E-mail is a service that allows you to exchange electronic messages over a computer network.

Main feature Email is that the information is not sent directly to the recipient, but through an intermediate link - an electronic mailbox, which is a place on the server where the message is stored until the recipient requests it.

The mail server is computer program , designed to organize the exchange of e-mail between computers. Its main functions are receiving letters from customers and delivering them to recipients. Clients can be both users (by the program - an e-mail client) and other mail servers.

Users, using the program - mail client(Outlook Express, Thunderbird, etc.) can create letters, send them to the server, and retrieve mail from their mailboxes on server.

Communication between the server and the client takes place on special mail protocols- Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) - when sending messages to the server and Post Office Protocol v.3 (POP3) - when receiving messages from the mailbox. Clients connect to the server through certain ports. Port 25 is standard for SMTP and port 110 for POP3.

There are various mail servers. As an example, consider installing and configuring a mail server Courier Mail Server.

Courier Mail Server is a mail server (e-mail server) under Windows for local area networks. It will help you quickly organize e-mail exchange in local network and on the Internet. Courier Mail Server does not require installation on the system. It is enough to download the archive with the program and unpack it to any folder on the hard drive of the computer that will work as a mail server.

You can download the free version of Courier Mail Server 1.56 from http://courierms.narod.ru/. A more functional Courier Mail Server 2.05, but already a paid version (1650 rubles for 10 mailboxes, the demo version is limited to only 3 mailboxes), can be found on the website http://www.courierms.ru/.

In this example, we will set up and use free version mail server Courier Mail Server 1.56.

Advantages of Courier Mail Server 1.56:

• free
• ease of installation and removal
• compactness
• ease of administration
• low consumption system resources
• multithreading
• convenient graphic interface
• Russian-language interface and documentation
• support for an unlimited number of mailboxes

The program runs under Windows 9x/ME/NT/2000/XP. Setting up the program is quite simple and accessible to the average user.

Note: In the example, all computers on the network are running Windows XP. All computers on the network are the same (there are no dedicated server computers). The teacher's computer is named server, the students' computers are pc01, pc02, and so on. Everything software, discussed in this section, is placed in the C:\MyServers\usr\local\ folder. If your computers have other names (and this is most likely the case :)), then take this into account when setting up the software. You can also choose a folder for installing the program.

The CMS comes as a zip file containing executable file and documentation. To install the server, create a folder in which it will function, extract the files from the archive to this folder and run the application CourierMS.exe.

At the first start, the server will automatically create the subfolders and files necessary for its operation inside its folder. The server does not make any changes outside its folder. Systemic Windows registry only changes when you register as a service.

Courier Mail Server can be started as standard application, as well as windows services. To run as a Windows service, start the CMS and from the Settings menu select Run as a service. This will register the Courier Mail Server service with the system.

If the launch is normal, the main server window will appear on the screen, and its icon will appear in the System Tray next to the clock. .

If there are messages about starting SMTP and POP3 servers in the main window and there are no error messages, you can start configuring the server.

The next step in configuring the mail server comes down to entering local domains. To do this, double-click on the word "domain" and a tab for its settings will open. Enter computer name where the mail server will run. In our example, this is server . If you have a computer name, for example, pc11 , then enter this name.

Any server program implies the input of users who will be served by it. Double click on "accounts" and the account editor will open. The account editor is designed to maintain a list of local users (accounts) of the server. When you create an account, a corresponding mailbox folder is also created. When you delete an account, the mailbox folder is deleted automatically with all its contents. When the server is first started, it is automatically created Account post master .

Create the required number of accounts for your users. It is enough to create one for each student and teacher computer, although you can create a separate account for each student.

Each account has the following options:

Real name: mailbox owner name.

Mailbox name: mailbox name. It is also the username when connecting to the server. Do not use Russian letters and special characters in the mailbox name. some mail programs work with them incorrectly. If the box name pc 01, local domain server, then the email address this user pc [email protected] server.

