Configure Sendmail

Introduction:

Sendmail is the Linux service that sends and receives email. I will be setting up Oracle to use this to report database and workflow events.

What this configuration won't do is receive email - actually, it might but I won't be testing that. I don't need this for Oracle and that involves buying a domain name - something I just don't need.

Aim:

Set up Sendmail to be able to send email to anywhere.

Requirements:

A configured Linux home network that is up.

Procedure:

• Log in as root.
• Open terminal.
• # cd /etc/mail
• # vi sendmail.cf
• Find the line; '0 DaemonPortOptions=Port=smtp,Addr=127.0.0.1, Name=MTA' and comment it out; '#0 DaemonPortOptions=Port=smtp,Addr=127.0.0.1, Name=MTA'
• Save and exit.
• # vi local-host-names
• Add a new line: 'steveroach.org' (i.e. your domain name)
• Save and exit.
• # service sendmail restart
• The result of this is:
  

# service sendmail restart Shutting down sendmail: [ OK ] Shutting down sm-client: [ OK ] Starting sendmail: [ OK ] Starting sm-client: [ OK ] #

Testing:

• Send a test email:
• # echo Test | mail -s "Testing" my@email.com (use an email address you have access to)
• Check that the email has landed in your inbox. This may take a few minutes. If you can't immediately see it, check your junk bucket. It may have been wrongly flagged as spam.