Member Avatar for OsaMasw

Hello guys
Am not fimiliar with windows server 2008 enviroment but I learned few things last days, I want to create mail service to send and recieve messages localy, between two or three computers just for learing.
How can i achieve that ?
Am using windows server 2008
Tried hmailServer and Visundo but no luck
Is there any missing configration i should do??

Edited by OsaMasw
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  • Latest Post Latest Post by kc0arf

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Brief, practical checklist and quick tests for a LAN-only mail lab (for ): common causes when hMailServer/Visundo “don’t work” are service not running, ports blocked by Windows Firewall or AV, another SMTP service bound to the same port, or clients pointing to the wrong name/IP. For a simple local setup: assign the server a static LAN IP, add a local domain and accounts inside the mail server, enable the SMTP and POP3/IMAP listeners, and have client machines point at the server IP (or use a hosts-file entry) so no public DNS or MX records are required.

Minimal verification steps (run on the server and from a client):

  • Confirm the server is listening and the service is running:

    netstat -ano | find ":25"
sc query hMailServer

  • Quick SMTP smoke test from a client:

    telnet 192.168.1.10 25
EHLO tester
MAIL FROM:<alice@local.lan>
RCPT TO:<bob@local.lan>
DATA
Subject: test
Hello
.
QUIT

Helpful hMailServer-specific checks: enable verbose logging and inspect the Logs folder (look for authentication or delivery errors), verify the domain and accounts actually exist in the admin console, make sure SMTP authentication settings aren’t forcing TLS while the client is configured for plaintext, and check the server’s event log for service startup errors. Confirm no IIS/Exchange SMTP service is running and occupying port 25.

Notes tying other replies together: ’s Microsoft SMTP option or ’s suggestion to try a Linux VM with Postfix are both valid fallback paths if Windows tooling proves difficult; ’s point about choosing POP vs IMAP still applies for client behavior. For learning, keep TLS/auth requirements relaxed initially, verify basic delivery, then tighten security once the flow is confirmed.

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Member Avatar for copahost

POP3 is Post Office Protocol version 3 that is a “standard mail protocol”. It is typically used to receive emails from the remote server to the local email client. It lets you download email messages on one local computer. Also, read them even when you are offline.

Using POP3 to connect to the email account, then the messages download locally & remove from the servers. It means that when you access your account from multiple locations, then it may not best option. When you use POP3, then the messages are stored on your local computer that simply reduces the space on the web server. Further, POP3 works on two ports, i.e., Port 110 & Port 995.

On the other hand, IMAP, SMTP both also work for the same.

Member Avatar for kc0arf

Hello,

If you want to get deep into mail processing, scrap the windows box, and go with a linux solution, such as CentOS, and learn postfix. Then, as you continue learning about email, look at the MailScanner package which will send you into the world of antivirus scanning, blacklist scanning, and other spam fighting techniques.

Also note that POP3 on 995 is POP3s, or the ssl encrytped port. You will need some sort of certificates to get that to work.

I would also study IMAP as it is a cleaner multi-device email protocol. POP is nice if you have a single user checking from a single box. IMAP is much cleaner for multi device checking... computer, cell phone, tablet.

Christian

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