 4h

readme_directory = no

# TLS parameters
smtpd_tls_cert_file=/etc/ssl/certs/ssl-cert-snakeoil.pem
smtpd_tls_key_file=/etc/ssl/private/ssl-cert-snakeoil.key
smtpd_use_tls=yes
smtpd_tls_session_cache_database = btree:${data_directory}/smtpd_scache
smtp_tls_session_cache_database = btree:${data_directory}/smtp_scache

# See /usr/share/doc/postfix/TLS_README.gz in the postfix-doc package for
# information on enabling SSL in the smtp client.

myhostname = dinar-desktop
alias_maps = hash:/etc/aliases
alias_database = hash:/etc/aliases
myorigin = /etc/mailname
#mydestination = kukmara.ru, dinar-desktop, localhost.localdomain, localhost
#As we will be using virtual domains, these need to be empty. http://flurdy.com/docs/postfix/
mydestination = 
relayhost = 
mynetworks = 127.0.0.0/8 [::ffff:127.0.0.0]/104 [::1]/128
mailbox_size_limit = 0
recipient_delimiter = +
inet_interfaces = all

# http://flurdy.com/docs/postfix/ :
# how long if undelivered before sending warning update to sender
delay_warning_time = 4h 
# will it be a permanent error or temporary
unknown_local_recipient_reject_code = 450 
# how long to keep message on queue before return as failed.
# some have 3 days, I have 16 days as I am backup server for some people
# whom go on holiday with their server switched off.
maximal_queue_lifetime = 7d 
# max and min time in seconds between retries if connection failed
minimal_backoff_time = 1000s
maximal_backoff_time = 8000s 
# how long to wait when servers connect before receiving rest of data
smtp_helo_timeout = 60s 
# how many address can be used in one message.
# effective stopper to mass spammers, accidental copy in whole address list
# but may restrict intentional mail shots.
smtpd_recipient_limit = 16 
# how many error before back off.
smtpd_soft_error_limit = 3
# how many max errors before blocking it.
smtpd_hard_error_limit = 12
# Requirements for the HELO statement
smtpd_helo_restrictions = permit_mynetworks, warn_if_reject reject_non_fqdn_hostname, reject_invalid_hostname, permit 

# Requirements for the sender details
#smtpd_sender_restrictions = permit_mynetworks, warn_if_reject reject_non_fqdn_sender, reject_unknown_sender_domain, #reject_unauth_pipelining, permit 
#smtpd_sender_restrictions = permit_mynetworks, warn_if_reject reject_non_fqdn_sender, reject_unknown_sender_domain, #reject_unauth_pipelining, permit 
smtpd_sender_restrictions = permit_sasl_authenticated, permit_mynetworks, reject_non_fqdn_sender, reject_unknown_sender_domain, reject_unauth_pipelining, permit

# Requirements for the connecting server
smtpd_client_restrictions = reject_rbl_client sbl.spamhaus.org, reject_rbl_client blackholes.easynet.nl, reject_rbl_client dnsbl.njabl.org 

# Requirement for the recipient address
#smtpd_recipient_restrictions = reject_unauth_pipelining, permit_mynetworks, reject_non_fqdn_recipient, #reject_unknown_recipient_domain, reject_unauth_destination, permit
#smtpd_recipient_restrictions = reject_unauth_pipelining, permit_mynetworks, permit_sasl_authenticated, #reject_non_fqdn_recipient, reject_unknown_recipient_domain, reject_unauth_destination, check_policy_service #inet:127.0.0.1:10023, permit
smtpd_recipient_restrictions = reject_unauth_pipelining, permit_mynetworks, permit_sasl_authenticated, reject_non_fqdn_recipient, reject_unknown_recipient_domain, reject_unauth_destination, permit

smtpd_data_restrictions = reject_unauth_pipelining
# require proper helo at connections
smtpd_helo_required = yes
# waste spammers time before rejecting them
smtpd_delay_reject = yes
disable_vrfy_command = yes
# not sure of the difference of the next two
# but they are needed for local aliasing
alias_maps = hash:/etc/postfix/aliases
alias_database = hash:/etc/postfix/aliases
# this specifies where the virtual mailbox folders will be located
virtual_mailbox_base = /var/spool/mail/virtual
# this is for the mailbox location for each user
virtual_mailbox_maps = mysql:/etc/postfix/mysql_mailbox.cf
# and their user id
virtual_uid_maps = mysql:/etc/postfix/mysql_uid.cf
# and group id
virtual_gid_maps = mysql:/etc/postfix/mysql_gid.cf
# and this is for aliases
virtual_alias_maps = mysql:/etc/postfix/mysql_alias.cf
# and this is for domain lookups
virtual_mailbox_domains = mysql:/etc/postfix/mysql_domains.cf
# this is how to connect to the domains (all virtual, but the option is there)
# not used yet
# transport_maps = mysql:/etc/postfix/mysql_transport.cf

