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I am looking for something like mailChannels but self-hosted

marsonmarson Member
in Help

I am looking for some alternative like MailChannels but self-hosted

I am looking to create mail relay server for outbound e-mails, I bought a dedicated server and couple of IPs assigned to it and I want to be able to send e-mail hosted on my other server through those IPs

I checked https://github.com/postalserver/postal abd it works great however there is a problem with this solution, it is allowed to send mails only if the domains is added to the server and since I use DirectAdmin on my other server I don't want to be forced to add domain from DirectAdmin everytime when the new domain is added through DirectAdmin. I tried to check the send as any option but it did not do anuthing and as I can see there are similar questions on postal's github without any responses.

I also saw proxmox mail gateway but as I saw there are no SMTP credentials available to create and also similarly as in postal the domain needs to be added on to the proxmox mail gateway before I will be able to send an e-mail through it.

Can anyone recommend a similar solution to those I mention above or maybe someone discavered how to bypass the limitation allowing to send e-mails from any domains without it being added to domains list on those system... Or maybe someone have developed plugin to DirectAdmin to integrate it with postal or proxmox mail gateway so the domains will be automatically added or removed when the user do it through DirectAdmin interface, I saw similar plugin to support SpamExperts so I know it should be possible.

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Comments

  • BoogeymanBoogeyman Member

    @marson said: I don't want to be forced to add domain from DirectAdmin everytime when the new domain is added through DirectAdmin.

    Maybe do it through API? DA might have some postscript support and from there call the API of Postal.

  • K4Y5K4Y5 Member

    I have been using MC for a few years and have tried a bunch of times to roll my own solution out. It just isn't worth the hassle running your own SMTP relay, if you give a crap about deliverability and value your own time / good nights' rest.

  • marsonmarson Member
    edited December 2021

    @K4Y5 said:
    I have been using MC for a few years and have tried a bunch of times to roll my own solution out. It just isn't worth the hassle running your own SMTP relay, if you give a crap about deliverability and value your own time / good nights' rest.

    your response is funny ;)
    me: hello - I want to have a cat, can you recommend what cat should I have?
    You: don't get a cat, cats are booring, get a dog ;)

    I know mailchannel, I use it, there are no problem with mailchannel, I just want to have something self-hosted, the problem is not about money, the problem is about privacy and to use a closed solution, hosted elsewhere, if mailchannels goes down, I have a problem, and I have to wait and hope to get it fixed, if I have my own system I can have problem too but this is my problem and I can fix it myself or at least try to.

    Also well, the major e-mail providers in my country are blocking mailchannels entirely and mailchannels can't or are not interested to solve the problem with our e-maill providers.

  • ArkasArkas Moderator

    @marson said: get a dog

    That's always good advice.

  • marsonmarson Member
    edited December 2021

    @Arkas said: That's always good advice.

    What if I have dog and I want cat:)

  • ArkasArkas Moderator

    @marson said: What if I have dog and I want cat:)

    Get another dog :wink:

    Thanked by 1Logano
  • ArkasArkas Moderator

    But seriously, I haven't found a solution for self hosting Mailchannels, and it's not for lack of trying.

  • marsonmarson Member

    @Arkas said:

    @marson said: What if I have dog and I want cat:)

    Get another dog :wink:

    So If I already use mailchannels should I get... another mailchannels? :)

  • ArkasArkas Moderator

    @marson said: So If I already use mailchannels should I get... another mailchannels?

    Well, there's always the other dog, mxroute

    Thanked by 1Logano
  • FrankZFrankZ Veteran
    edited December 2021

    @marson said: someone discavered how to bypass the limitation allowing to send e-mails from any domains without it being added to domains list on those system

    I don't think you really want to do this because you would then create an open relay and anyone would be able be able to send mail through this server.

    I think the solution that you want is to allow only certain IPs to relay mail through your mail server via an access file on the mail server and a SMART_HOST pointing to the mail server on the DA server .

    Thanked by 1Boogeyman
  • marsonmarson Member
    edited December 2021

    @FrankZ said: I think the solution that you want is to allow only certain IPs to relay mail through your mail server via an access file on the mail server and a SMART_HOST on the DA server .

    Yes I agree with you but limiting access only for specified IPs will be easy, to be honest the most optimal will be to use postal and allow it to relay mail from any domain then block access to other IPs than I specified for example by firewall, proxmox mail gateway is an option too, potentially even better but in any of those 2 scenarios I don't know how to not restrict the sending domains.

