How to SMTP (Email) Server Fedora 6?

[Les Mikesell]

Tim wrote:

> I would suspect that most people don't make use of sendmail, nor even
> need to.  They'll use a mail client, and configure it to use their ISP's
> SMTP server while setting up the rest of the POP or IMAP settings.

Someone has to be on the receiving end.

> Those keen on running a local server will need to customise theirs, and
> know how to do.  Just the same as running any other public server (HTTP,
> FTP, or whatever else).

Yes, just the same.  I'd be equally concerned if RH/fedora shipped 
config files for httpd/ftpd/samba, etc/ that kept them from accepting 
network connections in an obscure way.

 > Sendmail does need to be tightly configured, by
> default.  Historically, mail servers are one of the most abused on the
> internet, and one that causes the most problems for other people.

I've had an equal amount of problems from various versions of ftpd, 
named, and sshd.  They've been fixed too.

>> No, the access file controls the ability to relay and the default file 
>> supplied prohibits it.  It is not necessary to break normal network 
>> access for that.
> 
> If you're suggesting that the client should accept all mail by default,
> I don't think I'd go along with that.  Perhaps if it was easy to
> configure that behaviour.  It'd certainly need to be configured to not
> deliver externally, by default, at the same time.

The default configuration (after you've made it accept network 
connections) will accept email from anywhere _to_ existing users on the 
machine, and anyone on the local machine can send outbound mail.  If you 
want to permit relaying, you must put the network ranges (typically your 
    own LAN) in the access database with RELAY specified.  If you don't 
add anything to the access database, mail from the network to non 
existent users or to other machines is rejected.

> But, most people are going to need to do a variety of things to be able
> to post mail.  They'll need to configure their system securely.  They'll
> need to have a real domain name (own one, or have permission to use some
> other one).  And if they want to receive mail through it, they'll need
> to configure external services to send to their SMTP server and/or
> organise public DNS MX records.

Yes, those are all normal things to do for internet services.  Fixing a 
network service that has been obscurely configured not to use the 
network isn't a normal thing to have to do.


-- 
   Les Mikesell
    lesmikesell at gmail.com