Mail Server using Postfix, Dovecot and SquirrelMail in CentOS/RHEL/Scientific

Linux 6.3 step by step guide

Before install postfix, remove sendmail from the server. Because sendmail is the
default MTA in Redhat/CentOS.
[root@server ~]# yum remove sendmail
Prerequisites:
The mail server should contain a valid MX record in the DNS server. Navigate to this
link how to setup DNS server.
Firewall and SELinux should be disabled.
[root@server
[root@server
[root@server
[root@server

~]#
~]#
~]#
~]#

service iptables stop

service ip6tables stop
chkconfig iptables off
chkconfig ip6tables off

[root@server ~]# vi /etc/selinux/config

# This file controls the state of SELinux on the system.
# SELINUX= can take one of these three values:
#
enforcing - SELinux security policy is enforced.
#
permissive - SELinux prints warnings instead of enforcing.
#
disabled - No SELinux policy is loaded.
SELINUX=disabled
# SELINUXTYPE= can take one of these two values:
#
targeted - Targeted processes are protected,
#
mls - Multi Level Security protection.
SELINUXTYPE=targeted
Reboot the server.
Scenario
In this tutorial my test box
Hostname
= server.arkit.co.in
IP Address = 192.168.1.200/24
And my server is configured with proper MX record in DNS server.
Installation
Postfix is installed by default. If it is not installed, use the below command to install
postfix.
[root@server ~]# yum install postfix
Configuration
Open the postfix config file /etc/postfix/main.cf. Find the below lines and edit them

as shown below.
[root@server ~]# vi /etc/postfix/main.cf
myhostname = server.arkit.co.in ##line no 75 - uncomment and
enter your host name
mydomain = arkit.co.in ##line no 83 - uncomment and enter your
domain name
myorigin = $mydomain ##line no 99 - uncomment
inet_interfaces = all ##line no 116 - change to all
mydestination = $myhostname, localhost.$mydomain, localhost,
$mydomain ##line no 164 - add $domain at the end
mynetworks = 192.168.1.0/24, 127.0.0.0/8 ##line no 264 uncomment and add your network range
home_mailbox = Maildir/ ##line no 419 - uncomment
Start the postfix service.
[root@server ~]# service postfix start
Starting postfix:
]
[root@server ~]# chkconfig postfix on
Test Postfix
The commands shown in bold letters should be entered by the user.
Note: The dot after the test command is important.
[root@server ~]# telnet localhost smtp
Trying ::1...
Connected to localhost.
Escape character is '^]'.
220 server.arkit.co.in ESMTP Postfix
ehlo localhost
250-server.arkit.co.in
250-PIPELINING
250-SIZE 10240000
250-VRFY
250-ETRN
250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES
250-8BITMIME
250 DSN
mail from:<user1>
250 2.1.0 Ok
rcpt to:<user1>
250 2.1.5 Ok
data
354 End data with <CR><LF>.<CR><LF>

OK

test
.
250 2.0.0 Ok: queued as 117113FF18
quit
221 2.0.0 Bye
Connection closed by foreign host.
Check Mail
Navigate to the user mail directory and check for the new mail.
[root@server ~]# cd /home/user1/Maildir/new/
[root@server new]# ls
1360236956.Vfd00I35afM181256.server.arkit.co.in
[root@server new]# cat
1360236956.Vfd00I35afM181256.server.arkit.co.in
Return-Path: <user1@arkit.co.in>
X-Original-To: user1
Delivered-To: user1@arkit.co.in
Received: from localhost (localhost [IPv6:::1])
by server.arkit.co.in (Postfix) with ESMTP id 117113FF18
for <user1>; Thu, 7 Feb 2013 17:05:32 +0530 (IST)
Message-Id: <20130207113547.117113FF18@server.arkit.co.in>
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2013 17:05:32 +0530 (IST)
From: user1@arkit.co.in
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
test
Thats it. Postfix working now.
Install Dovecot
[root@server ~]# yum install dovecot
Configure Dovecot
Open the dovecot config file /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf. Find and uncomment the
line as shown below.
[root@server ~]# vi /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf
protocols = imap pop3 lmtp
Open the file /etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-mail.conf and uncomment the line as shown
below.
[root@server ~]# vi /etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-mail.conf
mail_location = maildir:~/Maildir ##line no 24 - uncomment
Open the /etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-auth.conf and edit as shown below.

