Home Email Server

[Mayfriday0529]

I want to know if the following is possible.
I would like to create an Email server at home that could grab all my emails so I could access them from any computer using outlook or while on the road through web access, like what exchange server does.

Home setup
Cable Modem
Wireless Router
One Desktop and One Laptop, soon PDA with wireless

I would like to build a system just for this purpose if possible, whether it could be done with exchange server 2003 or something else it would be great.

edit: the way i have now is have about 4 email accounts from my website being hosted by 1and1.com 3 are mine and 1 is for another family member. i also have 1 email account from my ISP.
It would be great to be able to access all of them individually.


Any ideas?

 

[n0cmonkey]

A bit of fetchmail setup should allow this.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Fetchmail, is that on linux operating system?

i'm not very good linux, i never been able to install a program before.

edit: i have found the following two software online but still reading if they will do what i want.
anyone else interested in my project check out the following websites.

http://atmail.com/index.ehtml

http://www.ccsoftware.ca/mdaemon/

 

[JackMDS]

You can do it with Windows and exchange if you can effort the cost.

However there are many Mail Servers Packages (some free) that will let you do most of the things that you mentioned. You would have to do some exploratory work to find the one that is suitable for you.

Link to: http://www.snapfiles.com/downl...ch=Search&action=s

Once you are set, in order to be able to contact you server while on the road read this: How Do I Find my IP and MAC Numbers?

:sun:

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
You can do it with Windows and exchange if you can effort the cost.

Windows Small Business server 2003 that includes exchange server i believe? i have a trial copy i got from microsoft think that could work?

but i'mgoing to check the website you gave me thank you

 

[HKSturboKID]

Thats exactly what I want to do. Setup an home mail server where I can use internet connection from anywhere to check mail.

 

[JackMDS]

If you do have Windows2003 with Exchange it is an excellent solution.

However it is Not a matter of Posting instructions on a Public forum. It is a project that might take some time, and involved a lot of learning that might help in the future if you are in this field.

A Trial Exchange 2003 Server and a lot of info here: http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/default.mspx

The other solution that I posted above is a Quick thing that if you are familiar with the concepts you will be up and running a Home Mail Server in an Hour.

:sun:

 

[Nothinman]

i have a trial copy i got from microsoft think that could work?

And what happens in 60 or 90 days when it expires?

Check out http://wiki.arslinux.com/index.php/Main_Page at the very least it'll give you an idea about what you would be getting yourself into if you decide to use a free, open source based solution.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

i have a trial copy i got from microsoft think that could work?

And what happens in 60 or 90 days when it expires?

Check out http://wiki.arslinux.com/index.php/Main_Page at the very least it'll give you an idea about what you would be getting yourself into if you decide to use a free, open source based solution.

well with the trial version at least i could see if i could get it up and running and like it was stated above its a project that could take time but that the fun in it.

i do have a MCP and working on my MCSE 2003 so this could be more practice for me. but i will also look at your link provided.

i have some reading to do at work

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Jnetty99
Fetchmail, is that on linux operating system?

i'm not very good linux, i never been able to install a program before.

edit: i have found the following two software online but still reading if they will do what i want.
anyone else interested in my project check out the following websites.

http://atmail.com/index.ehtml

http://www.ccsoftware.ca/mdaemon/

Fetchmail is generally used on a unix based operating system. I'm not sure if there is a win32 port or not. You have a good reason for choosing Microsoft though, so I can't say I'd blame you for choosing it.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: Jnetty99

Originally posted by: Nothinman

i have a trial copy i got from microsoft think that could work?

And what happens in 60 or 90 days when it expires?

Check out http://wiki.arslinux.com/index.php/Main_Page at the very least it'll give you an idea about what you would be getting yourself into if you decide to use a free, open source based solution.

well with the trial version at least i could see if i could get it up and running and like it was stated above its a project that could take time but that the fun in it.

i do have a MCP and working on my MCSE 2003 so this could be more practice for me. but i will also look at your link provided.

i have some reading to do at work

If you want to use the server to study for MS tests, considering getting an Action Pack subscription.

