Inexpensive or free mail server for Windows 2000?

[RWC]

Hello,

I'm a novice trying to set up a web site for personal use. I purchased a
computer and Windows 2000 Server from a local corporate auction. I'd like
to use not only the web server for personal use, but would also like to set
it up as a mail server as well. Can I do this with Windows 2000 or do I
need to get specific mail server software (other than Exchange Server). I
don't want to spend much if anything for a simple mail server program, and
it's just for me, which is why I don't need exchange server (too expensive
for just me).

Also, if you could tell me which free or inexpensive mail server programs I
should stay away from and for what reasons. I know there are security
issues with some programs, but like I said, I'm a newbie.

If you reply to this post, please remove the caps and underscores from my
email address. or send to hemmingway427 (at) shaw (dot) ca in the form of an
email address.

Thanks!
RWC

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hello,

I'm a novice trying to set up a web site for personal use. I purchased a
computer and Windows 2000 Server from a local corporate auction. I'd like
to use not only the web server for personal use, but would also like to set
it up as a mail server as well. Can I do this with Windows 2000 or do I
need to get specific mail server software (other than Exchange Server). I
don't want to spend much if anything for a simple mail server program, and
it's just for me, which is why I don't need exchange server (too expensive
for just me).

Also, if you could tell me which free or inexpensive mail server programs I
should stay away from and for what reasons. I know there are security
issues with some programs, but like I said, I'm a newbie.

If you reply to this post, please remove the caps and underscores from my
email address. or send to hemmingway427 (at) shaw (dot) ca in the form of an
email address.

Thanks!
RWC

Check Google for mail servers. I have used VOP3 in the past - it works
very nicely.

 

[Elsa]

Also, if you could tell me which free or inexpensive mail server programs I
should stay away from and for what reasons.

Hello,

A good one (and free) is Mercury Mail:

http://www.pmail.com/overviews/ovw_mercury.htm

Greetings.

 

[BobW]

Hello,

I'm a novice trying to set up a web site for personal use. I purchased a
computer and Windows 2000 Server from a local corporate auction. I'd like
to use not only the web server for personal use, but would also like to set
it up as a mail server as well. Can I do this with Windows 2000 or do I
need to get specific mail server software (other than Exchange Server). I
don't want to spend much if anything for a simple mail server program, and
it's just for me, which is why I don't need exchange server (too expensive
for just me).

Also, if you could tell me which free or inexpensive mail server programs I
should stay away from and for what reasons. I know there are security
issues with some programs, but like I said, I'm a newbie.

If you reply to this post, please remove the caps and underscores from my
email address. or send to hemmingway427 (at) shaw (dot) ca in the form of an
email address.

Thanks!
RWC

You may be biting off more than you realize. Have you registered a domain
name?

 

[RWC]

Hi Bob,

I should clarify, I'm a novice when it comes to mail servers, STMP and POP3.
I have a registered domain name, I have a dynamic IP and I'm using a dynamic
DNS service with an IP Updating software installed on the server.

What I'm looking for is something that I can use on the server that's
inexpensive, or preferably free, that will act as a mail server for me
alone. There will not be more than a few email accounts, all mine, just to
differentiate between web admin, personal email, feedback, etc.

I set up one program, but aside from being a trial version, it wouldn't
allow me to "allow" or "deny" specific IP address, so that's part of the
criteria as well. if it works with Windows STMP (which by the way, IIPop
doesn't really) then I have that functionality with Windows STMP. If it
doesn't, then I need to be able to allow and deny ip addresses.

Hopefully that clarifies things a bit.

Rick

 

[John John]

The best mail servers are unix servers.

John

Hi Bob,

I should clarify, I'm a novice when it comes to mail servers, STMP and POP3.
I have a registered domain name, I have a dynamic IP and I'm using a dynamic
DNS service with an IP Updating software installed on the server.

What I'm looking for is something that I can use on the server that's
inexpensive, or preferably free, that will act as a mail server for me
alone. There will not be more than a few email accounts, all mine, just to
differentiate between web admin, personal email, feedback, etc.

I set up one program, but aside from being a trial version, it wouldn't
allow me to "allow" or "deny" specific IP address, so that's part of the
criteria as well. if it works with Windows STMP (which by the way, IIPop
doesn't really) then I have that functionality with Windows STMP. If it
doesn't, then I need to be able to allow and deny ip addresses.

Hopefully that clarifies things a bit.

Rick

 

[Leythos]

I should clarify, I'm a novice when it comes to mail servers, STMP and POP3.
I have a registered domain name, I have a dynamic IP and I'm using a dynamic
DNS service with an IP Updating software installed on the server.

Since you have a residential account (dynamic) most of the RBL's will
black-list your IP, which means that you wont be sending email to a
great many companies and people that use most RBL's.

You might be able to use a relay option, where your email server relays
through your ISP's email server, so that you are not seen as black
listed.