Password: password to connect to the server.

We will not change other parameters.

We have 11 computers in the classroom (including the teacher's) so we created 11 accounts.

You can restrict access to the mail server using an IP filter. Specify the range of IP addresses that are allowed access. We have it 192.168.1.1-192.168.1.11 (Read about IP addresses and their configuration in other articles of this). At your school, this range may be different, for example, the one that your Internet provider gave you (well, that's another article).

Everything! The mail server can be used. You can read about setting up and using other features of the program in the help (in Russian!).

You ask: "but how to use it? How to send and receive letters?". The answer is simple. We will send and receive letters using a mail client program (Outlook Express, Thunderbird, etc.). And how to do this, read the following article: "".

Installing a mail server

As a mail server on Windows OS, we will use the free mail server hMailServer. We go to the Hmailserver website in the Download section, download the latest available version for installation. We start the installation of the server. At the point of choosing the type of installation, select the full one. Select the type of database server, if planned a large number of mailboxes and their safety is critical, select Use external database Engine (MSSQL, MySQL or PostgreSQL) Set the administrator password, be sure to remember it. After installation, a window for connecting to the server will appear. For the convenience of launching the application, set the option "Automatically connect on start-up" and click "Connect". On the welcome window, click the Add domain… button. You can also add domains in the Domains-Add… section.

Adding a domain

Select the domain and add a mail account in the Accounts section

These settings are already enough to use mail.

Description of hMailServer mail server settings

Status

In the Status-Server section, we can see the current status of the server, see the server version and the type of database server used. It also displays configuration errors.

The Status-Status section contains server statistics, server uptime, the number of processed emails, detected viruses and spam messages. This section also displays the number of active SMTP, POP3, IMAP sessions.

In the Status-Logging section, you can enable logging and monitor connections to the mail server on the air. In the Status-Delivery Queue section there is a mail queue, in the same section the mail queue can be cleared.

Domains

In the Domains section, you can delete, add, edit domain settings. Let's take a closer look at the domain settings.

In the General section, you can enable/disable the mail domain. In the Names section, you can add an alias for the mail domain. In the Signatures section, you can add a signature for messages sent from mailboxes of the specified mail domain. You can define the conditions for using the signature:

• For all the boxes that don't have a signature
• Overwrite mailbox signature
• Add signature to mailbox signature

You can add a text and/or html signature.

Limits are set in the Limits section. Maximum Size (Mb) - sets the size limit for all mail messages in all mailboxes of the domain. Maximum message size (Kb) - if set, hMailServer will reject messages larger than the specified value. If the parameter is not set, the value specified in the SMTP settings will be used. Max size of accounts (Mb) - if the value is set, then the administrator will not be able to add accounts with a total volume exceeding the value. Also in this section you can configure maximum amount accounts, aliases and mailing lists.

In the DKIM Signing section, you can configure a DKIM signature. To generate a signature and a key, I recommend using the dkim-wizzard resource In Pivate key file, specify the file with the private key. In the Selector item, specify the selector that must match the entry in the DNS. For example, if your DNS entry is named myselector._domainkey.example.net, you would enter "myselector" as the selector (without the quotes).

In the Advanced section, you can configure the forwarding address for mail that is sent to all non-existent mailboxes, enable the so-called “Plus addressing” and specify a symbol for it. You can enable/disable greylisting.

In the Domains-Accounts section, settings are made for each specific mailbox. The General tab contains the main account settings. Address, password and mailbox size. You can also specify the level of user access to the server:

• User- can change account settings, such as password.
• Domain - user can change basic settings domain and users in the domain. Can add users, aliases, mailing lists, delete objects, increase account limits.
• Server - the user can change the settings of the server and all domains in it.

On the Auto-reply tab, you can configure the auto-reply, specify the subject and message of the auto-reply, as well as the date until which the auto-reply is enabled.