    Thanked by 1FrankZ
  • Mr_TomMr_Tom Member, Host Rep

    @FrankZ said: I don't think you really want to do this because you would then create an open relay and anyone would be able be able to send mail through this server.

    You'd want it to work how mailchannels does - it will accept any domain as long as it's got the correct auth details for your account. So, it's not quite an open relay.

    Thanked by 1FrankZ
  • marsonmarson Member

    @Mr_Tom said: You

    @Mr_Tom said: You'd want it to work how mailchannels does - it will accept any domain as long as it's got the correct auth details for your account. So, it's not quite an open relay.

    Yes you are correct, in postal to use it as a proxy I have to generate an access credentials and insert those credentials to smarthost configuration in DirectAdmin so really the point is to change the behaviour to allow send through any domain and not just those specified in postal. Otherwise it works great.

  • nqservicesnqservices Member

    @marson said:
    Also well, the major e-mail providers in my country are blocking mailchannels entirely and mailchannels can't or are not interested to solve the problem with our e-maill providers.

    What country?

  • marsonmarson Member

    @nqservices said: What country?

    Poland - and e-mails from onet.pl, wp.pl are blocked when sent tthrough mailchannels.

  • daffydaffy Member

    @marson said: I also saw proxmox mail gateway but as I saw there are no SMTP credentials available to create and also similarly as in postal the domain needs to be added on to the proxmox mail gateway before I will be able to send an e-mail through it.

    FWIW for sending the domains does not need to be added in PMG, only for incoming.
    As long as the sending server is authorized by IP it can send from whichever domain it want (as long as passing spam checks and so on).
    So set up a cluster with PMG, and enable softbounce with fallback relay so when MS eventually blocks you it will retry from a different cluster member.
    Works swell.

    Thanked by 1FrankZ
  • yoursunnyyoursunny Member, IPv6 Advocate

    Give @jar a million dollars and you'll own MXroute.
    Here's your self-hosted MailChannels.

    SPAM PLAN $300/year

  • marsonmarson Member
    edited December 2021

    @daffy said:

    @marson said: I also saw proxmox mail gateway but as I saw there are no SMTP credentials available to create and also similarly as in postal the domain needs to be added on to the proxmox mail gateway before I will be able to send an e-mail through it.

    FWIW for sending the domains does not need to be added in PMG, only for incoming.
    As long as the sending server is authorized by IP it can send from whichever domain it want (as long as passing spam checks and so on).
    So set up a cluster with PMG, and enable softbounce with fallback relay so when MS eventually blocks you it will retry from a different cluster member.
    Works swell.

    I tried nt luck with proxmox mail gateway but I am getting following bounce:

    [email protected]

    host pmg.mydomain.pl [1.2.3.4] (where 1.2.3.4 is PMG IP address)
    SMTP error from remote mail server after RCPT TO:marek@my-realmail.pl:
    554 5.7.1 marek@my-realmail.pl: Relay access denied

    In PMG I addrd my network CIDR to real > Network tab and below I post my smarthost configuration as per DirectAdmin documentation:

    cat /etc/exim.routers.pre.conf

    smart_route:

    driver = manualroute
    domains = ! +local_domains
    ignore_target_hosts = 127.0.0.0/8
    condition = "${perl{check_limits}}"

     #use remote_smtp only if you do not need smtp-auth.
 transport = remote_smtp

 #use auth_relay if you do need to set the remote smtpauth

    ; transport = auth_relay (I changed hash to ; due to forum formatting syntax)

     route_list = * pmg.mydomain.pl:26
 no_more

    cat /etc/exim.transports.pre.conf

    auth_relay auth_relay:

    driver = smtp
    port = 26
    hosts_require_auth = $host_address
    hosts_require_tls = $host_address
    headers_add = "${if def:authenticated_id{X-Authenticated-Id: ${authenticated_id}}}"
    interface = <; ${if exists{/etc/virtual/domainips}{${lookup{$sender_address_domain}lsearch*{/etc/virtual/domainips}}}}
    helo_data = ${if exists{/etc/virtual/helo_data}{${lookup{$sending_ip_address}iplsearch{/etc/virtual/helo_data}{$value}{$primary_hostname}}}{$primary_hostname}}
    hosts_try_chunking =
    hosts_try_fastopen =

