Using MDaemon PRO as a MAIL Server

MDaemon is one of the utilized software as server mail besides other mail server software.

Hardware requirement for MDaemeon as a Mail Server is :

For small usage any Pentium Class With RAM 32Mb

For biggest usage min. Pentium III With RAM 128Mb

Operating System: Windows '98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows 2003 (My suggestion is use Windows NT or Windows 2000, Windows 2003 so that security system and the stability can be improved)

Service E-Mail Protocol

There are two protocol which often use in E-mail service as a main protocol:


1. Simple Mail transfer protocol (SMTP)
2. Post Office Protocol Version 3 (POP3

Besides the protocol above, also recognized Internet Mail Access Protocol ( IMAP ) which its function like POP3 with a few excess. Following will be explained function and way of activity for each protocol (See my previous posted about the protocol).

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
Main function of SMTP is to submit E-Mail from a host to other host in network. This protocol do not have ability to conduct depository and intake of E-Mail from a Mailbox. TCP port protocol for SMTP service is 25, representing service standard port SMTP. Because SMTP do not have depository ability in mailbox E-mail, hence needed other protocol to run the function that is POP3 and IMAP.

From E-Mail client side, SMTP server represent medium to conduct connection outgoing or delivering message. While for the incoming of connection used by POP3 protocol.

Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3)
Version 3 is a POP Protocol, more popular as a POP3 in this time. This protocol function is to get E-Mail in mailbox for every user in server mail, what usually also function at the same time as a SMTP server. As have been explained previously that SMTP do not have depository mechanism of E-Mail to mailbox and distributing it every user, so that POP3 protocol to take the function. POP3 server keep the E-Mail of every user for temporary before finally download by user use E-Mail client like Outlook and also Eudora. In course of the intake of E-Mail Client Connected to the Mail server use POP3 protocol at TCP port 110.

Function of DNS server in Email service
In E-Mail DNS server service personate indicator to the route an E-Mail. If there are an E-Mail, DNS server will check the name of domain that found on address of target.

E-Mail Services in LAN
E-Mail service in LAN environment generally aim to facilitate coordination between internal of an organization. The Scope of LAN in fact can be extended in WAN scale. This mode is not used public network or Internet.



Email service in WAN

Forwarding of E-Mail in public network using internet or WAN, an E-Mail will passed through some server, before is finally accepted by address of target. As have been explained at previous, DNS server function is vital as indicator to route passed by the email.

sending email through internet can be use by: Relay SMTP Server and MX Record at DNS Server. To get an email can be choose with ETRN, Domain POP, Multi POP, SMTP.

Setting MDaemon at LAN

MDaemon can be used at LAN to send and received an E-mail like Email via WAN.
There are three step to configure MDaemon at LAN:



1. Make Domain at Local Network
2. Make Account and Mailbox each user
3. Configure E-Mail client each user

Setting Primary Domain
First step of server mail configuration is to make domain for the account of E-Mail in network. Because you will only using it in local network which not connected to the internet, hence you can make to the name of domain freely without needing registration to Internic and also other registration.

Open the Main Window of MDaemon, then Setup -> Primary Domain.


Domain/ISP is a main tab of Primary Domain Configuration that contain of Primary Domain Server mail. Fill the form as below:



1. Domain Name: (fill with organization domain)
2. HELLO Domain: (name of domain which [is] used in SMTP instruction HELLO/ehlo in process delivery of E-Mail.)
3. Machine Name: (Domain Name)
4. Domain IP: (Computer IP at Local Network)
5. Bind listening sockets to this IP only: (Leave it blank for single Domain, usually this fill use for multiple domain)
6. ISP or Smart host’s IP or domain name: (Leave it blank for E-mail at LAN)

Other fill using for WAN email account purposed.

Create Account Mail
Create Account to be used in LAN environment and internet use menu and way of which is same. An account can relate to internet hence must be done some configuration according to delivery method and selected acceptance.
For LAN purposed, create the account and password determine to the domain only.
To create the account choose Account -> New Account.