 

[imported_Paladin]

Originally posted by: Jnetty99
....
Cable Modem
....

Check your cable company's AUP and TOS -- many (most? all?) cable companies prohibit servers.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: werk

Originally posted by: Jnetty99

Originally posted by: Nothinman

i have a trial copy i got from microsoft think that could work?

And what happens in 60 or 90 days when it expires?

Check out http://wiki.arslinux.com/index.php/Main_Page at the very least it'll give you an idea about what you would be getting yourself into if you decide to use a free, open source based solution.

well with the trial version at least i could see if i could get it up and running and like it was stated above its a project that could take time but that the fun in it.

i do have a MCP and working on my MCSE 2003 so this could be more practice for me. but i will also look at your link provided.

i have some reading to do at work

If you want to use the server to study for MS tests, considering getting an Action Pack subscription.

the action pack is a little to much for me at the moment. i already have free trial versions of windows 2000 and server and windows 2003 server and enterprise, also SBS 2003 and also going to get the exchange server 2003 trial version standalone package which includes outlook 2003 which i already have a real version of it.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: Paladin

Originally posted by: Jnetty99
....
Cable Modem
....

Check your cable company's AUP and TOS -- many (most? all?) cable companies prohibit servers.

i'm sure they don't since they already block port 80 and 8080 etc but how many people already have such things running, for the amount of use i will need, it will be less than using bit torrent.

 

[Nothinman]

i'm sure they don't since they already block port 80 and 8080 etc but how many people already have such things running, for the amount of use i will need, it will be less than using bit torrent.

The amount of use is irrelevant, most cable companies prohibit it even if they don't proactively block it, for instance I know it's against Comcast's TOS but they don't do any type of filtering. It's up to you whether you want to run the risk of violationg that TOS.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

i'm sure they don't since they already block port 80 and 8080 etc but how many people already have such things running, for the amount of use i will need, it will be less than using bit torrent.

The amount of use is irrelevant, most cable companies prohibit it even if they don't proactively block it, for instance I know it's against Comcast's TOS but they don't do any type of filtering. It's up to you whether you want to run the risk of violationg that TOS.

yes i will violating the TOS

In addition to the prohibitions outlined in the Acceptable Use Policy, Residential users may not:

(a) Run any type of server on the system. This includes but is not limited to FTP, IRC, SMTP, POP, HTTP, SOCKS, SQUID, DNS or any multi-user forums;

(b) Register or point a domain, sub-domain, or hostname to any Optimum Online IP address. Moreover, users may not have traffic redirected to The Service;

edit: i have run FTP server before with no problem, just needed a little tweaking to get it to work, i believe is one of those things were they look the other way, unless you totally start to abuse it completely.

 

[Mayfriday0529]

I found the following software
Workgroupmail
i been playing with there demo version. the software gets my pop3 accounts and i can then connect to the software with a email client using IMAP and the emails stay on the server.

the software also has webmail feature which i didnt try yet but i need to install IIS in order to get it to work. i also asked if i could connect through IMAP from outside my network and they said yes, but i have to tweak my firewall and other stuff to get through.

So far so good except for the fact that its not free.

 

[kevnich2]

Try www.desknow.com They have a lite version that is very feature packed that is free of charge. I'm running it now and it seems quite nice.

 

[Thoreau]

I've been a sucker for MDaemon (www.mdaemon.com) for the last 3-4 years now. Very easy to set up and extremely feature rich. You can even go so far as to have it store all account info in a sql database of your choice, run its built-in webmail through IIS, etc.

 

[kevnich2]

MDaemon is a bit pricey though, desknow.com is free, it has a commercial version but the free version is still quite feature packed, unlimited domains, unlimited users, webmail, collaboration, etc.