8 The mail server
This chapter describes the function and configuration of the EtherShare mail server. In conjunction with the HELIOS Mail1 application, the mail server allows workstations in the AppleTalk network to send email messages and files to other Mac or UNIX users on the network. Incoming mail is received in the background while you will be informed by a “Mail Notification Feature”. You also receive HELIOS server messages, such as printer messages, via email.
HELIOS Mail requires that your host’s mail program (e.g. “sendmail”) be installed and configured. If your host has an internet connection and is configured for UNIX mail (“uucp”), you can also communicate with any other internet email system.
The EtherShare built-in (TCP) POP3 server allows you to use mail clients other than Mac and mail applications other than HELIOS Mail.
- Note:
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The mail server system and the POP 3 server allow HELIOS client workstations to receive email messages. Sending emails via the server depends upon the host mailserver and is independent of the HELIOS mail server system.
- Note:
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See the HELIOS EtherShare 2.6 manual for details on the HELIOS Mail client application.
8.1 The mail server program
The mail server system consists of the program “mailsrv”. It is created automatically in the “HELIOSDIR/sbin” directory during the installation. EtherShare is configured to start “mailsrv” automatically when UNIX is booted.
“mailsrv” implements mail server functions on the host and manages the communication with HELIOS Mail and the UNIX “mail” programs on the host. It also notifies Mac OS 8/9 users of incoming mail via the “Mail Notification Feature”, which runs in the background on each workstation, provided that HELIOS Mail is installed. Each new login request from the HELIOS Mail program (or any other mail program) on a Mac workstation starts a new host process.
8.2 The POP3 server
EtherShare includes a POP3 server so that it is possible to use a mail client other than HELIOS Mail with the mail server on the UNIX host.
- Note:
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Some programs call the POP3 server “Email account”, “POP account” or “Mail server”.
For internal communication, EtherShare uses certain TCP sockets that need to be available, otherwise certain EtherShare services will not be available and a corresponding error message will be issued.
For the EtherShare mail server, which provides POP3 and PCMAIL services, the “mailsrv” process has to be able to connect to specific sockets to allow POP clients to communicate properly. Some of the sockets used on the server are:
Service |
Socket |
pop3 |
110/tcp |
pcmail |
2001/tcp |
You may verify available/used sockets by checking
“/etc/services” and the output of netstat -a -n.
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In order to check whether the HELIOS POP3 server is running, enter the following command under UNIX:
$ socket localhost 110
The server will issue the following response:
+OK HELIOS POP3 Mail Server <…> ready
-
Type
quit.
If you receive a response other than that shown above, this indicates that another mail server had already been running before the HELIOS mail server was started. In that case, HELIOS Mail cannot use the socket, recognizes the other mail server, and does not start.
The POP3 protocol allows both non-encrypted and encrypted passwords. If you want to use encrypted passwords, you have to make sure that your UNIX host is configured accordingly. Passwords can be set up by use of “authutil” (see HELIOS Base manual). You will get an error message from the client if the server has not been configured properly. For more information, please refer to chapter 6.3 “Users and groups”.
- 1 The HELIOS Mail client application is not available for Mac OS X. Use up to Mac OS 9.x.