imap server

[mkwan]

is an imap server installed by default in Mac OS X v. 10.3.2?

thanks

mkwan

 

[zap]

no, you have to compile / install one yourself. but there are several opensource imap servers which are really good and fairly easy to install and configure. the ones i have tested are courier-imap which i used until recently when a friend recomended dovecot saying that it was faster and possibly more secure.

 

[mkwan]

how do I test if dovecot works properly?

 

[zap]

how do I test if dovecot works properly?

after you've compiled, installed it and edited the conf file you simply try to connect to it. if it works you're done. otherwise read the logs to try to figure out whats wrong.

 

[mkwan]

sorry, I am new to this, what do I need to configure in the dovecot.conf file and I am having connection problems (connection refused problems)

 

[zap]

sorry, I am new to this, what do I need to configure in the dovecot.conf file and I am having connection problems (connection refused problems)

first of all if you don't want imaps you have to change the line

protocols = imap imaps

into

protocols = imap

and

ssl_disable = no

into

ssl_disable = yes

and finally

disable_plaintext_auth = no

needs to be set.

to get dovecot to authenticate using macosx users and their respective passwords the config should look like follows:

auth_mechanisms = plain
auth_userdb = passwd
auth_passdb = pam login

you might want to change

default_mail_env

so that it matches the settings of your smtp server i use

default_mail_env = maildir:/Users/%u/Maildir

finally you must create an unprivilege user with its own group with netinfo manager. preferably this user should have an uid below 500 and be called dovecot.

hope this helps a bit.