Mail Server Install

Install Mail Server with Postfix Dovecot PostfixAdmin MySQL Apache2 UFW

 on Ubuntu Servers 22.10 20.04.5 18.04.6 16.04.7

Step 1

The first thing you should do if you haven't

apt-get update -y
apt-get upgrade -y

Step 2

It is necessary to create a location to receive messages from users ... and give them privileges ...

useradd -r -u 150 -g mail -d /var/vmail -s /sbin/nologin -c "Virtual Mail User" vmail
mkdir -p /var/vmail
chmod -R 770 /var/vmail
chown -R vmail:mail /var/vmail

Step 3

Install MySQL Server

sudo apt install mysql-server

login in MySQL Server and create users ...

sudo mysql
ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'YOUpassword';

You need to create a user and database for postfis admin web ...

CREATE DATABASE dbpostfixadmin;
CREATE USER 'userpostfixadmin'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'YOUpassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON dbpostfix. * TO 'userpostfixadmin'@'localhost';

Additional comments

sudo service mysql status
sudo mysql_secure_installation (on ubuntu 16.04)
mysql -u root -p (login with password)
sudo mysql (frst login one paswword)

Step 4

Installation of postfis with necessary packages ...

sudo apt-get install postfix postfix-mysql

Ports need to be opened 25 465 and 587 . The following file needs to be bodified... master.cf

sudo nano /etc/postfix/master.cf

The modified file should look like...

# ==========================================================================
# service type  private unpriv  chroot  wakeup  maxproc command + args
#               (yes)   (yes)   (no)    (never) (100)
# ==========================================================================
smtp      inet  n       -       y       -       -       smtpd
#smtp      inet  n       -       y       -       1       postscreen
#smtpd     pass  -       -       y       -       -       smtpd
#dnsblog   unix  -       -       y       -       0       dnsblog
#tlsproxy  unix  -       -       y       -       0       tlsproxy
# Choose one: enable submission for loopback clients only, or for any client.
#127.0.0.1:submission inet n -   y       -       -       smtpd
submission inet n       -       y       -       -       smtpd
  -o syslog_name=postfix/submission
  -o smtpd_tls_security_level=may
  -o smtpd_sasl_auth_enable=yes
#  -o smtpd_tls_auth_only=yes
#  -o smtpd_reject_unlisted_recipient=no
#  -o smtpd_client_restrictions=$mua_client_restrictions
#  -o smtpd_helo_restrictions=$mua_helo_restrictions
#  -o smtpd_sender_restrictions=$mua_sender_restrictions
#  -o smtpd_recipient_restrictions=
#  -o smtpd_relay_restrictions=permit_sasl_authenticated,reject
#  -o milter_macro_daemon_name=ORIGINATING
# Choose one: enable smtps for loopback clients only, or for any client.
#127.0.0.1:smtps inet n  -       y       -       -       smtpd
smtps     inet  n       -       y       -       -       smtpd
  -o syslog_name=postfix/smtps
  -o smtpd_tls_wrappermode=yes
  -o smtpd_sasl_auth_enable=yes
#  -o smtpd_reject_unlisted_recipient=no
#  -o smtpd_client_restrictions=$mua_client_restrictions
#  -o smtpd_helo_restrictions=$mua_helo_restrictions
#  -o smtpd_sender_restrictions=$mua_sender_restrictions
#  -o smtpd_recipient_restrictions=
#  -o smtpd_relay_restrictions=permit_sasl_authenticated,reject
#  -o milter_macro_daemon_name=ORIGINATING
#628       inet  n       -       y       -       -       qmqpd

It is necessary to check that the ports are open 25 465 587

The port checker should look like...

sudo apt install net-tools 
netstat -tnl

Step 5

It is necessary to create a directory for communication with the MySQL base ...

mkdir -p /etc/postfix/dbsql/

It is also necessary to create files inside the created directory ...

sudo nano /etc/postfix/dbsql/mysql_virtual_alias_domain_catchall_maps.cf

user = userpostfixadmin
password = YOUpassword
hosts = localhost
dbname = dbpostfixadminm
query = SELECT goto FROM alias,alias_domain WHERE alias_domain.alias_domain = '%d' and alias.address = CONCAT('@', alias_domain.target_domain) AND alias.active = 1 AND alias_domain.active='1'

-------------

sudo nano /etc/postfix/dbsql/mysql_virtual_alias_domain_mailbox_maps.cf

user = userpostfixadmin
password = YOUpassword
hosts = localhost
dbname = dbpostfixadmin
query = SELECT maildir FROM mailbox,alias_domain WHERE alias_domain.alias_domain = '%d' and mailbox.username = CONCAT('%u', '@', alias_domain.target_domain) AND mailbox.active = 1 AND alias_domain.active='1'