    auth_relay:

    driver = smtp
    port = 26
    hosts_require_auth = $host_address
    hosts_require_tls = $host_address
    headers_add = "${if def:authenticated_id{X-Authenticated-Id: ${authenticated_id}}}"
    interface = <; ${if exists{/etc/virtual/domainips}{${lookup{$sender_address_domain}lsearch*{/etc/virtual/domainips}}}}
    helo_data = ${if exists{/etc/virtual/helo_data}{${lookup{$sending_ip_address}iplsearch{/etc/virtual/helo_data}{$value}{$primary_hostname}}}{$primary_hostname}}
    hosts_try_chunking =
    hosts_try_fastopen =
    .include_if_exists /etc/exim.dkim.conf.include_if_exists /etc/exim.dkim.conf

    PMG server is included in SPF fot the domain.

    Can someone point me where am I doing someting wrong?

  • daffydaffy Member

    I don't know much about Exim, but as long as you can see the connection attempt in the PMG logs you've at least reached that far.

    I just did a test with a completely new domain not mentioned anywhere in PMG and using that domain sending from my Virtualmin server it went straight through.. I'd suggest you take this question to the Proxmox forums then, you might get better answers there.

    As long as your IP is listed in /etc/pmg/mynetworks it should work (remember to list both v4 and v6 in case you're using this).

  • marsonmarson Member

    @daffy

    I solved the problem and now it is working great, the problem was in my exim configuration, I didn't notice that exim needs :: (double colon), before the port number is defined on smarthost section, when I use mailchannels they use port 25 so I never have to enter custom port number, thank you for pointing me the tracking center where the logs showed that my server IP wchich I add as trusted is displayed as unknown.

    Thanked by 1daffy
  • jenkkijenkki Member

    Best way to aсquire Mailchannels and make it self hosted.

    Thanked by 1yoursunny
  • jarjar Patron Provider, Top Host, Veteran

    apt install postfix -y

    Thanked by 2wdmg FrankZ
  • mc_ksimpsonmc_ksimpson Member

    Ken here from MailChannels. I was unaware of issues in delivering to Polish providers. Have you contacted our support team to have them look into this?

  • jarjar Patron Provider, Top Host, Veteran
    edited December 2021

    @mc_ksimpson said:
    Ken here from MailChannels. I was unaware of issues in delivering to Polish providers. Have you contacted our support team to have them look into this?

    Grass isn't greener over here. Off the top of my head there's a couple of obscure polish providers I've written off as being too near impossible to please. Can't recall which one(s) but you can only do so much. Some people prefer idle servers and I guess that's a thing over there.

    Thanked by 1yoursunny
  • emilvemilv Member
    edited December 2021

    www.mailborder.com

  • marsonmarson Member

    @mc_ksimpson said:
    Ken here from MailChannels. I was unaware of issues in delivering to Polish providers. Have you contacted our support team to have them look into this?

    Yes it was reported to mailchannels support, if you need additional info let me know and I will check details on monday when I reach to our systems.

  • cazrzcazrz Member

    MC offers self hosted solution. Like you said money isn't a problem so you should not have a problem paying their self-hosted solution.

    You need to contact their sales.

  • marsonmarson Member

    @cazrz said: MC offers self hosted solution. Like you said money isn't a problem so you should not have a problem paying their self-hosted solution.

    My bad ;) was not precise, money are not a problem as meaning of normal price wchich they offer, paying millions can be a problem ;)

    Nevermind - proxmox mail gateway works OK for me so I have what I want ;)

    Thanked by 1daffy
  • daffydaffy Member
    edited December 2021

    @marson said: Nevermind - proxmox mail gateway works OK for me so I have what I want

    Same, I've used it for 4-5 years now and really can't complain. I only wish I figured out how to retry from a different cluster member sooner since now it does everything I want :)

  • marsonmarson Member

    @daffy said:

    @marson said: Nevermind - proxmox mail gateway works OK for me so I have what I want

    Same, I've used it for 4-5 years now and really can't complain. I only wish I figured out how to retry from a different cluster member sooner since now it does everything I want :)

    For me it would be nice to have ability to set IP rotation through GUI, I done that but I have to edit postfix configuration files manually, but ability to do that from the GUI would be easier ;)

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