#http://flurdy.com/docs/postfix/
content_filter = amavis:[127.0.0.1]:10024

#http://flurdy.com/docs/postfix/edition5.html
smtpd_sasl_auth_enable = yes
broken_sasl_auth_clients = yes
#smtpd_sasl_path = /etc/postfix/sasl:/usr/lib/sasl2
smtpd_sasl_security_options = noanonymous
smtpd_sasl_local_domain = 

#http://flurdy.com/docs/postfix/edition5.html#conf_auth
#smtpd_use_tls = yes 
#smtpd_tls_cert_file = /etc/postfix/postfix.cert 
#smtpd_tls_key_file = /etc/postfix/postfix.key 
#smtpd_data_restrictions = reject_unauth_pipelining

#http://flurdy.com/docs/postfix/#config-secure-auth
# TLS parameters 
#smtp_use_tls = no 
smtp_tls_security_level = may 
#smtpd_use_tls=yes 
smtpd_tls_security_level = may 
#smtpd_tls_auth_only = no 
smtp_tls_note_starttls_offer = yes 
smtpd_tls_loglevel = 1 
smtpd_tls_received_header = yes 
smtpd_tls_session_cache_timeout = 3600s 
tls_random_source = dev:/dev/urandom 
#smtpd_tls_cert_file=/etc/ssl/certs/ssl-cert-snakeoil.pem 
#smtpd_tls_key_file=/etc/ssl/private/ssl-cert-snakeoil.key 
smtpd_tls_cert_file = /etc/postfix/postfix.cert 
smtpd_tls_key_file = /etc/postfix/postfix.key 
#smtpd_tls_session_cache_database = btree:${data_directory}/smtpd_scache 
#smtp_tls_session_cache_database = btree:${data_directory}/smtp_scache

[lisati]

i have got this error after i sent a mail:

host ***[***] said: 550 Access denied
- Invalid HELO name (See RFC2821 4.1.1.1) (in reply to MAIL FROM command)

this is mail from MAILER-DAEMON@***(mydomain).

What this says to me is that the receiving system thinks that your system is introducing itself in a way that the receiving system doesn't like. I had a look at the main.cf file you posted, and suspect the following line might need to be changed (someone else might be able to confirm or correct):

myhostname = dinar-desktop

On my system I have it set to reflect the name people would use in email addresses and when accessing my website.

[steev182]

I'm unable to connect using IMAP, what could I have done wrong?

Mar 24 22:20:10 sweb00 authdaemond: received auth request, service=imap, authtype=login
Mar 24 22:20:10 sweb00 authdaemond: authmysql: trying this module
Mar 24 22:20:10 sweb00 authdaemond: authmysqllib: connected. Versions: header 50075, client 50083, server 50137
Mar 24 22:20:10 sweb00 authdaemond: SQL query: SELECT id, "", clear, uid, gid, home, concat(home,'/',maildir), "", name, "" FROM users WHERE id = 'steve'  AND (enabled=1)
Mar 24 22:20:10 sweb00 imapd: LOGIN FAILED, user=steve, ip=[my home ip]
Mar 24 22:20:10 sweb00 authdaemond: zero rows returned
Mar 24 22:20:10 sweb00 authdaemond: no password available to compare
Mar 24 22:20:10 sweb00 authdaemond: authmysql: REJECT - try next module
Mar 24 22:20:10 sweb00 authdaemond: FAIL, all modules rejected
Mar 24 22:20:15 sweb00 imapd: LOGOUT, ip=[my home ip], rcvd=63, sent=499

[steev182]

I fixed one problem, logging in, I needed to change 'user' to 'name' in authdaemonrc. But now it looks like I can't send, so will look through the settings I added for SASL - AHHH

[steev182]

My problem now:

Mar 25 13:55:53 sweb00 imapd-ssl: Failed to connect to socket /tmp/fam--
Mar 25 13:56:26 sweb00 imapd-ssl: last message repeated 3 times
Mar 25 13:56:26 sweb00 postfix/smtpd[27826]: warning: SASL per-process initialization failed: generic failure
Mar 25 13:56:26 sweb00 postfix/smtpd[27826]: fatal: SASL per-process initialization failed
Mar 25 13:56:27 sweb00 postfix/master[27666]: warning: process /usr/lib/postfix/smtpd pid 27826 exit status 1
Mar 25 13:56:27 sweb00 postfix/master[27666]: warning: /usr/lib/postfix/smtpd: bad command startup -- throttling