[gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[Johannes Skov Frandsen]

Hi

Im trying to setup my own mail server... first step is to install postfix.

I have installed postfix with the following USE flags: mysql sasl

I have modified the config file /etc/postfix/main.cf and added the
following lines:

myhostname = myhost.mydomain.com
mydomain = mydomain.com
inet_interfaces = all
mydestination = myhost.mydomain.com, localhost.mydomain.com, localhost,
mydomain.com
mynetworks = my.ip.net.work/24, 127.0.0.0/8
home_mailbox = .maildir/
local_destination_concurrency_limit = 2
default_destination_concurrency_limit = 10

When I try starting the service with  /etc/init.d/postfix start and
everything seems to be ok but...

how do I test that it actual works ?

testing if apache works is easy, you just go to http://localhost and see
if something happens,
but how do I test if postfix actual sends my mail?
-- 

Regards / Venlig hilsen

Johannes Skov Frandsen

*Address:* Egelundsvej 18, DK-5260 Odense S
*Web:* www.omesc.com | *Email:* joe@omesc.com

-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[Hans-Werner Hilse]

Hi,

On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 14:45:10 +0200 Johannes Skov Frandsen
<joe@omesc.com> wrote:

> testing if apache works is easy, you just go to http://localhost and
> see if something happens,
> but how do I test if postfix actual sends my mail?

Errrm... Send a mail?

(No, not to this list, at least not, if your mail consists basically of
"Subject: Test\r\n")

-hwh
-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[Albert Hopkins]

On Fri, 2007-06-01 at 14:45 +0200, Johannes Skov Frandsen wrote:
> testing if apache works is easy, you just go to http://localhost and
> see
> if something happens,
> but how do I test if postfix actual sends my mail? 

Well, you set up a web server to deliver web content.  I'm assuming
you're setting up a mail server to deliver mail.  So the test is to see
that it delivers mail.

Not that I've ever used postfix, but testing a mail server should be
pretty similar for any platform.

     1. Create a mailbox (or use a remote one)
     2. Using a MUA, for example, connect to mail server. 
     3. Send message to be delivered to mailbox
     4. Verify message delivered to mailbox.

--
Albert W. Hopkins

-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[Galevsky]

Just my two cents: don't forget to use temporary email boxes like
yopmail.com, these boxes can be very helpful for the kind of tests you
may run.

Gal'

2007/6/1, Albert Hopkins <marduk@gentoo.org>:
> On Fri, 2007-06-01 at 14:45 +0200, Johannes Skov Frandsen wrote:
> > testing if apache works is easy, you just go to http://localhost and
> > see
> > if something happens,
> > but how do I test if postfix actual sends my mail?
>
> Well, you set up a web server to deliver web content.  I'm assuming
> you're setting up a mail server to deliver mail.  So the test is to see
> that it delivers mail.
>
> Not that I've ever used postfix, but testing a mail server should be
> pretty similar for any platform.
>
>      1. Create a mailbox (or use a remote one)
>      2. Using a MUA, for example, connect to mail server.
>      3. Send message to be delivered to mailbox
>      4. Verify message delivered to mailbox.
>
> --
> Albert W. Hopkins
>
> --
> gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
>
>
-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[Hans-Werner Hilse]

Hi,

On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 08:07:33 -0500 Albert Hopkins <marduk@gentoo.org>
wrote:

> On Fri, 2007-06-01 at 14:45 +0200, Johannes Skov Frandsen wrote:
> > testing if apache works is easy, you just go to http://localhost and
> > see
> > if something happens,
> > but how do I test if postfix actual sends my mail? 
> 
> Well, you set up a web server to deliver web content.  I'm assuming
> you're setting up a mail server to deliver mail.  So the test is to
> see that it delivers mail.
> 
> Not that I've ever used postfix, but testing a mail server should be
> pretty similar for any platform.
> 
>      1. Create a mailbox (or use a remote one)
>      2. Using a MUA, for example, connect to mail server. 
>      3. Send message to be delivered to mailbox
>      4. Verify message delivered to mailbox.