In the Forwarding tab, you can configure the address for mail forwarding. In the Signature tab, the signature for the account is configured, just like for the domain, you can configure the txt and html signature. In the External accounts tab, you can configure hMailServer to download mail from other mail servers using the POP3 protocol, after the message is downloaded, all server settings will be applied to it, after which the message will be delivered to the local account. In the Rules tab, rules are configured that work in the same way as global rules, but only apply to messages. See the Rules section for details. In the Active Directory tab, you can connect an Active Directory account. When a user connects to the server, hMailServer will use Active Directory to validate the user's password. In the Advanced tab, you can specify the user's First and Last Name (this data is not used by hMailServer). You can edit IMAP folders, clear the contents of all IMAP folders.

In the Domains-Aliases tab, aliases for mailboxes are configured.

In Domains - Distribution lists, the distribution list is configured. Address - mailing address, messages sent to this address will be forwarded to everyone in the mailing list. There are 3 modes:

• Public - anyone can send emails.
• Membership - only members of the list can sleep letters.
• Announcements - messages can only be sent from a specific mailbox.

Require SMTP Authentication - If this flag is set, then hMailServer will require SMTP authentication to deliver to the mailing list. If this option is selected, only users with accounts on the server will be able to send email to the mailing list. On the Members tab, you can add email addresses. Adding addresses from hMailServer (Select…) and importing from text file(Import...).

rules

In the Rules section, you can enable rules based on the content of the email, for example, you can delete emails with a certain string, or forward emails larger than a certain size. Each rule has a criterion and an action. When you create a rule, you add a criterion that determines which message the rule will apply to. For example, you can add a criterion that will apply to emails with a specific Message-ID-header. After adding a criterion, add an action. An action describes what hMailServer should do with a message if it matches the criteria. For example, you can forward, delete a message, or place it in a specific folder.

Settings

In the Settings section, protocol settings are made. You can configure antispam, antivirus (Clamav, required additional installation), enable logging. In Settings-Advanced, settings for Auto-ban, SSL certificate, ports and IP addresses of the mail server are made.

Utilities

In the Backup section, you can make a backup of settings, domains, messages, and there is also a script that can be added to the daily task. In this section, you can also restore data from a backup. In the MX-query section, you can diagnose the MX record of the mail server (similar to dig MX) In the Server sendout section, you can send a message to a local mail address. Diagnostics is another diagnostic tool that checks the connection on port 25, domain MX records.

hMailServer

It has most of the functions necessary for a mail server, sufficient both for a local test mailer and for solving the problems of small companies.

Here are just a few of its features (taken from the project website):

The program consists of two parts - a service that performs all the functions of working with mail, and a graphical administrator shell, which allows you to manage not only a local, but also a remote server. To store your settings and indexes that speed up work with big amount letters, the database is used. MS is installed by default. SQL Server Compact, but PostgreSQL, MySQL, MS SQL are also supported.

One of the most interesting features This program, in my opinion, is the support of VB scripts, which expands the possibilities of mail processing and allows you to adjust the program to your specific needs. For example, you can write a script that will sort all incoming letters from one mailbox to two others. alternately , i.e. even letters - in one, odd - in another. The site has a whole forum section dedicated to scripts with examples of their implementation.

Also, the kit comes with a web-based administrator interface written in PHP, which can be connected to an existing site on Apache or IIS.

Mercury Mail Transport System (Mercury/32)

Supported protocols:

Protocols supported

• - A commercial license is required to run as a service.

If you have a small office and it is too expensive for you to buy Exchange and you don't have *nix- then this review is for you.

1) hMailServer

A fairly simple and convenient server. Has in the composition IMAP/POP3/SMTP server. There is a built-in spam protection system. For those who like to watch mail through web- must be screwed separately web-muzzle.

