# Newbie setting up his own mail server?



## Gogeden (Feb 15, 2011)

So I'm trying to set up my own mail server because I don't want google snooping in on my email  And I'm using the tutorial here:

http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/secure_email_server_bsd_part_1?page=0,2

And I am up to the cvsup part and I ran this:

`cvsup -g -L 2 stable-supfile`

Like it said in the tutorial and I got this message:


```
Parsing supfile "stable-supfile"
Release not specified for collection "cvsup"
```

I'm not entirely sure as to what this means. Should I be worried to go on to the next step? 

Thanks!


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## UNIXgod (Feb 15, 2011)

I love the quote "FreeBSD was used for Hotmailâ€™s email service before the company was acquired by Microsoft" which is inaccurate because the afaik they still use FreeBSD on most of their mail servers and use qmail over postfix. I wouldn't trust that tutorial based on the mis-information right there.

reference:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/1999/04/19/microsoftowned_email_service_runs/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/12/12/microsoft_hotmail_still_runs/
also I met a m$ employee last summer on a cruise who admitted they where still running "some" qmail servers. =)

As for the usage of cvsup which has nothing to do with the actual setting up of a mail server or services all the information is in the correct place to be viewing it (i.e. handbook)

Easy url to remember is freebsd.org/handbook


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## Gogeden (Feb 15, 2011)

UNIXgod said:
			
		

> I love the quote "FreeBSD was used for Hotmailâ€™s email service before the company was acquired by Microsoft" which is inaccurate because the afaik they still use freebsd on most of their mail servers and use qmail over postfix. I wouldn't trust that tutorial based on the mis-information right there.
> 
> reference:
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/1999/04/19/microsoftowned_email_service_runs/
> ...



What about this tutorial?

http://www.purplehat.org/?page_id=16


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## UNIXgod (Feb 16, 2011)

I think you meant this link: http://www.purplehat.org/?p=3

I never went through it. tl; tr. I like the "Future Ex" block on the right. 

Might I suggest reading documentation from the respective projects that you wish to pursue. For example if you want to know more about mta's you can read on them at postfix: http://www.postfix.org/ or qmail: http://cr.yp.to/qmail.html or I'm sure someone will suggest another replacement for sendmail.

Once you have an idea which mta you want to use cross reference it with the handbook and these forums. There are many cookbook style mail server and toaster recipes in the howto section of these forums.

There are many professionals on this forum that run mail services for a living. If you ask a question specific to the subject; you will get a less broad response for your project.

More handbook links:
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/mail-changingmta.html
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/mail.html


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## Gogeden (Feb 16, 2011)

I just started this install:

http://www.purplehat.org/?page_id=16

And I keep getting an error code 1 with the mysql part


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## UNIXgod (Feb 16, 2011)

Gogeden said:
			
		

> I just started this install:
> 
> http://www.purplehat.org/?page_id=16
> 
> And I keep getting an error code 1 with the mysql part



and what was the last thing you typed in the terminal? Please be more verbose. Were you compiling mysql?


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## Gogeden (Feb 16, 2011)

```
cd /usr/ports/security/maia
make all install clean
```
And correct.


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## anomie (Feb 16, 2011)

@Gogeden: What does your timeline look like for getting this mail server deployed? 

If I could offer general advice, it would be to first get your mind around FreeBSD (search this forum for book recommendations), then learn about installing, configuring, and securing MTAs. 

If I may be so bold - "newbie setting up his own mail server" sounds like a soon-to-be blacklisted spamhost just waiting to happen. Please get your fundamental skills in place before plopping a mail server onto the hostile 'net.


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## Gogeden (Feb 17, 2011)

anomie said:
			
		

> If I may be so bold - "newbie setting up his own mail server" sounds like a soon-to-be blacklisted spamhost just waiting to happen. Please get your fundamental skills in place before plopping a mail server onto the hostile 'net.



I'm sorry but an opinion like that really turns me off to using FreeBSD if I'm going to get counter-production like that. I know how Bash and Unix-style machines work I have been using Linux for quite some time and have messed around with FreeBSD quite a bit. I just want to make my own mail server due to not wanting Google or Aol or Yahoo or whomever to own my data. Period.


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## UNIXgod (Feb 17, 2011)

Gogeden said:
			
		

> I'm sorry but an opinion like that really turns me off to using FreeBSD if I'm going to get counter-production like that. I know how Bash and Unix-style machines work I have been using Linux for quite some time and have messed around with FreeBSD quite a bit. I just want to make my own mail server due to not wanting Google or Aol or Yahoo or whomever to own my data. Period.



And you should experiment and create a custom solution for your needs. Take the time to learn how to install and update your ports before you continue. Sounds like you have a good start with shell scripting. 

anomie was simply letting you know to start at the beginning and move forward one step at a time. Mail servers are large and complicated. Getting a decent foundation on the OS first will get you further when your ready.

Please take the time to read this chapter and try everything that it says.

http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/updating-upgrading.html

Here are some recipes off this forum for mail services:

killasmurf86's Large Toaster:
https://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=10728

vermaden's Simple Toaster:
https://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=16801

Take the time to study those and see if that will help your research. I have been on this forum long enough to know that I would trust these guys tutorials/recipes before hitting an outdated "blog for hits and revenue" site.

In effort to avoid mis information confirm the tutorials where written by actual BSD admins.  I've seen many documents on the web parading around as FreeBSD copy and paste solutions which miss the FreeBSD file system hier or even have you actually delete sendmail instead of disabling it and link the replacement mta by hand instead of using mailerconf. If you find one of these ignore it as it's most likely written by a redhat user moonlighting as a BSD admin for for the sake of generating hits or padding their resume.

If you want qmail instead of postfix for your MTA I can help you set that up painlessly =)

Good luck!


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## anomie (Feb 17, 2011)

Gogeden said:
			
		

> I'm sorry but an opinion like that really turns me off to using FreeBSD if I'm going to get counter-production like that.



Don't be silly. You forgot to first quote the part where I suggested you do some _learning_ first. With respect, the types of questions you are posting imply that you need practice before you embark on your adventure. Getting a grip on the fundamentals first is not "counter-production" - in fact, it's a very productive approach.


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## graudeejs (Feb 17, 2011)

Just before you even start.
Setting up working mail server is quite time consuming.
It took me week+ to setup my mail server.....

After that I wrote howto mentioned above, however I wrote it off my memory (I also used different SQL table for my server), it contains some bugs, that you need to find and fix yourself (feedback appreciated)

So don't hope to get it running in 5 minutes


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