Except that this is more the test case for /receiving/ mail :-)
But yes, looking at the mail server's configuration, this is most
likely the more interesting test case. Sending, after all, should just
work fine with almost any mail server...

Since OP did set up with SASL, it might also be interesting whether
non-local originating mail is blocked for relay (test case: Send a mail
with the server's mail domain address -- somebody@mydomain.com -- to
some other server out there from a computer not in the trusted address
range) and if that can be cured by proper authentication. But the OP
didn't mention setting up SASL by any means. It'll probably work using
PAM out-of-the-box.


-hwh
-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[Johannes Skov Frandsen]

Hans-Werner Hilse wrote:
> Hi,
>
> On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 08:07:33 -0500 Albert Hopkins <marduk@gentoo.org>
> wrote:
>
>   
>> On Fri, 2007-06-01 at 14:45 +0200, Johannes Skov Frandsen wrote:
>>     
>>> testing if apache works is easy, you just go to http://localhost and
>>> see
>>> if something happens,
>>> but how do I test if postfix actual sends my mail? 
>>>       
>> Well, you set up a web server to deliver web content.  I'm assuming
>> you're setting up a mail server to deliver mail.  So the test is to
>> see that it delivers mail.
>>
>> Not that I've ever used postfix, but testing a mail server should be
>> pretty similar for any platform.
>>
>>      1. Create a mailbox (or use a remote one)
>>      2. Using a MUA, for example, connect to mail server. 
>>      3. Send message to be delivered to mailbox
>>      4. Verify message delivered to mailbox.
>>     
>
> Except that this is more the test case for /receiving/ mail :-)
> But yes, looking at the mail server's configuration, this is most
> likely the more interesting test case. Sending, after all, should just
> work fine with almost any mail server...
>
> Since OP did set up with SASL, it might also be interesting whether
> non-local originating mail is blocked for relay (test case: Send a mail
> with the server's mail domain address -- somebody@mydomain.com -- to
> some other server out there from a computer not in the trusted address
> range) and if that can be cured by proper authentication. But the OP
> didn't mention setting up SASL by any means. It'll probably work using
> PAM out-of-the-box.
>
>
> -hwh
>   
Hi

Well I guess I should have expected it to rather simple to test. But I
have never tried to configure a mailserver before
hence my somewhat naive question.

So what I did was to change my smtp server in thunderbird to use
localhost (with my postfix server running) and the send a
mail. This failed! Thunderbirds just claims that it could not connect to
the server...

I'm obvious doing something  really simple  completely wrong, but what?

-- 

Regards / Venlig hilsen

Johannes Skov Frandsen

*Address:* Egelundsvej 18, DK-5260 Odense S
*Web:* www.omesc.com | *Email:* joe@omesc.com

-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[Hans-Werner Hilse]

Hi,

On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 16:29:56 +0200 Johannes Skov Frandsen
<joe@omesc.com> wrote:

> Well I guess I should have expected it to rather simple to test. But I
> have never tried to configure a mailserver before
> hence my somewhat naive question.
> 
> So what I did was to change my smtp server in thunderbird to use
> localhost (with my postfix server running) and the send a
> mail. This failed! Thunderbirds just claims that it could not connect
> to the server...
> 
> I'm obvious doing something  really simple  completely wrong, but
> what?

Start with telnet or even better netcat ("nc") and try connecting
directly, e.g. "nc localhost smtp" (replace "nc" by "telnet" if you
have that installed -- you might need to install one of the utilities,
in that case, chose netcat).

The server should respond with 
"220 <server's host name> ESMTP <product id>".

If not, check
- whether "localhost" can be resolved (your /etc/hosts might be borked)
- if there's a overly jealous firewall active, that doesn't allow this
  traffic.

You can then try talking to your mail server directly (simple SMTP is
fast to learn), e.g. enter

---snip
MAIL FROM: blah@blubb.org
RCPT TO: myuser@mydomain.com
DATA
Subject: Test

this is a test.
.
QUIT
---snip
(server will send replies not printed here)

Do the same coming from the outside, in order to make sure that those
attempts are blocked. Otherwise you'll create an open relay and you'll
be blocked very soon on several other hosts.

