raelgc/Email Server (Linux, Unix, Mac).md

## Email Server (Linux, Unix, Mac).md

      
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              Email Server (Linux, Unix, Mac).md
            
          
    Setup a Local Only SMTP Email Server (Linux, Unix, Mac)

1 - Point localhost.com to your machine

Most of programs will not accept an email using just @localhost as domain.
So, edit /etc/hosts file to make the domain localhost.com point to your machine, including this content to the file:
127.0.0.1       localhost.com
2 - Install Postfix

Fedora/CentOS/RHEL: sudo yum install postfix
Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install postfix
MacOSX: Postfix is already installed by default.
3 - Configure Postfix to Local only


During postfix install process, the configure text dialog will display five options:
General type of mail configuration: 

No configuration
Internet Site
Internet with smarthost
Satellite system
Local only


Select "Local Only".


For the domain name, use the default suggested and finish the install.


4 - Configure a Catch-all Address

Enabling this, you can use any email address ending with "@localhost" or "@localhost.com".
Example: here, my unique account is rael@localhost.com. But while testing systems, I can use any address like joe@localhost.com, foo@localhost.com, etc, because all will be redirected to rael@localhost.com

If not exists, create file /etc/postfix/virtual:
sudo nano /etc/postfix/virtual
Add the following 2 lines content, replacing <your-user> with your Unix user account:

@localhost <your-user>
@localhost.com <your-user>


Save and close the file.
Configure postifx to read this file:

Open /etc/postfix/main.cf:
sudo nano /etc/postfix/main.cf
And check if this line is enabled, or add it if not exists:
virtual_alias_maps = hash:/etc/postfix/virtual


Activate it:
sudo postmap /etc/postfix/virtual
Reload postfix:
sudo systemctl restart postfix
If you're under non systemd distro, like Ubuntu 14.04, service restart command probably is: sudo service postfix reload

5 - Install Thunderbird

Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install thunderbird
6 - Configure Thunderbird


Skip the welcome screen (click in the button to use existing accounts);
Click in the Settings button at top right (similar to Chrome settings) then click on Preferences > Account Settings
Under Account Actions choose "Add Other Account"
Select "Unix Mailspool (Movemail)"
Your account will be <your-user>@localhost (of course, replace <your-user> with your user account). Don't use <your-user>@(none), use <your-user>@localhost
Ingoing and Outgoing server will be: localhost
Restart (close and reopen) Thunderbird.

7 - Start your Mail Spool file


This step have two purposes: test your install and stop the Unable to locate mail spool file. message.
Using Thunderbird, send new email to <your-user>@localhost, replacing <your-user> with your user account
Click on "Get Mail"
Test catch-all: send new email to averagejoe@localhost
Click on "Get Mail" and you'll see the message at Inbox.