Linux Mail Server Setup and Howto Guide

After getting a copy of the CentOS 5 Linux or Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, the steps below describes how to install it from scratch.

1. Boot your computer from the CentOS 5 CD 1 or DVD and press Enter on the CentOS 5 boot up screen. This will install CentOS 5 in graphical mode.

2. Choose Skip in the CD Found window. This will skip the CD media test.

3. Click Next in the welcome window.

4. Choose a language and click Next.

5. Choose a keyboard for the system and click Next.

6. Click Next in the disk partitioning window and answer Yes on the Warning window.

 

The partitioning layout chosen works fine but you can fine tune it from this window. Learn more about Linux partitions here.

7. Configure your network setting. Let’s say you have a network settings like the one below

 

Host Name

mail.acme.local

IP Address

192.168.0.4

Subnet Mask

255.255.255.0

Gateway

192.168.0.1

Primary DNS

192.168.0.2

Secondary DNS

192.168.0.3

First, click the Edit button. In the Edit Interface eth0 window, uncheck the Use dynamic IP configuration (DHCP) and Enable IPv6 support. Next, fill up the IPv4 Address and Prefix (Netmask). Click OK when you’re done.

Finally, fill in the rest of the information. Click Next when you’re done.

8. Choose a region in the map. If the system clock is set to your local time, uncheck the System clock uses UTC. Click Next when you’re done.

9. Specify a strong password at least six characters long and click Next when you’re done.

10. Uncheck Desktop - Gnome and check Server - GUI. Next, select the Customize now and click Next when you’re done.

11. Add the packages below to the installation.

 

• Graphical Internet in Applications
• Development Tools in Development

Click Optional packages corresponding to Mail Servers in Servers and check postfix and squirrelmail.

 

Click Optional packages corresponding to Server Configuration Tools in Servers and check system-switch-mail-gnome.

 

Click Next when you’re done.

12. Click Next to begin installation.

13. Congratulations, the installation is complete. Remove the CD and click Reboot to proceed to configuration.

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Posted on 4/16/2007 and last updated on 5/31/2008
Filed under CentOS 5 , Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5