Zbigniew Szalbot wrote:
> Hello again,
>
> I am a good example of a person reading the docs, googling for answers with no practical
> result. I know I should not ask such basic questions here but I think I tried almost every
> solution I found and cannot get authentication properly implemented in exim 4.62 on
> windows under cygwin. Can I ask for some help?
>
> Of course I am able to relay from the LAN but I very much wanted to be able to also relay
> from outside the LAN. I haven't tried any secure mechanism. I thought I would implement
> simple plain text authentication first.
>
> Here is a snippet from my conf file (the ones that I commented I tried too):
>
*details trimmed*
>
> I want to run exim on Windows for some time to learn then I will probably think of FreeBSD
> or some other non-MS system to run it. Any advice - as clear as possible please - I have very
> little experience with cygwin and exim - will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your
> patience
>
> Thanks!
>
>
> --
> Zbigniew Szalbot
> www.lc-words.com
>
>
Your curiousity is commendable, but you have skipped the basics, so the learning
process has been short-circuited.
Dangerously so.
First, take a day or several and use your browser to learn about the challenges
facing the smtp and DNS environments. Look for good and bad practice, do and
dont do, etc.
Second, install a Linux, open Solaris, or *BSD, learn about computers,
networking, and security. Windows doesn't live there, nor even visit.
Any of these operating systems can be cheap, cheerful, and enlightening, and all
will run happily on an older computer no longer much use for 'Windows'. No need
to complicate your 'Windows' installation - save it to test the 'userland'
environment.
*Then* look to first experiment strictly on an internal LAN. Enable 'IP
literals' or run a local DNS if need be - but keep it separate from the internet.
Do not try to run a 'public facing' MTA unless you have a fixed IP address with
'PTR' and 'MX' records as well as an 'A' record. Your ISP Terms and Conditions
must also permit running a mail server. Many do not.
Show evidence of understanding and responsibility and you will find lots of help
here.
But until you have made these basic steps, you might just as well ask
'Mothers Against Drunk Driving' the best way to drink chilled Vodka while
steering a school bus full of children.
Bill Hacker
