Easiest way for my client to get webmail?

[fcm]

Hi, sorry if this question is redundant, I have searched forums and not really found an answer...

I have a very technologically challenged client, and need to make using webmail as simple as possible for her. I thought about just forwarding everything to her current (yahoo) account, but then when she sends mail it will still show it as originating from the yahoo acct...

Anyway, the double login thing and having to remember to choose Squirrelmail will put her over the edge. Is there a simple fix for this? I have looked at the instructions for 'installing' Squirrelmail and admit it is over my head (past hosts have had a domain.com/mail type login). BTW, I am not committed to Squirrel, if one of the other options is easier...

Very detailed explanation would be sooo appreciated!

[ChrisTech]

You could set her up with a gmail account and forward all email there. In gmail, you can setup aliases. So it appears to be coming from yourname@yourdomain.com

Somewhere I've got the "down to earth" instructions on how to setup squirrel mail. I will have to grab them and post them later on tonite after I get home from my concert (OLP) or try to vnc to home later to find them.

[fcm]

If you can, it would be great. I will investigate the gmail option too, though. Thanks!

[Amitabh]

Make sure that you in the web directory of the user. You must be comfortable using ssh and unix commands

-jailshell-2.05b$ cd www

-jailshell-2.05b$ wget http://cogent.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/squirrelmail/squirrelmail-1.4.5.tar.bz2

-jailshell-2.05b$ tar jxvf squirrelmail-1.4.5.tar.bz2

-jailshell-2.05b$ mv squirrelmail-1.4.5 webmail

-jailshell-2.05b$ mkdir webmail/sqattachements

-jailshell-2.05b$ cd webmail/config

-jailshell-2.05b$ ./conf.pl

This will run the Squirrelmail setup script which will allow you to customize the installation as well as set your server settings. Most of the important settings are in area #2, which is dubbed "Server Settings". Here are the specs I recommend:

General
-------
1. Domain : 1.2.3.4 (Enter the IP of your server here)
2. Invert Time : false
3. Sendmail or SMTP : SMTP

IMAP Settings
--------------
4. IMAP Server : localhost
5. IMAP Port : 143
6. Authentication type : login
7. Secure IMAP (TLS) : false
8. Server software : other
9. Delimiter : detect

SMTP Settings
-------------
4. SMTP Server : localhost
5. SMTP Port : 25
6. POP before SMTP : false
7. SMTP Authentication : login
8. Secure SMTP (TLS) : false

Once this has been successfully completed, try browsing http://<your_domain>/webmail to check the installation. I haven't tried out the exact steps on a dathron server, but it has worked for me elsewhere.

Script modified from this page:

http://qmailrocks.org/webmail_rh_slack.htm

[fcm]

Thanks, I will try it- probably have to get a little help from someone who is more comfortable with the commands and such.

I do wish it was a little more simple. So far I am happy with Dathorn, but I would suggest adding an easier webmail solution that doesn't require the double login. I have used other hosts with cpanel and did not have to do it that way. I didn't expect to have to work around something like that. Just a bit of constructive criticism!

[sdjl]

You could just setup a subdomain to point to the locally installed squirrel mail, so all she/he/they have to do is type in their login details once and it goes through.

I do that for Horde and it works fine.

David

[fcm]

Hope I'm not being dense, but what do you mean by 'locally' installed? I have tried to paste the link to the squirrelmail login page and it redirects me back to the initial cpanel login... maybe horde is different? I am willing to try it if it is...

[sdjl]

Well this is what i use for Horde:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST}			^webmail\.domain\.co\.uk$
RewriteRule ^$ https://www.domain.co.uk:2096/horde/index.php [L]

I use that code inside a .htaccess file and it works well for me.
You could probably change the URL to the squirrel mail one and it will still work.

David

[LVZ]

Well this is what i use for Horde:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST}			^webmail\.domain\.co\.uk$
RewriteRule ^$ https://www.domain.co.uk:2096/horde/index.php [L]

I use that code inside a .htaccess file and it works well for me.
You could probably change the URL to the squirrel mail one and it will still work.

David

I don't know why but for some reason the code above just would not work for me. However, a simpler redirect line, e.g., using URL http://domain.com/mymail placed in .htaccess works:

Redirect temp /mymail https://domain.com:2096/horde/index.php

[sdjl]

Yeah that works too
The reason i use my code is because i have dynamic subdomains in use. Things mess up slightly if i use the subdomain options under cPanel.

David

[fcm]

Once this has been successfully completed, try browsing http://<your_domain>/webmail to check the installation. I haven't tried out the exact steps on a dathron server, but it has worked for me elsewhere.

So, will I have to do this same thing for every domain I set up, or should it then work on all of my hosted domains? I did do this, and it seems to work, but I don't want to have to do it for every domain...

[Amitabh]

It won't work on all domains by default, though you don't need to follow all the steps outlined here. Execute these lines on the domain which already has Squirrelmail installed. SSH into the domain:

-jailshell-2.05b$ cd www

-jailshell-2.05b$ tar -cf webmail.tar webmail

-jailshell-2.05b$ gzip webmail.tar

Now on every machines that you need to install the webmail, you need to ssh into the machines and execute the following commands:

-jailshell-2.05b$ cd www

-jailshell-2.05b$ wget http://<your_domain_with_webmail>/webmail.tar.gz

-jailshell-2.05b$ tar -zxvf webmail.tar.gz

This should be it. You should now have a working copy of the squirrelmail installation on the new domain.

[Pedja]

Dynamic subdomains? it is possible with Dathorn service? Can you provide some details?

[ZYV]

Pedja, well, haven't really tried all that exactly, but I am sure that's possible, at least if you use your own DNS servers. I currently have a site hosted here and I use my own custom DNS servers. I've made a wildcard A record for *.mydomain.net and have it pointing to the IP of my main account. Currently cPanel doesn't recognize it, but probably he found some workaround. The rest of this is quite simple. Just set up some RewriteRules and here you are.

Now back to the topic. Personally, I have used NOCC webmail ( http://nocc.sourceforge.net/ ) and was quite happy about it. It can do all the normal tasks like reading inbox, showing messages, writing replies and so on, EASY to use for non-tech savvy persons like gals, is EXTREMLY easy to set up and SKIN and is very small (200 kb unpacked!) comparing to those HORDE and squirrelmail monsters. I would say an ideal solution for someone looking for a SMALL and EASY webmail.

[fcm]

Actually, on the next domain I set up, it did work and I didn't have to go through the steps again. I just had to set up a new email login.

Hope it keeps working!