Linux Mail Server Setup and Howto Guide

After getting a copy of Ubuntu 10.04, the steps below describes how to install it from scratch.

This article will show you how to setup an email server accessible using a POP3, IMAP or web browser client. It will also show you how to include virus scanning and spam tagging in the mail server.

How to install Linux

How to install Ubuntu 10.04.

How to install SMTP, POP3, IMAP and Webmail service

Postfix will be providing the SMTP service, Dovecot will provide the POP3 and IMAP service, while Apache and SquirrelMail will provide the Webmail service.

1. How to install and setup Postfix SMTP server.

2. How to install and setup Dovecot POP3 and IMAP server.

3. Configure Postfix SMTP Authentication using Dovecot SASL.

4. How to install and setup SquirrelMail WebMail.

Before deploying your new mail server, see Mail Server Checklist to ensure your new mail server will have a good sending reputation and can be trusted.

How to create mailboxes and do miscellaneous tasks

This section will show you to do tasks like creating mailboxes, aliases, setting quota etc.

To create a mailbox, just create a new user account.

To avoid user account related problems, do not use uppercase letters when creating user names.

How to install MailScanner anti-virus and anti-spam filter.

You can greatly reduce the volume of spam and viruses reaching your mail server if you are willing to give up something. If you are willing to have your mail delayed (time), install Postgrey. If you are willing to spend (money), get the Barracuda Spam Firewall.

How to setup a mailing list or proxy address in Postfix.

This page will guide you in configuring MailScanner, ClamAV and SpamAssassin to work in Postfix. Before proceeding, make sure Postfix is installed and working.

SquirrelMail is an open source standards-based webmail package written in PHP. When installed, SquirrelMail is ready out of the box. All it needs is an installed web server like Apache, SMTP server like Postfix, and IMAP server like Dovecot.

Installing and setting up Dovecot in Ubuntu 10.04 is easy. All we have to do is set the mailbox format to maildir and we are good to go.

Installing and setting up Postfix SMTP Server in Ubuntu 10.04 is easy. Postfix by default uses the mbox mail format so we’ll just change it to maildir.

Starting and stopping services is easy in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 and its derivative CentOS 6. Both includes the Service Configuration tool which simplifies service administration.

SMTP Authentication (SMTP Auth) provides an access control mechanism that can be used to allow legitimate users to relay mail while denying relay service to unauthorized users, such as spammers.