Configuring E-mail Services on a Standalone Wkst

[Micheal Patterson]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Perry" <rperry4 at earthlink.net>
To: "FreeBSD-Questions" <freebsd-questions at freebsd.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2004 1:47 AM
Subject: Configuring E-mail Services on a Standalone Wkst


> Hello,
>
> I have two PCs, an NT 4.0 box and a FreeBSD 4.8 system.   I'm connected
> to the internet via dial-up (56k modem) and using the mail system found
> in Mozilla.  I understood that mail services was a natural with FreeBSD
> so I thought I would take the opportunity to learn what I could about
> setting up a mail server.  I've become familiar with SMTP, MUAs, MTAs,
> qpopper, and fetchmail but it seems like some of the more necessary
> components are a static IP address, 24/7 connection, and accurate DNS
> information set up on my system.  If this an accurate assessment, I may
> have to be satisfied setting up my e-mail services for a standalone
> workstation because I can't afford a static IP address or 24/7 connection.
>
> If a full-fledged e-mail server isn't feasible, can I still use software
> like sendmail, mutt, qpopper, and fetchmail for a standalone
> workstation?  Do they offer any real advantages over the mail systems
> that come with Mozilla, Netscape, etc.?   Any, and all comments are
welcome.
>
> Thank you.
> Bob Perry
>
> -- 
> FreeBSD 4.8-RELEASE-p13 0#

What I've done in the past with dialup is this:

Configure sendmail to use a smart host. This would point to your ISP's mail
server.
Configure fetchmail to run every 10 minutes to check for incoming mail.
Configure qpopper, imapd services so you can recieve your mail from the bsd
box.

On your client computer (Windows), configure it to send and recieve mail
from your unix box.

In this config, fetchmail will retrieve mail from your isp, pipe it through
your local sendmail. This allows you to place your own filters on incoming
mail and scan it for viri using the software of your choice. Then when you
send mail out, it hits the sendmail server and is forwarded on to your ISP.

--

Micheal Patterson
Network Administration
TSG Incorporated
405-917-0600