2) Mail Enable

I note that there are paid and free versions of this product. Has in the composition POP3/SMTP, but does not have IMAP server. But there is a built-in web interface (which I never managed to get to work on IIS7)

3) Xmail

A fairly simple and functional mail server ( POP3/ESMTP, but no IMAP) with support for multiple authorization types ( PLAIN LOGIN CRAM-MD5 POP3-forward-SMTP and custom)

4) Office Mail Server

There is no official site, as the project is not developed. But you can download from here http://www.box.com/oms

A simple, compact yet fully featured LAN mail server with dial-up internet connection. Works under Windows 95-98-NT-ME-2000. Can work like NT service. A powerful sorter allows you to provide each user on the local network with a personal e-mail address. The program combines POP3 And SMTP servers, POP3 And SMTP clients, a sorter, a session scheduler, a dialer and a shell for setting up the server through the menu system and dialogs.

5) shicks!

Simple POP3/SMTP server written in python

6) Courier Mail Server

Almost similar to Courier Mail Server 1.56 (completely free) - however, there are minor flaws. For example, a glitch with displaying the interface when working with the server via terminal session. However, this does not affect the work of mail. Its revised version 2.xx - www.courierms.ru Unfortunately, paid. Only up to 3 mailboxes work in it for free.

7) UserGate Mail Server

UserGate Mail Server is a solution for organizing secure email messages in a company with built-in anti-spam and antivirus protection. The product has modular structure, which increases fault tolerance and makes it possible to run the server on a distributed system.
Among the main functions UserGate Mail Server- domain and user management, web client, support for mailing lists, work with remote accounts, support LDAP, as well as a flexible and powerful system of rules. UserGate Mail Server capable of handling more 2000 letters per minute.
To provide access to mail in UserGate Mail Server implemented protocol support SSL, POP3s, SMTPs and IMAPs. Mail message security can now be ensured by three anti-virus modules at once: Kaspersky Antivirus, Panda Antivirus And Entensys Zero Hour based on cloud technologies.
In the processing of incoming messages in UserGate Mail Server filtering is performed in several stages - by connections, by source address, by destination address and by content. UserGate Mail Server supports the following spam filtering methods:
based DNS (DNSBL, RHSBL, Backscatter, MX, SPF, SURBL);
based on a distributed anti-spam system ("cloud" anti-spam);
based on statistics (own implementation of Bayesian filtering).
Besides UserGate Mail Server maintains control SMTP protocol (control of the correctness of commands in accordance with RFC), limits maximum size letters, maximum number of recipients, etc.
The "cloud" antispam in the mail server filters messages based on the analysis of their content and heuristics.
IN UserGate Mail Server implemented integration with IMAP- server MS Exchange or Lotus Domino. Integration provides the ability to create shared folder IMAP on a remote mail server and processing messages in these folders.
UserGate Mail Server provides information about all messages processed by the mail server. Message monitoring allows you to filter by date, by processing status (delivered/blocked), by source or destination address, push messages blocked as spam, and create exclusion lists.
Free license for 5 mailboxes
To get the opportunity to use UserGate Mail Server for 5 mailboxes for free, you need to:
Download distribution; In the registration window UserGate Mail Server select "Get a free version for 5 boxes".
Part free license mail server does not include additional modules.
UserGate Mail Server supports backup mail messages, sending automatic replies, setting mail processing rules, managing services in the web console, and selecting an arbitrary date range in the message history.

8) Rumble Mail Server

Rumble is a miniature mail server for personal use. The application can only be launched from the interface command line your system.

Features of the program "Rumble":
1. Support SMTP, POP3 and IMAP
2. Working with Apache
3. Easy to use
4. Rumble is free!

9) Humster

Hamster is free server application under Windows, which allows you to fully work on the local network with usenet news via the NNTP protocol and mail via the SMTP, POP3, IMAP protocols. Its feature is advanced message processing capabilities. It can independently collect mail from mailboxes on the Internet (similar to the operation of the fetchmail program in *nix), send it to a local mailbox after processing (similar to the operation of the procmail program in *nix), distribute via POP3, send via SMTP and NNTP. There is a setting of access rights to server resources for users. Rich macro language. SSL supported.

