How do I set up a mail server on a Linode VPS?

Question

i have a linode account and trying to setup an email server where i can send and receive email from my registered domain.

i typed this into shell: sudo tasksel install mail-server

but what is the next step?

Solution

Running a mailserver is not a install-and-go process. Over time you'll want to deal with spam and viruses and people trying to hack your machine via the mail servers. Despite hosting dozens of domains, I don't host email at all. I've farmed all of that off to Google Mail and I recommend everybody does something similar.

Life is too short to worry about your email server twice a day.

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But assuming you still want to install a mail server, you'll want to follow the proper guide: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MailServer

The short version is:

• Install MTA (eg: Postfix) and configure it to allow mail in for your domain
• Install MDA (eg: Dovecot) to allow people to collect their mail

Comments

[akshayb]

+1 for Life is too short to worry about your email server twice a day.

[Aaron Cicali]

If you need to setup an email server quickly, this might help: mailinabox.email/guide.html