--------------

sudo nano /etc/postfix/dbsql/mysql_virtual_alias_domain_maps.cf

user = userpostfixadmin
password = YOUpassword
hosts = localhost
dbname = dbpostfixadmin
query = SELECT goto FROM alias,alias_domain WHERE alias_domain.alias_domain = '%d' and alias.address = CONCAT('%u', '@', alias_domain.target_domain) AND alias.active = 1 AND alias_domain.active='1'

--------------

sudo nano /etc/postfix/dbsql/mysql_virtual_alias_maps.cf

user = userpostfixadmin
password = YOUpassword
hosts = localhost
dbname = dbpostfixadmin
query = SELECT goto FROM alias WHERE address='%s' AND active = '1'

--------------

sudo nano /etc/postfix/dbsql/mysql_virtual_domains_maps.cf

user = userpostfixadmin
password = YOUpassword
hosts = localhost
dbname = dbpostfixadmin
query = SELECT domain FROM domain WHERE domain='%s' AND active = '1'

---------------

sudo nano /etc/postfix/dbsql/mysql_virtual_mailbox_limit_maps.cf

user = userpostfixadmin
password = YOUpassword
hosts = localhost
dbname = dbpostfixadmin
query = SELECT quota FROM mailbox WHERE username='%s' AND active = '1'

--------------

sudo nano /etc/postfix/dbsql/mysql_virtual_mailbox_maps.cf

user = userpostfixadmin
password = YOUpassword
hosts = localhost
dbname = dbpostfixadmin
query = SELECT maildir FROM mailbox WHERE username='%s' AND active = '1'

Step 6

Create an SSL certificate

sudo openssl req -x509 -nodes -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout mailserver.key -out mailserver.crt -nodes -days 365

sudo openssl req -new -x509 -extensions v3_ca -keyout cakey.pem -out cacert.pem -days 3650

Then move the files into this folder:

sudo mv mailserver.key /etc/ssl/certs/
sudo mv mailserver.crt /etc/ssl/private/
sudo mv cakey.pem /etc/ssl/certs/
sudo mv cacert.pem /etc/ssl/private/

or Instal certificate on Ubuntu server 22.04 Secure Apache with Let's Encrypt

Step 7

File modification main.cf Need to add commands ... To connect mysql and postfix also to connect dovechot and postfix ...

# TLS parameters
smtpd_tls_cert_file=/etc/ssl/certs/mailserver.crt
smtpd_tls_key_file=/etc/ssl/private/mailserver.key
# smtp ssl with dovecot
smtpd_sasl_auth_enable = yes
smtpd_sasl_type = dovecot
smtpd_sasl_path = private/auth

# mysql postfix admin
virtual_mailbox_domains = 
       proxy:mysql:/etc/postfix/dbsql/mysql_virtual_domains_maps.cf
virtual_alias_maps = 
       proxy:mysql:/etc/postfix/dbsql/mysql_virtual_alias_maps.cf,
       proxy:mysql:/etc/postfix/dbsql/mysql_virtual_alias_domain_maps.cf,
       proxy:mysql:/etc/postfix/dbsql/mysql_virtual_alias_domain_catchall_maps.cf
virtual_mailbox_maps = 
       proxy:mysql:/etc/postfix/dbsql/mysql_virtual_mailbox_maps.cf,
       proxy:mysql:/etc/postfix/dbsql/mysql_virtual_alias_domain_mailbox_maps.cf

# Otern
myhostname = mail.youdomain.com
mydestination = localhost
virtual_transport = lmtp:unix:private/dovecot-lmtp
message_size_limit = 102400000
inet_protocols = ipv4
mynetworks = 127.0.0.0/8 192.168.0.0/24

smtpd_recipient_restrictions = 
       permit_sasl_authenticated, 
       permit_mynetworks, 
       reject_unauth_destination

Commands to run ...

sudo systemctl enable postfix
sudo systemctl restart postfix
sudo systemctl status postfix

Step 8

Install Dovecot ...

sudo apt-get install dovecot-core dovecot-lmtpd dovecot-imapd dovecot-pop3d dovecot-mysql

Edit

sudo nano /etc/dovecot/dovecot-sql.conf.ext

Add the following lines

driver = mysql
connect = host=localhost dbname=dbpostfixadmin user=userpostfixadmin password=YOUpassword
default_pass_scheme = MD5-CRYPT
password_query = SELECT username as user, password, '/var/vmail/%d/%n' as userdb_home, 'maildir:/var/vmail/%d/%n' as userdb_mail, 150 as userdb_uid, 8 as userdb_gid FROM mailbox WHERE username = '%u' AND active = '1'
user_query = SELECT '/var/vmail/%d/%u' as home, 'maildir:/var/vmail/%d/%u' as mail, 150 AS uid, 8 AS gid, concat('dirsize:storage=', quota) AS quota FROM mailbox WHERE username = '%u' AND active = '1'

