Re: online/offline exim config

[Jaume Guasch <jaume.guasch@psi.ch>]

Hi,

Lukasz Wiechec <lwiechec2@space.pl> writes:

> On Mon, Mar 24, 2003 at 04:21:40PM +0100, François TOURDE wrote:
> > Joao Pedro Clemente <jpcl@rnl.ist.utl.pt> writes:
[...]
> > 
> > Exim is always ready on my laptop. Not started directly, but using inetd
> > capabilities...
> > 
> > /etc/inetd.conf:
> > [...]
> > smtp		stream	tcp	nowait	mail	/usr/sbin/exim exim -bs
> > [...]
> > 
> > So, when I send local mail, it is queued.
> > 
> > Once connected, exim is started with -qf option by script in /etc/ifplugd/
> > or any software you can use for plug/unplug mode.
> >
> 
> This works fine, thanks (the easiest solution stands usually right
> in front of one's eyes :-).
> 
> The only concern I have is that when I'm unplugged, I need to wait ~5sec
> for exim to accept mail (normally it's being sent right away).
> 

Yet another solution: I don't have inetd running. I have exim running
with -q30m  and not accepting incoming traffic (in a laptop, you are not
expected to relay other machines e-mail, only outgoing local e-mail, so
I close this port to be on the safe side.)

Now, configure your e-mail client (MUA) to use sendmail as the Mail
Ttransport Agent (MTA) (not an SMTP connection to the localhost). When
you send e-mail it will be queued automatically (without delay). Note:
this might not be possible with some MUAs.

Now, put in your /etc/network/interfaces a command to run exim -q after
bringing up the interface, so that the queue is sent to the outside
world once you are connected. (This step is not strictly necessary,
since it will process the queue each 30 minutes.)

In fact, you only need exim running if you are online (to process
possible connection errors). 

So, the minimal working situation would be schematically:

.- On ifup --> start exim -q30m
.- On ifdown --> stop exim 
.- Use "sendmail" as the MTA in your e-mail client.
.- inetd not running

I have been running without inetd for more than one year without harm
(however, you would like to check your printing configuration to see
that it is not affected)

Hope this helps,

Jaume

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