Mail server

  • choose which mail server software :
    - which os
    - which protocols :
    - POP3
    - IMAP when you need to access mail from more than one computer, because the mail is always available on the server
    - SMTP
    - HTTPS don’t need an e-mail client program , can use your Web browser / better formating

  • you’ll need your own domain if you want to receive messages directly to your server.

You can register your domain at Network Solutions, Register.com, Go Daddy, WebSite.ws and through other domain providers.
When you register a domain, you need to provide the IP address and host name of at least one DNS server for your domain, although most registration services require two DNS servers. If you run Windows NT Server or Windows 2000 Server, you can use the DNS service included in those platforms to host your own DNS records. Otherwise, you can use a third-party DNS server application.

Next, you need to create , or have your registrar create, a host record in the DNS zone for your domain. The host record associates a host name with an IP address. For example, the host name of my mail server is mail.boyce.us. In addition to the host record, you also need an MX record. This mail exchanger record tells other mail servers what address to use to deliver mail to your domain. Again, you need to create the MX record on your own DNS server or have your registrar create it on its servers, depending on where your DNS service resides. Both records need to point to your public IP address.

Now it’s time to hook up your server. If yours is like most networks with a broadband connection, you have a small number of public IP addresses (perhaps only one), and all of your computers use private IP addresses. The MX record must reference the public IP address because that’s the only one the outside world can see. So, if your DSL router or cable modem is assigned the one public IP address, it needs to forward the incoming SMTP traffic to the private IP of your mail server.

Check the documentation for the unit and see if it supports one-to-one Network Address Translation (NAT). Many cable/DSL routers let you translate specific ports, so you would configure the unit to pass port 25 (SMTP) from the public IP to the private IP of your mail server. If you’re using your own DNS server, you’ll also need to translate port 53 to move DNS traffic to the private IP address of your DNS server (probably the same computer that’s handling mail). If anyone, including you, needs to be able to retrieve messages from the server outside of your network (such as from the Internet), you also need to translate port 110 (POP3) from the public IP to the private IP of the mail server.

If your cable/DSL router doesn’t support NAT, you’ll have to either replace it or obtain a second public IP address from your ISP. Then, set up the server with that IP address. How you hook the server into the network depends on the type of equipment you use, so check with your ISP if you aren’t sure.

The last step is to install the mail server software and start setting up and configuring accounts. You’ll also need to set up DNS and get that working if you’ll be providing your own DNS services. Then, you can start e-mailing to your heart’s content.