If you're not sure what is wrong, that might warrant a look into
postfix' log files (below /var/log).

-hwh
-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-user] postfix - how to test [ot]

[Dan Farrell]

On Fri, 1 Jun 2007 16:44:29 +0200
Hans-Werner Hilse <hilse@web.de> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 16:29:56 +0200 Johannes Skov Frandsen
> <joe@omesc.com> wrote:
> 
> > Well I guess I should have expected it to rather simple to test.
> > But I have never tried to configure a mailserver before
> > hence my somewhat naive question.
> > 
> > So what I did was to change my smtp server in thunderbird to use
> > localhost (with my postfix server running) and the send a
> > mail. This failed! Thunderbirds just claims that it could not
> > connect to the server...
> > 
> > I'm obvious doing something  really simple  completely wrong, but
> > what?
> 
> Start with telnet or even better netcat ("nc") and try connecting
> directly, e.g. "nc localhost smtp" (replace "nc" by "telnet" if you
> have that installed -- you might need to install one of the utilities,
> in that case, chose netcat).
> 
> The server should respond with 
> "220 <server's host name> ESMTP <product id>".
> 
> If not, check
> - whether "localhost" can be resolved (your /etc/hosts might be
> borked)
> - if there's a overly jealous firewall active, that doesn't allow this
>   traffic.
> 
> You can then try talking to your mail server directly (simple SMTP is
> fast to learn), e.g. enter
> 
> ---snip
> MAIL FROM: blah@blubb.org
> RCPT TO: myuser@mydomain.com
> DATA
> Subject: Test
> 
> this is a test.
> .
> QUIT
> ---snip
> (server will send replies not printed here)
> 
> Do the same coming from the outside, in order to make sure that those
> attempts are blocked. Otherwise you'll create an open relay and you'll
> be blocked very soon on several other hosts.
> 
> If you're not sure what is wrong, that might warrant a look into
> postfix' log files (below /var/log).
> 
> -hwh
That is so cool!!!  Worked for me, I use postfix on home relayhost as
well.  Let me know if you have more problems, sounds like we have about
the same config.  

-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[Johannes Skov Frandsen]

Hans-Werner Hilse wrote:
> Hi,
>
> On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 16:29:56 +0200 Johannes Skov Frandsen
> <joe@omesc.com> wrote:
>
>   
>> Well I guess I should have expected it to rather simple to test. But I
>> have never tried to configure a mailserver before
>> hence my somewhat naive question.
>>
>> So what I did was to change my smtp server in thunderbird to use
>> localhost (with my postfix server running) and the send a
>> mail. This failed! Thunderbirds just claims that it could not connect
>> to the server...
>>
>> I'm obvious doing something  really simple  completely wrong, but
>> what?
>>     
>
> Start with telnet or even better netcat ("nc") and try connecting
> directly, e.g. "nc localhost smtp" (replace "nc" by "telnet" if you
> have that installed -- you might need to install one of the utilities,
> in that case, chose netcat).
>   
My server give me this response:
# telnet localhost smtp
Trying 127.0.0.1...
Connected to localhost.
Escape character is '^]'.
Connection closed by foreign host

I have no firewall installed so it shouldn't be a firewal problem.
> The server should respond with 
> "220 <server's host name> ESMTP <product id>".
>
> If not, check
> - whether "localhost" can be resolved (your /etc/hosts might be borked)
> - if there's a overly jealous firewall active, that doesn't allow this
>   traffic.
>
> You can then try talking to your mail server directly (simple SMTP is
> fast to learn), e.g. enter
>
> ---snip
> MAIL FROM: blah@blubb.org
> RCPT TO: myuser@mydomain.com
> DATA
> Subject: Test
>
> this is a test.
> .
> QUIT
> ---snip
> (server will send replies not printed here)
>
> Do the same coming from the outside, in order to make sure that those
> attempts are blocked. Otherwise you'll create an open relay and you'll
> be blocked very soon on several other hosts.
>
> If you're not sure what is wrong, that might warrant a look into
> postfix' log files (below /var/log).
>   
I cant' seem to locate the log file.  Any hint on the specific location?
> -hwh
>   


-- 

Regards / Venlig hilsen

Johannes Skov Frandsen

*Address:* Egelundsvej 18, DK-5260 Odense S
*Web:* www.omesc.com | *Email:* joe@omesc.com

-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[Arturo 'Buanzo' Busleiman]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA512

Johannes Skov Frandsen wrote:
> My server give me this response:
> # telnet localhost smtp
> Trying 127.0.0.1...