Stuffing configuration for the tab of Account shall be as follows:



1. Full Name: filled with complete name of user
2. Mailbox Account: Filled with name to be used as E-Mail address
3. Allow this account to be accessed with POP/IMAP mail clients: is used to give rights so that the account can be accessed from POP client /IMAP like Outlook and Eudora.
4. Account password: Password for the account.
5. Comments on this Account: Column to fill in various note lionized for the account.

To see mailbox tab content click Mailbox at Account Editor menu.
Mailbox configuration conducted to every account. This shares function to determine depository location of E-Mail every user in server MDAEMON before downloaded by pertinent user.


The Menu Mailbox content shall be as follows.



1. Message directory: location of directory path where E-Mail keep
2. Storage Format: representing depository format of file in folder for every user.
3. Enable automatic extraction of MIME encoded attachments: if this choice is activated, MDAEMON will extract E-Mail attachment which have found by MIME format to every E-Mail which enter. This facility is used especially for the client of E-Mail which do not have ability of MIME file extract.

Setting MDaemon at WAN
Steps to conduct MDAEMON configuration for internet connection shall be as follows:

1. Modem Configuration, DialUp Networking to ISP, RAS DialUp/DialDown in MDaemon.
2. DNS Configuration.
3. Sending Email Configuration.
4. Receipt Email Configuration.

RAS DialUp/DialDown
Before doing configuration at this session, we have to check: Modem already installed and DialUp connection to the ISP via Internet has been installed and running well.

For Setting RAS DialUp at MDaemon with press F7 or Setup -> RAS Dialup/dialdown.



Dialup Setting Tab and ISP Logon Setting is a main menu must enter for MDaemon connected to the Internet. At Dialup tab setting there are some configuration type as follows:

1. Enable RAS dialup/dialdown engine: To activation Dialup function.
2. Make this many attemps to establish a session: Is used to determine how many times MDAEMON repeat dial to ISP.
3. After dialing, wait this many seconds for a valid connection: This shares determine how long MDAEMON await to get link to ISP
4. Connection persistence: you can decide MDAEMON will continuously
   connect, or determined by] certain time interval (in minute) before finally MDAEMON disconnect with ISP, if there is no activity.

The other Important things for RAS Dialup Settings menu is containing ISP Logon Settings tab of information concerning ISP account.


Configuration type in this shares shall be as follows:



1. Use any currently active dialup session: To determine what is MDAEMON will use conection which is active to deliver of and acceptance of E-Mail,
   so that no need to dial.
2. Logon name: Filled with got account from your ISP.
3. Logon password: Password for the logon to ISP.
4. Use this RAS dialup profile: Is available internet connection type choice combo box. This box present networking dialup choice as according to internet connection which have installed in Windows.

DNS Configuration
Besides usage of Primary Domain which enlist, also need DNS configuration, MDAEMON use for look domain address in internet.

Configuration of DNS conducted from DNS tab at Primary Domain configuration menu.


DNS number got from your ISP.

Sending E-mail using SMTP Relay

This method using your ISP SMTP server or hosting Mail as a relay machine to the Internet. (same parameter with MDaemon on LAN, except: the ISP smart host 's IP or domain name with your SMTP ISP Server, then choose Send every outbound email message to this host).


Receive E-mail using MultiPOP
E-Mail address is usually equiped by POP3 facility for download of E-Mail from server to client like Outlook and Eudora. In MultiPOP Outlook role method as E-mail client replaced by MDAEMON later on distribute the E-Mail to every user.

MultiPOP can use as following:
1. If ISP or hosting web do not provide DomainpPOP facility and also ETRN.
2. MultiPOP using as ETRN and DomainPOP
3. You wish free E-Mail service host in MDAEMON, so that user in network do not
   need connection to internet to get the E-Mail.
   
