On Wed, Nov 05, 2003 at 02:17:58AM +0100, Benedict Verheyen said
> Hi,
>
> i have configured exim 4 and it runs fine. I use the smarthost option
> and thus send mails via my ISP. I was wondering if i could do the same
> by NOT using the smarthost option and use my exim4 to do this?
Yup, it's easy. Just reconfigure exim4 ("dpkg-reconfigure exim4-config"
or so) and tell it to be a "Internet host" (or whatever it is) instead
of "Internet host with smarthost".
However, be aware that some remote mail servers block mail from dynamic
and domestic ip addresses, and will refuse all mail coming from you.
Hotmail and Yahoo at least do this.
> Also, i've have always wondered how one sets up a "real" mail server:
> if you had a domain registered foobar.com and wanted all mail directed
> to *@foobar.com to end up at your mailserver.
Just tell exim4 to accept mail for your domain, and it will. Not sure
of the option in exim4, but it was "local_domains" in exim3.
> Am i correct in assuming that you need mx records to do this
If someone sends mail to "foo@bar.com", then their MTA will look up the
MX record for bar.com and try to deliver mail to it. If there are no MX
records at all for "bar.com", then it will try the "A" record (what host
gives you for "host bar.com") directly.
The advantage of MX records is that you can have lots of them, each with
their own "rank". Other mail servers will send to the lowest numbered
available MX record, and work their way down the list if one doesn't
respond.
So, if you get yourself bar.com, each machine in the domain will accept
mail for itself (home.bar.com, server.bar.com, etc), and you will need
to designate one to handle the mail for bar.com itself.
> and a fixed ip?
You will ideally need a fixed IP, yes. You can use something like
dyndns.org so that your *hostname* remains constant even if your IP
changes (since MX records are hostnames), but be aware that there will
be small window just after each time your ip changes where someone else
could be receiving all your mail (after your IP changes, but before your
dyndns name updates).
> Is there any info that explains these steps?
I don't know of any in particular, but I bet google will give you lots
o' hits.
--
Rob Weir <rweir@ertius.org> | mlspam@ertius.org | Do I look like I want a CC?
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