Then, you must verify which program has opened port 25:

Install lsof, then, as root:

lsof -iTCP:25

- --
Arturo "Buanzo" Busleiman - Consultor Independiente en Seguridad Informatica
Creative Commons Punk-Rock Band: http://www.music.com/futurabanda (by-sa 2.5-ar)
Consulting and Secure Mail Hosting: http://www.buanzo.com.ar/pro/
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.7 (GNU/Linux)
Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org

iD8DBQFGZBTJAlpOsGhXcE0RCs1UAJ45lPwXlT86M7p1SLqzrV2Mcx/9VQCeN/Lx
C3LCGw2rVcJk2+dDvB/3O5c=
=Kb9C
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[Dan Farrell]

On Mon, 04 Jun 2007 10:35:39 +0200
Johannes Skov Frandsen <joe@omesc.com> wrote:

> Hans-Werner Hilse wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 16:29:56 +0200 Johannes Skov Frandsen
> > <joe@omesc.com> wrote:
> >
> >   
> >> Well I guess I should have expected it to rather simple to test.
> >> But I have never tried to configure a mailserver before
> >> hence my somewhat naive question.
> >>
> >> So what I did was to change my smtp server in thunderbird to use
> >> localhost (with my postfix server running) and the send a
> >> mail. This failed! Thunderbirds just claims that it could not
> >> connect to the server...
> >>
> >> I'm obvious doing something  really simple  completely wrong, but
> >> what?
> >>     
> >
> > Start with telnet or even better netcat ("nc") and try connecting
> > directly, e.g. "nc localhost smtp" (replace "nc" by "telnet" if you
> > have that installed -- you might need to install one of the
> > utilities, in that case, chose netcat).
> >   
> My server give me this response:
> # telnet localhost smtp
> Trying 127.0.0.1...
> Connected to localhost.
> Escape character is '^]'.
> Connection closed by foreign host
> 
> I have no firewall installed so it shouldn't be a firewal problem.
> > The server should respond with 
> > "220 <server's host name> ESMTP <product id>".
> >
> > If not, check
> > - whether "localhost" can be resolved (your /etc/hosts might be
> > borked)
> > - if there's a overly jealous firewall active, that doesn't allow
> > this traffic.
> >
> > You can then try talking to your mail server directly (simple SMTP
> > is fast to learn), e.g. enter
> >
> > ---snip
> > MAIL FROM: blah@blubb.org
> > RCPT TO: myuser@mydomain.com
> > DATA
> > Subject: Test
> >
> > this is a test.
> > .
> > QUIT
> > ---snip
> > (server will send replies not printed here)
> >
> > Do the same coming from the outside, in order to make sure that
> > those attempts are blocked. Otherwise you'll create an open relay
> > and you'll be blocked very soon on several other hosts.
> >
> > If you're not sure what is wrong, that might warrant a look into
> > postfix' log files (below /var/log).
> >   
> I cant' seem to locate the log file.  Any hint on the specific
> location?
> > -hwh
> >   
> 
> 
Postfix on my boxes logs to /var/log/mail.err and /var/log/mail.log.

Why not attach your main.cf to the next message, and I'll take a look
at it?  
-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[Johannes Skov Frandsen]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 998 bytes --]

Dan Farrell wrote:
>
> Postfix on my boxes logs to /var/log/mail.err and /var/log/mail.log.
>
> Why not attach your main.cf to the next message, and I'll take a look
> at it?  
>   
I found the mentioned folders and it appears the same is the case on my
machine.

