How to get mail working on vps ovh

OVH VPS! Getting mail working on an OVH VPS can be a bit tricky, but don't worry, I'm here to help you through it.

Here's a step-by-step guide to help you set up mail on your OVH VPS:

Prerequisites:

  1. You have a VPS instance running on OVH.
  2. You have a domain name registered with OVH or another registrar.
  3. You have a basic understanding of Linux and DNS configuration.

Step 1: Configure DNS

To receive emails, you need to configure your DNS settings. You'll need to create a few records:

  1. MX Record: This record points to your VPS's IP address. Create an MX record with the following settings:
    • Host: @ (or your domain name)
    • Priority: 10
    • Value: your_vps_ip_address
  2. A Record: This record points to your VPS's IP address. Create an A record with the following settings:
    • Host: @ (or your domain name)
    • Value: your_vps_ip_address
  3. TXT Record: This record is used for SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) validation. Create a TXT record with the following settings:
    • Host: @ (or your domain name)
    • Value: v=spf1 a mx ~all (for SPF) and k=rsa; p=your_dkim_public_key (for DKIM)

Step 2: Install and configure Postfix

Postfix is a popular mail transfer agent (MTA) that can be used to send and receive emails. Install Postfix on your VPS:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install postfix

Configure Postfix by editing the /etc/postfix/main.cf file:

sudo nano /etc/postfix/main.cf

Add the following lines to the end of the file:

mydestination = your_domain_name
myhostname = your_vps_hostname
mynetworks = 127.0.0.0/8 [::1]/128

Replace your_domain_name and your_vps_hostname with your actual domain name and VPS hostname.

Step 3: Configure Postfix to use your domain

Create a new file /etc/postfix/your_domain_name with the following contents:

sudo nano /etc/postfix/your_domain_name

Add the following lines to the file:

mydestination = your_domain_name
myhostname = your_vps_hostname
mynetworks = 127.0.0.0/8 [::1]/128

Replace your_domain_name and your_vps_hostname with your actual domain name and VPS hostname.

Step 4: Restart Postfix

Restart the Postfix service to apply the changes:

sudo service postfix restart

Step 5: Test your mail setup

Use a tool like telnet to test your mail setup:

telnet your_vps_ip_address 25

This should connect you to the Postfix server. You can then send a test email using the mail command:

mail -s "Test email" your_email_address@your_domain_name

Replace your_email_address and your_domain_name with your actual email address and domain name.

Troubleshooting tips:

That's it! With these steps, you should be able to get mail working on your OVH VPS. If you encounter any issues, feel free to ask, and I'll do my best to help you troubleshoot.