Edit

sudo nano /etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-mail.conf

Add

mail_location = maildir:/var/vmail/%d/%n
mail_privileged_group = mail
mail_uid = vmail
mail_gid = mail
first_valid_uid = 150
last_valid_uid = 150

Edit:

sudo nano /etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-ssl.conf

Add

ssl = yes
ssl_cert = </etc/ssl/certs/mailserver.crt
ssl_key = </etc/ssl/private/mailserver.key

Edit:

sudo nano /etc/dovecot/conf.d/15-lda.conf

Add

postmaster_address = This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Edit

sudo nano /etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-master.conf

Add

service lmtp {
     unix_listener /var/spool/postfix/private/dovecot-lmtp {
     mode = 0600
     user = postfix
     group = postfix
     }
}



service auth {
     unix_listener /var/spool/postfix/private/auth {
     mode = 0666
     user = postfix
     group = postfix
}

unix_listener auth-userdb {
     mode = 0600
     user = vmail

}
user = dovecot
}

service auth-worker {
user = vmail
}

Edit

Sudo nano/etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-auth.conf

Add

auth_mechanisms = plain login
#!include auth-system.conf.ext
!include auth-sql.conf.ext

Command run ...

chown -R vmail:dovecot /etc/dovecot 
chmod -R o-rwx /etc/dovecot

And

sudo systemctl enable dovecot
sudo systemctl restart dovecot
sudo systemctl status dovecot

Check if the ports are open 110 143 993 995

 netstat -tnl

Step 9

Install Apache2 web server ...

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2

Edit file

sudo nano /etc/apache2/apache2.conf

Add

ServerName 127.0.0.1

<Directory /var/www/>
    Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
    AllowOverride All
    Require all granted
</Directory>

Command

sudo systemctl restart apache2
sudo systemctl status apache2

Step 10

Install PHP

sudo apt install php

Chek version

php -v

Install PHP Extensions

sudo apt install php-common php-mysql php-xml php-xmlrpc php-curl php-gd php-imagick php-cli php-dev php-imap php-mbstring php-opcache php-soap php-zip php-redis php-intl -y

Step 11

UFW Enable and add ruls ...

sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
sudo ufw allow in "Apache Full"
sudo ufw allow 25
sudo ufw allow 465
sudo ufw allow 587
sudo ufw allow 110
sudo ufw allow 143
sudo ufw allow 993
sudo ufw allow 995
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw restart
sudo ufw status

Step 12

Install PostfixAdmin

Creating directories and granting privileges ...

sudo mkdir -p /var/www/postfix/public_html
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/postfix/public_html
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/postfix/public_html

Dovnload Postfix Admin

sudo apt install wget
wget https://github.com/postfixadmin/postfixadmin/archive/postfixadmin-3.3.11.tar.gz

Extrakt

sudo mv /var/www/postfixadmin-postfixadmin-3.3.11 /var/www/postfix/public_html

Setting Up Permissions

sudo mkdir -p /var/www/postfix/public_html/templates_c
sudo chmod -R 777 /var/www/postfix/public_html/templates_c

Create Apache Virtual Host for PostfixAdmin

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/postfix.conf

Add

# Postfix

Alias /postfix "/var/www/postfix/public_html/public/"
<Directory "/var/www/postfix/public_html/public/">
        Options FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride None
        Allow from all
        Order allow,deny
</Directory>

Run

sudo a2ensite postfix.conf
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Configure PostfixAdmin edit file config.inc.php

sudo nano /var/www/postfix/public_html/config.inc.php

 Add

$CONF['configured'] = true;
$CONF['database_type'] = 'mysqli';
$CONF['database_host'] = 'localhost';
$CONF['database_user'] = 'userpostfixadmin';
$CONF['database_password'] = 'YOUpassword';
$CONF['database_name'] = 'dbpostfixadmin';
$CONF['encrypt'] = 'md5crypt';
$CONF['admin_email'] = This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.';

Run web interfaces setup ...

Edit the config.local.php file and add the generated hash to it

$CONF['setup_password'] = 'jkhsdfgbafcv73468ot7vtbrzavuz7or4984z';

And create admin user ...

Based on my experiences, I wrote this article, I hope it will be useful in the future, I will refine it, that is, improve it for myself, this is the basis for the mail server ...