# Installing qpopper in FreeBSD 8.0



## mdudley (Feb 11, 2010)

I just installed FreeBSD 8.0 on a box to replace our present box which contains version 6.3.

I have everything working except for qpopper.  I tried installing from the ports package and it id not work.  So I installed it twice from the terminal by hand, and although it is now monitoring port 110, it always give me that the password is wrong for my username when I try to check mail.  The password is correct, I use it to log in remotely with ssh2 and sftp with no problem. I have searched the net but cannot find a cause nor a cure.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated as this server was alreaady suppose to have been made live.

Marshall


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## fbsd1 (Feb 28, 2010)

From the Freebsd install guide @ http://www.a1poweruser.com


Qpopper Application

Qpopper is the most widely-used server for the POP3 protocol (this allows users to access their email using any POP3 client). Qpopper supports the latest standards and includes a large number of optional features. It is normally used with standard UNIX/FBSD mail transfer agents such as sendmail or postfix. 

For details see http://www.eudora.com/products/unsupported/qpopper/index.html


There is a manual at http://www.eudora.com/products/unsupported/qpopper/documentation.html  that describes execution time override configuration file.

The FBSD package of qpopper installs a very basic vanilla environment without any of qpopper's built in high performance options activated. Install the package and configure qpopper for high performance operation. 



Qpopper Installation Instructions

```
pkg_add â€“rv qpopper
```


```
rehash
```


At the completion of the package install a message block is displayed that tells you to copy this statement into the /etc/inetd.conf file to activate qpopper. 

You are not going to use that statement as is. You are going to add an option flag to it to enable qpopper to read a configuration option file so its high performance capabilities can be enabled. 

Edit the /etc/inetd.conf and place the following pop3 qpopper statement at the front of the file after the info comments and just before the first FTP statement.


```
pop3 stream tcp nowait root /usr/local/libexec/qpopper qpopper -f /etc/qpopper.conf
```

To activate the changes to /etc/inetd.conf you can reboot or force the inetd task into re-reading the /etc/inetd.conf file by issuing this console command

```
/etc/rc.d/inetd reload
```



Now create the qpopper override config file so it contains the following content: 


```
ee /etc/qpopper.conf

# This is the qpopper configuration override file
#
# Mail statistics
# Write info message to log file every time user checks email.
# Uncomment for testing only
#set statistics = true

# Put qpopper in server mode for fast performance
set server-mode = true

# For security purposes do not announce banner showing qpopper version
set shy = true

# Turn on fast updates
set fast-update = true

# Turn off reverse lookup of clients IP address
set reverse-lookup = false

# Put qpopper messages in their own log file. 
set log-facility = local2
```



Since you told qpopper to use local2 for logging in the qpopper configuration override file above, you now have to complete the logging environment. 

Add this statement to /etc/syslog.conf: 


```
local2.notice     /var/log/qpopper.log
```

This log file does not exist, so you must create it.



```
touch /var/log/qpopper.log
```

To activate the changes to /etc/syslog.conf you can reboot or force the syslogd task into re-reading /etc/syslog.conf by issuing this console command

```
/etc/rc.d/syslogd reload
```

Now you must set up log rotation. Add this statement to /etc/newsyslog.conf:


```
/var/log/qpopper.log 600 3 100 * B
```

You can change the log rotation triggers to whatever you want.
See man newsyslog for info on what they mean.

qpopper does nothing with user mail accout name or passwords. Maybe you are tarking fetchmail. 
Get more details about how you are testing retriveing your mail.
Are you using MS/outlook to retrive your mail from sendmail on the freebsd box?


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## manilaboy1vic (Oct 28, 2010)

Nice write up on qpopper. I like using the conf file.  I also deny the use of tcp port 110 via IPFW from the outside world, for me, qpopper is only allowed via rfc 1918... My logs are filling up with hack attempts.


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## SirDice (Oct 29, 2010)

manilaboy1vic said:
			
		

> My logs are filling up with hack attempts.



security/sshguard-pf

Contrary to what its name suggests it can also monitor/protect POP3.


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## manilaboy1vic (Oct 30, 2010)

SSHguard-pf enabeld.  Thanks.. Loving it.


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