This configuration seems to work (attached).... at least this seems to
be ok:

 # nmap -sT -sV -PT 127.0.0.1

Starting Nmap 4.20 ( http://insecure.org ) at 2007-06-06 12:49 CEST
Interesting ports on marvin (127.0.0.1):
Not shown: 1694 closed ports
PORT    STATE SERVICE VERSION
22/tcp  open  ssh     OpenSSH 4.5 (protocol 2.0)
25/tcp  open  smtp    Postfix smtpd
631/tcp open  ipp     CUPS 1.2
Service Info: Host:  home.mindfield.dk

running:

 nc localhost smtp

allows me to send mail so I guess I'm good

next step is to install courier-imap so I might be back with other
questions :-)
-- 

Regards / Venlig hilsen

Johannes Skov Frandsen

*Address:* Egelundsvej 18, DK-5260 Odense S
*Web:* www.omesc.com | *Email:* joe@omesc.com


[-- Attachment #2: main.cf --]
[-- Type: text/plain, Size: 936 bytes --]

queue_directory = /var/spool/postfix
command_directory = /usr/sbin
daemon_directory = /usr/lib/postfix
mail_owner = postfix
myhostname = home.mindfield.dk
mydomain = $myhostname
inet_interfaces = all
mydestination = home.mindfield.dk, localhost.mindfield.dk, localhost
unknown_local_recipient_reject_code = 550
mynetworks = 192.168.0.0/24, 127.0.0.0/8
home_mailbox = .maildir/
local_destination_concurrency_limit = 2
default_destination_concurrency_limit = 20
debug_peer_level = 2
debugger_command =
	 PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin
	 xxgdb $daemon_directory/$process_name $process_id & sleep 5
sendmail_path = /usr/sbin/sendmail
newaliases_path = /usr/bin/newaliases
mailq_path = /usr/bin/mailq
setgid_group = postdrop
html_directory = /usr/share/doc/postfix-2.3.6/html
manpage_directory = /usr/share/man
sample_directory = /etc/postfix
readme_directory = /usr/share/doc/postfix-2.3.6/readme
home_mailbox = .maildir/

Re: [gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[Hans-Werner Hilse]

Hi,

On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:19:26 +0200 Johannes Skov Frandsen
<joe@omesc.com> wrote:

> running:
> 
>  nc localhost smtp
> 
> allows me to send mail so I guess I'm good

Hm, better test if it allows other people to do the same -- if it can be
reached via the internet or potentially harmful other parties, that is.
You don't want to be a "passive Spammer", don't you?

-hwh
-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[Dan Farrell]

On Wed, 6 Jun 2007 14:14:14 +0200
Hans-Werner Hilse <hilse@web.de> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:19:26 +0200 Johannes Skov Frandsen
> <joe@omesc.com> wrote:
> 
> > running:
> > 
> >  nc localhost smtp
> > 
> > allows me to send mail so I guess I'm good
> 
> Hm, better test if it allows other people to do the same -- if it can
> be reached via the internet or potentially harmful other parties,
> that is. You don't want to be a "passive Spammer", don't you?
> 
> -hwh

Well, I certainly can't reach it at home.minefield.dk.  That doesn't
resolve for me.  
-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list

Re: [gentoo-user] postfix - how to test

[Hans-Werner Hilse]

Hi,

On Wed, 6 Jun 2007 11:13:09 -0500
Dan Farrell <dan@spore.ath.cx> wrote:

> > > running:
> > > 
> > >  nc localhost smtp
> > > 
> > > allows me to send mail so I guess I'm good
> > 
> > Hm, better test if it allows other people to do the same -- if it can
> > be reached via the internet or potentially harmful other parties,
> > that is. You don't want to be a "passive Spammer", don't you?
> 
> Well, I certainly can't reach it at home.minefield.dk.  That doesn't
> resolve for me.  

well, min_d_field.dk resolves, but is firewalled. But my point wasn't
this, I didn't even take into account that postfix is pretty much
secure in this regard (e.g. no strange config directives). It was meant
more generally, something that's always to be considered when _testing_
something: Not only make sure that it works, also make sure that you
don't impose foreseeable risks. Since I made a general (i.e.
daemon-independent) proposal for testing whether SMTP works, I thought
this might be a needed addition.

-hwh
-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list