10) Axigen

Axigen mail server is a high class communication server integrating SMTP, POP3, IMAP and WebMail services. Having a very good setting and security, gives administrators great control over mail server traffic.

For those who want to try their hand at installing and configuring a mail server on their own, we will consider the process step by step installation mail server based on Windows Server 2003/2008/ and hMailServer software; go through the stages of organization and setup DNS service within the same server, and adding your mail domain to the server.

This material uses hMailServer software version 5.0-B305.

Installing a mail server

Download the mail server software from the link:

We launch the downloaded program. The first dialog is the welcome dialog, click Next.

The next step is the license agreement:

Choose the path to install the program:

Select the components to be installed, select all:

Select the built-in database:

Enter the name in the start menu:

We check the entered data and agree:

Set a password for server administration:

After everything is installed, we can start administration, located in the Start Menu. The first thing we will see is the connect dialog. With this program we can connect to any hMailServer. We will connect to localhost, click connect, in the password dialog enter the password that we set during installation.

The first thing we should see is the Wellcome tab, select the Add Domain... option here, enter the name of our domain bestdomain.com and select Save. Our mail domain is active and ready to go. Now you need to add a user, open the Domains tab, then open the bestdomain.com tab, then select the Accounts tab.

Here we can add, remove and edit users. Selecting the Add...

General tab - username, password, mailbox quota and rights are set here.
Auto-reply tab - here you can configure an auto-responder for a specific user.
Forwarding tab - here you can configure mail forwarding for a specific user.
Tab Signature - the signature is set.
Tab External accounts - the ability to collect mail from other servers for a specific user.
Tab Rules - setting all kinds of filters.
Active Directory tab - if necessary, the ability to work with the corresponding service name.
Tab Advanced - setting the last name and first name of the user, administration of his mail folders.

Aliases domain tab - allows you to configure aliases for a specific domain, the Distribution List domain tab allows you to create mailing lists.

There are other global tabs Rules, settings for global filters, Settings, settings for protocols, logs, anti-spam and anti-virus connection.

Various server maintenance tools.

SMTP ports 25, POP3 110, IMAP 143 must be allowed in the firewall.

When setting up an email client, you must remember that the username for POP3, IMAP, SMTP is set as [email protected].

Configuring DNS server Windows 2003/2008.

Start -> Control Panel -> Add or Remove Programs

In the window that opens, select Add / Remove Windows Components, the Windows Components Wizard should start. There we become the Networking Services item, select Details, mark Domain Name System (DNS), then OK and Next, then you may need a distribution kit with a Windows installation (specifically the i386 folder) and reboot the system.

After installation, we can start configuring DNS:

Start -> Administrative Tools -> DNS

Expand the tree with the name of the computer -> click right click on Forward Lookap Zones -> New Zone

In the wizard that opens, select Next -> Primary Zone -> Next -> Enter the name of the zone bestdomain.com -> Next -> agree with the file name Next -> Do not allow dynamic updates -> Next -> Finish

We create all the necessary domains, the first one is the root domain, the domain name is empty, IP Address 100.100.100.100 -> Add Host. Next, create all the necessary hosts by entering www, ns1, ns2, mail IP Address 100.100.100.100 -> Add Host in the Name field. At the end, select Finish.

The next step is to edit the settings of our zone, right-click on the name of the created domain and select Properties -> in the dialog that opens, select the Name servers tab -> Delete the automatically created one with the Remove button -> Add two server names ns1 and ns2 with the Add button -> Enter the name server and its IP.

The next tab Start of Authority (SOA) enter all the specified values, after all changes to the domain now and in the future, do not forget to make an Increment for the zone, serial number increases by 1.

The next step is to add MX for mail to work, as well as for creating hosts, right-click New Mail Exchanger (MX).

Leave the domain name blank, enter the DNS name of the mail server and priority 10 and click OK.

DNS is configured and ready to go!