   
   The configuration as follows:
   
   
   
   1. Enable MultiPOP mail collection for this account: to activate MultiPOP function
   2. Server: POP3 server name - got from ISP
   3. Logon: User account in POP3 server
   4. Password: Password in POP3 server or APOP shared secret
   5. Use APOP (password field contains shared secret: Make this active if authentication password is APOP
   6. a copy of message on POP server: Keep the E-mail in POP3 server even MDaemon already downloaded, later you can read your mail from other location.
   7. messages once [xx] or more have accumulated (0 = never): Maximum Email keeping in POP3 server
   8. download messages larger than [xx] kb (0 = no limit: The limit of E-Mail size download.

>>>>  I will continue this Mail server setting compare with others apps.

ROUTER Configuration (part: I)

The first question is, what’s Router ?

Router is A device that forwards data packets along networks. A router is connected to at least two networks, commonly two LANs or WANs or a LAN and its ISP’s network. Routers are located at gateways, the places where two or more networks connect.

Routers use headers and forwarding tables to determine the best path for forwarding the packets, and they use protocols such as ICMP to communicate with each other and configure the best route between any two hosts.

So how to connect between above network?
This posting will explain the mechanism, router basic command and Interior Routing Protocol that we called IRP.

I wrote this based on my tested and implemented at my office using Cisco Router 805 Series since 2002 until now and so far is working well.
TCP/IP Concept: what is tcp/ip ?

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is the basic communication language or protocol of the Internet. It canbe used as a communications protocol also in a private network (either an intranet or an extranet). When you are set up with direct access to the Internet, your computer is provided with a copy of the TCP/IP program just as every other computer that you may send messages to or get information from also has a copy of TCP/IP.

TCP/IP is a two-layer program. The higher layer, Transmission Control Protocol, manages the assembling of a message or file into smaller packets that are transmitted over the Internet and received by a TCP layer that reassembles the packets into the original message. The lower layer, Internet Protocol, handles the address part of each packet so that it gets to the right destination.
Each gateway computer on the network checks this address to see where to forward the message. Even though some packets from the same message are routed differently than others, they'll be reassembled at the destination.

TCP/IP uses the client/server model of communication in which a computer user requests and is provided a service (such as sending a Web page) by another computer (a server) in the network. TCP/IP communication is primarily point-to-point, meaning each communication is from one point (or host computer) in the network to another point or host computer. TCP/IP and the higher-level applications that use it are collectively said to be "stateless" because each client request is considered a new request unrelated to any previous one (unlike ordinary phone conversations that require a dedicated connection for the call duration). Being stateless frees network paths so that everyone can use them continuously. (Note that the TCP layer itself is not stateless as far as any one message is concerned. Its connection remains in place until all packets in a message have been received.)

Many Internet users are familiar with the even higher layer application protocols that use TCP/IP to get to the Internet. These include the World Wide Web's Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), the File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Telnet (Telnet) which lets you logon to remote computers, and the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). These and other protocols are often packaged together with TCP/IP as a "suite."

Personal computer users with an analog phone modem connection to the Internet usually get to the Internet through the Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) or the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP). These protocols encapsulate the IP packets so that they can be sent over the dial-up phone connection to an access provider's modem.

Protocols related to TCP/IP include the User Datagram Protocol (UDP), which is used instead of TCP for special purposes. Other protocols are used by network host computers for exchanging router information. These include the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP), the Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP), the Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP), and the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).

Routing: what Is Routing?

Routing is a process of moving a packet of data from source to destination. Routing is usually performed by a dedicated device called a router. Routing is a key feature of the Internet because it enables messages to pass from one computer to another and eventually reach the target machine. Each intermediary computer performs routing by passing along the message to the next computer. Part of this process involves analyzing a routing table to determine the best path.

Routing is often confused with bridging, which performs a similar function. The principal difference between the two is that bridging occurs at a lower level and is therefore more of a hardware function whereas routing occurs at a higher level where the software component is more important. And because routing occurs at a higher level, it can perform more complex analysis to determine the optimal path for the packet. Want to know more about routing.

to be continued.....