As someone pointed out: Do you know what you are getting into? We are
probed every day for holes and even weak passwords on our mail servers.
Should some spammer/hacker get in, it would quickly get us added to a
block-list.

Since most hosting packages come with email accounts, why not use the
email from your hosting company?

 

[Jeff Cochran]

Since you have a residential account (dynamic) most of the RBL's will
black-list your IP, which means that you wont be sending email to a
great many companies and people that use most RBL's.

You might be able to use a relay option, where your email server relays
through your ISP's email server, so that you are not seen as black
listed.

As someone pointed out: Do you know what you are getting into? We are
probed every day for holes and even weak passwords on our mail servers.
Should some spammer/hacker get in, it would quickly get us added to a
block-list.

Since most hosting packages come with email accounts, why not use the
email from your hosting company?

For the answer to the original question though, look at Mercury Mail
from pmail.com.

Jeff

 

[Leythos]

For the answer to the original question though, look at Mercury Mail
from pmail.com.

PMAIL won't keep him off the block lists, and with a Dynamic IP he's
sure to be on most commercial lists as being blocked.

 

[Jeff Cochran]

PMAIL won't keep him off the block lists, and with a Dynamic IP he's
sure to be on most commercial lists as being blocked.

First, Pmail, Pegasus Mail, is a client. Mercury Mail is a free
SMTP/POP server. And it answers the question asked. Maybe the
original poster doesn't intend to send mail to other servers.

Jeff

 

[RWC]

Thanks Jeff,

The only place I'm interested in relaying to is my own ISP. I'd like to
send and receive my email through my own server. The reason why I'm not
using a host service, is 1, because it's been my experience that they can be
unreliable, and 2, money (actually that should be number one). I just want
to set something up that works, I'm not interested in spamming anyone, and
I'm not interested in being spammed either. I'm denying all IPs to relay
except for my workstation, my laptop and my ISP for that reason. If there
is any reason why I should be relaying to any other company directly, please
let me know, but as far as I can tell, just relaying it to my ISP and having
my ISP relay it elsewhere is all I'm worried about.

I'm not concerned about my laptop connecting directly to the POP server from
outside, since I will be setting up RAS to only use my MAC and IP. I will
then connect to my POP server when I've made the RAS connection.

Let me know if I'm off base here somewhere.

Thanks!
Rick

 

[Geoffw]

postcast server free edition runs off your own pc, the paid
edition is even better

Thanks Jeff,

The only place I'm interested in relaying to is my own ISP. I'd like to
send and receive my email through my own server. The reason why I'm not
using a host service, is 1, because it's been my experience that they can be
unreliable, and 2, money (actually that should be number one). I just want
to set something up that works, I'm not interested in spamming anyone, and
I'm not interested in being spammed either. I'm denying all IPs to relay
except for my workstation, my laptop and my ISP for that reason. If there
is any reason why I should be relaying to any other company directly, please
let me know, but as far as I can tell, just relaying it to my ISP and having
my ISP relay it elsewhere is all I'm worried about.

I'm not concerned about my laptop connecting directly to the POP server from
outside, since I will be setting up RAS to only use my MAC and IP. I will
then connect to my POP server when I've made the RAS connection.

Let me know if I'm off base here somewhere.

Thanks!
Rick

 

[Jeff Cochran]

The only place I'm interested in relaying to is my own ISP.

To use your ISP's SMTP as a relay you'll need your ISP's permission,
they have to allow the relay. Most won't. If this is just to send
email to them, you may be okay. Home SMTP/POP servers are problematic
in that mail from them always trips spam filters somewhere, dynamic
IP's, bad reverse DNS entries, something will bite you.

Jeff

 

[Lucvdv]

..., but would also like to set
it up as a mail server as well. Can I do this with Windows 2000 or do I
need to get specific mail server software (other than Exchange Server).

A very good free mailserver is MailEnable Standard (www.mailenable.com).

SMTP, POP, mailing lists, distribution lists, spam blocking (DNS
blacklists), autoresponders, auto-forwarding, unlimited domains/mailboxes,
and more.

No nagware, no crippleware, no spyware.

The release dates on the site are those of the last revision, the Standard
and Pro versions exist much longer than that and can be considered fully
mature. Enterprise edition is relatively new (this year).

If you reply to this post, please remove the caps and underscores from my
email address. or send to hemmingway427 (at) shaw (dot) ca in the form of an
email address.

Never ask for a reply by mail, especially after crossposting to half a
gazillion groups: I know some prople who consider that a sign of lazyness
or orragance, and who'll never reply to such a post...

 

[Lucvdv]

To use your ISP's SMTP as a relay you'll need your ISP's permission,
they have to allow the relay. Most won't.

All of them will, because they have to. If they don't relay for the IP's
of their own customers, no mail program can send anything.

That's why your *own* mailserver must always be properly configured so it
won't relay.

Some ISP's (including mine) block the incoming SMTP port to home clients
(i.e. dynamic IP's), so they can't set up their own mail servers to accept
mail from the internet, just because of this.