want to set up email server at home

[stingygrrl]

I have a site hosted with email, and a photos (gallery by menalto) but basically 99% of my use is just personal email. So I thoguht that I could improve my situation (reliability) by putting my email server on a box at home with my regular cable ISP. It's just the same email that I download right now thru POP3 using my cable internet, so would this work? It wouldn't be any more of a load that what it already is. I can't ask them ovbiously.

Then question #2, how can I do it? I have an extra P3 500 sitting around that I could load up windows 2003 server onto (I have many copies and versions from MS shows).

 

[KLin]

Originally posted by: stingygrrl
I have a site hosted with email, and a photos (gallery by menalto) but basically 99% of my use is just personal email. So I thoguht that I could improve my situation (reliability) by putting my email server on a box at home with my regular cable ISP. It's just the same email that I download right now thru POP3 using my cable internet, so would this work? It wouldn't be any more of a load that what it already is. I can't ask them ovbiously.

Then question #2, how can I do it? I have an extra P3 500 sitting around that I could load up windows 2003 server onto (I have many copies and versions from MS shows).

running a server is more than likely against your cable provider's TOS. If they catch on, they could possible disable your service.

 

[edmicman]

Even if its just a server for personal use?

Even though, I'd be wary of hosting my own email server that I had to rely on, even if it was just for me. When you host it, you have to worry about security, what happens if the power goes out, making sure its running ALL the time, etc. What if your power goes out due to a storm for an extended period of time, or someone accidently turns it off? Bam! You're email is down. Maybe its just something I'd rather let dedicated hosts worry about as far as backups and generators and stuff goes. Just my $.02

 

[Nothinman]

http://wiki.arslinux.com/Mail_Server_FAQ

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: KLin

Originally posted by: stingygrrl
I have a site hosted with email, and a photos (gallery by menalto) but basically 99% of my use is just personal email. So I thoguht that I could improve my situation (reliability) by putting my email server on a box at home with my regular cable ISP. It's just the same email that I download right now thru POP3 using my cable internet, so would this work? It wouldn't be any more of a load that what it already is. I can't ask them ovbiously.

Then question #2, how can I do it? I have an extra P3 500 sitting around that I could load up windows 2003 server onto (I have many copies and versions from MS shows).

running a server is more than likely against your cable provider's TOS. If they catch on, they could possible disable your service.

Just route the e-mail through another port they will never catch it 😉

Ausm

 

[Nothinman]

Just route the e-mail through another port they will never catch it

A) they can catch it just as easily if they want to, SMTP is plain text
B) 99% of the mail servers in the world expect a receiving mail server to listen on port 25, if you're not on that port they won't connect.

 

[stingygrrl]

ok, thanks for the replies. I guess I'll just leave it at the host. I thought it would be better to have it here, rather than trying to find an ultra-reliable host that isn't ultra-$$. Plus I don't know squat about linux! 😱

I'm with dixiesys right now and get irritated every now and then with their outages.

 

[drag]

Linux is worth knowing if your interested in doing anything beyond gaming or surfing the internet. But e-mail serving is deceptively difficult to do correctly. There are other things, such as setting up a little website, that is much more usefull.