# IMAP inetd.conf file help..



## otisranson (Aug 5, 2009)

Hey guys, I have a mail server but I'm having trouble using a mail client to get the mail from the server.

I wasn't sure if I was suppose to add in the lines to the inetd.conf file, or just uncomment the ones there.  I am using courier-imap.

Here's the entry:

```
#imap4  stream  tcp     nowait  root    /usr/local/libexec/imapd        imapd
imapd   stream  tcp     nowait  root    /usr/local/libexec/courier-imap       courier-imap
```

I get a connection refused when I try and connect to the server using Thunderbird.

I am able to send mail from the actual server when using mail locally.  I am also able to receive mail as well.  Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks!


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## DutchDaemon (Aug 5, 2009)

Are you sure you need inetd for this? Don't you have a start-up script in /usr/local/etc/rc.d that starts Courier as a daemon?

http://www.inter7.com/courierimap/courierimap.html



> On systems that use inetd (such as Red Hat 6.2 or earlier), you will also have to manually delete the imap and pop-3 entries from /etc/inetd.conf as well. Courier-IMAP listens for client connections by itself. It doesn't need inetd, and you need to tell inetd to release that port.
> 
> On systems that use xinetd (such as Red Hat 7.0 and later), any xinetd entries for imap and pop3 ports must be disabled.


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## otisranson (Aug 6, 2009)

DutchDaemon said:
			
		

> Are you sure you need inetd for this? Don't you have a start-up script in /usr/local/etc/rc.d that starts Courier as a daemon?
> 
> http://www.inter7.com/courierimap/courierimap.html



Appreciate the help.  I have no idea what if I need inetd for the imap.  I thought I did, but I'm unsure.

So you think I should comment out the line in inetd.conf?  In /usr/local/etc/rc.d/ I have

```
$ ls /usr/local/etc/rc.d
courier-authdaemond	courier-imap-imapd-ssl	courier-imap-pop3d-ssl
courier-imap-imapd	courier-imap-pop3d
```

Do I need to add a line in /etc/rc.conf?

I basically need to know how to start courier-imap.  Manually will work fine for now, because we are still testing to make sure this is going to work.  Like I said, I can send and receive mail from the local server, but the mail clients aren't working.

I thought the line in inetd.conf did that. 

Appreciate all the help!


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## SirDice (Aug 6, 2009)

otisranson said:
			
		

> So you think I should comment out the line in inetd.conf?


Yes.



> Do I need to add a line in /etc/rc.conf?


Yes, read the scripts in /usr/local/etc/rc.d. It will tell you which variables you need to set.



> I basically need to know how to start courier-imap.  Manually will work fine for now, because we are still testing to make sure this is going to work.


If the correct variables are set in /etc/rc.conf you can use the scripts in /usr/local/etc/rc.d/ to start/stop the service.



> I thought the line in inetd.conf did that.


It probably will but inetd would have to be running. Inetd probably isn't running because it doesn't by default.

I highly recommend not using inetd unless you really have to.


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## DutchDaemon (Aug 6, 2009)

Inetd is deprecated for about anything nowadays, so I would comment out all lines and not start inetd with boot (it has a line in /etc/rc.conf, remove it).

To start the scripts in /usr/local/etc/rc.d you'll need corresponding lines in /etc/rc.conf. I don't know what they are exactly, but the scripts always contain a line near the top, telling you what they expect to find in /etc/rc.conf. I'd guess it would be something like courier-imap-imapd_enable="YES" or something to that effect.

You can then start it manually with [cmd=]/usr/local/etc/rc.d/courier-imap-imapd start[/cmd], etc. Same for the other courier stuff.


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## DutchDaemon (Aug 6, 2009)

There is a distinct echo in here!


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## SirDice (Aug 6, 2009)

Great minds think alike :e


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## otisranson (Aug 6, 2009)

Got it to work.  I am asked to login now.  I should be able to just configure the users and pw's and I should be set.

I added the line in /etc/rc.conf.  I didn't have a line in /etc/rc.conf about inetd.

Thanks again for the advice and insight!


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## DutchDaemon (Aug 6, 2009)

otisranson said:
			
		

> I didn't have a line in /etc/rc.conf about inetd.



That's why your previous installation didn't work. Inetd needed to be started from /etc/rc.conf to get the rules you added to have any effect. Luckily, this put you on the track to a better solution


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## otisranson (Aug 6, 2009)

Damn, login failed as my user.  All my settings are right in Thunderbird.  Does my user need to be in a special group?  I am able to send mail locally from the server.

```
#mail test@test.com
Subject: test message
test
(Ctrl + d)
#
```

test@test.com is not really what I put there.  I put my email address.


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## DutchDaemon (Aug 6, 2009)

I think you're in a better position to look at your /var/log/maillog and /var/log/messages than us ..


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