Install Mailsystem HELP!

[Helmut Metzdorf <h-j-m@tap.de>]

Hello, debian fans (I hope so) out there

trying to set up a mail system I have run into problems.

1st: I have dialup connection to an ISP using ISDN (ipppd) and have all
of that running and tested (ftp, www, etc.).

In my attempt to give the last remnants of B.G. on my computer a
farewell I just need just one thing more - a running mail system.

And thats what i did:
Sunday:    load and install (using DSELECT) smail, fetchmail
and            procmail.
Monday:    study the Network-Administration-Guide.
Tuesday:   finish with NAG and switch to the Net3-Howto, Mail-Howto, 
           Offline-Howto and the PPP-Howto.
Wednesday: Next the manpages and online docs at /usr/doc.
           Feeling prepared for a first test. OK. Cause I have 
           subscribed to two mailing lists, this one and the german
           list, there is nearly allways mail to be fetched. 
           Set up the .fetchmailrc, dial in to your provider,
start                fetchmail (verbose and keep of course) and see what
happens.  
           connect to mailserver OK.
           password OK.
           xxx messages to get.
           retreave messege 1. ---- (till here its just my words.)
!!!!       SMTP connect to (null) failed
           bla, bla
!!!!       SMTP transaction error while fetching ....
           normal termination Code 9.  (didnt note that either)  
           So far it was what I had expected cause the manpage said
           there has to be an MTA (Mail Transport Agent) ready to
           take over.
Thursday:  Reading more closely the smail manpage, ah, there it is.
           The options -bd will cause it to listen for incomming mail 
           and process it. Shuffling my feet, cut the green around
the             house, clean up my kitchen (I have just a private
account at
           a commercial ISP, and he will charge bussines fees if I dare 
           using the account during bussines hours).
           Time!!! 
           Dial in to my ISP.
           Start smail -bd
           Start fetchmail
           Same error.
           Checking the log files finding in /var/log/smail/...
           bind() failed address already in use
           Browse the net (www) loading down the ISDN4Linux FAQ
           loading down Bernd Hailers ISDN documentation (URL´s in
           /usr/doc/??? 
           Browsing through this mailing list: someone wrote
           he could read his mail using fetchmail (how that?).
           Anyway its too late, lets call it a day.
Friday:    Checking the manpages on procmail more closely, they say
           procmail can be used as MTA, OK lets try that next.
           Shuffling my feet (again). Paing a visit to downtown,
           write thanks to a guy that helped you on this list - more 
           then overdue.
           Set up ~/.forward
           Set Up ~/.procmailrc
           Time!!! 
           Dial in to my ISP.
           Run fetchmail
           Same error
           Retry it in different combinations (files in /root/
           or in $HOME/).
           Starting fetchmail as root or as user.
           All the same.
           What to do next? (besides studying the doc I have loaded down
           yesterday -the Bernd Hailer docs helped me a lot
setting                up my internet connection-.)  
           Write this message and hope.

Thanks in advance,

                 Helmut.

p.s. The (of cause futil) attempt of cron to run smail every 20
minutes      (runq) just gives me nerves. Is it save to edit the
appropriate      crontab (/etc/smail/crontab?) ore even emove it?


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