[root@server ~]# vi /etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-auth.conf

disable_plaintext_auth = no ##line no 9 - uncomment and change from yes to no.
auth_mechanisms = plain login ##line no 97 - add the text "login"
Open the /etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-master.conf and edit as shown below.
unix_listener auth-userdb {
#mode = 0600
user = postfix ##line no 83 - uncomment and enter postfix
group = postfix ##line no 84 - uncomment and enter postfix
Start the dovecot service.
[root@server ~]# service dovecot start
Starting Dovecot Imap:
]
[root@server ~]# chkconfig dovecot on
Test Dovecot
The commands shown in bold should be entered by the user.
[root@server ~]# telnet localhost pop3
Trying ::1...
Connected to localhost.
Escape character is '^]'.
+OK Dovecot ready.
user user1
+OK
pass user1
+OK Logged in.
list
+OK 1 messages:
1 428
.
retr 1
+OK 428 octets
Return-Path: <user1@arkit.co.in>
X-Original-To: user1
Delivered-To: user1@arkit.co.in
Received: from localhost (localhost [IPv6:::1])
by server.arkit.co.in (Postfix) with ESMTP id 117113FF18
for <user1>; Thu, 7 Feb 2013 17:05:32 +0530 (IST)
Message-Id: <20130207113547.117113FF18@server.arkit.co.in>
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2013 17:05:32 +0530 (IST)
From: user1@arkit.co.in
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
test

OK

.
quit
+OK Logging out.
Connection closed by foreign host.
[root@server ~]#
Dovecot is working now.
Install Squirrelmail
Install EPEL repository first. And install SquirrelMail package from EPEL repository.
[root@server ~]# wget
http://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/i386/epel-release-68.noarch.rpm
[root@server ~]# rpm -ivh epel-release-6-8.noarch.rpm
[root@server ~]# yum install squirrelmail
[root@server ~]# service httpd start
Starting httpd:
[
]
[root@server ~]# chkconfig httpd on
[root@server ~]#
Configure Squirrelmail
Go to the squirrelmail config directory and use the command ./conf.pl to start
configure as shown below.
[root@server ~]# cd /usr/share/squirrelmail/config/
[root@server config]# ./conf.pl
SquirrelMail Configuration : Read: config.php (1.4.0)
--------------------------------------------------------Main Menu -1. Organization Preferences
2. Server Settings
3. Folder Defaults
4. General Options
5. Themes
6. Address Books
7. Message of the Day (MOTD)
8. Plugins
9. Database
10. Languages
D. Set pre-defined settings for specific IMAP servers
C
Turn color off
S
Save data
Q
Quit
Command >>1

OK

Select option 1 and set organization details.

SquirrelMail Configuration : Read: config.php (1.4.0)
--------------------------------------------------------Organization Preferences
1. Organization Name
: arkit
2. Organization Logo
: ../images/sm_logo.png
3. Org. Logo Width/Height : (308/111)
4. Organization Title
: Welcome to arkit webmail
5. Signout Page
:
6. Top Frame
: _top
7. Provider link
: http://arkit.co.in
8. Provider name
: arkit
R
Return to Main Menu
C
Turn color off
S
Save data
Q
Quit
Command >>R
Press R to return main menu and select option 2. Enter your domain name and select
dovecot in the Sendmail or SMTP parameter.
SquirrelMail Configuration : Read: config.php (1.4.0)
--------------------------------------------------------Server Settings General
------1. Domain
: arkit.co.in
2. Invert Time
: false
3. Sendmail or SMTP
: SMTP
A. Update IMAP Settings
: localhost:143 (uw)
B. Update SMTP Settings
: localhost:25
R
Return to Main Menu
C
Turn color off
S
Save data
Q
Quit
Command >> S
Once you done, press S to save datas and press Q to exit.
Add the following lines in the httpd.conf file at the end.
[root@server ~]# vi /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf
Alias /squirrelmail /usr/share/squirrelmail
<Directory /usr/share/squirrelmail>
Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
RewriteEngine On
AllowOverride All
DirectoryIndex index.php

Order allow,deny
Allow from all
</Directory>
Restart the httpd service.
[root@server ~]# service httpd restart
Stopping httpd:
]
Starting httpd:
]
[root@server ~]#
Create Users
[root@server
[root@server
[root@server
[root@server

~]#
~]#
~]#
~]#

useradd user1
useradd user2
passwd user1
passwd user2

Open the browser from any clients. Type the following in the address bar.
http://serveripaddress/webmail
or
http://yourdomainname/webmail

OK

OK