internet server to recieve mails

[akgta]

Last week i setup a machine as a web hosting server installing:

1. Windows 2003 Web server
2. Apache
3. PHP
4. MySQL

With the confiugration steps the websites are working perfectly. and through sendmail for windows and smtp configuration i can send mails just fine through forms in websites written in PHP by me.

Now if I want to receive emails on those websites what exactly I need to do?

Do i have to install any additional software like ms exchange etc and what steps to follow.

lets say one of the websites is abc.com and i want to create mailbox and recieve emails on info@abc.com

also lets say the other website is def.com and similarly i need mailboxes support@def.com and help@def.com

i need to know the details how to achieve these goals

i did some primary research, according to which it seems like i have to install ms exchange and configure mx records, please let me know in detials

Thanks in advance

 

[Zelandakh]

If you want to receive emails you need a mail server configured to receive those emails. You may find it cheaper and faster to get them hosted for you.

Your Windows 2003 server won't take Exchange 5.5 which had its wake in November 05. Exchange 2007 is the current version and sounds like overkill for what you want.

 

[SimonDavis]

You'd need an mx record for incoming mail to be routed to your server - it might be possible to do it with just an A record, but I'm not confident.

There are a few open source mail programs that run on Windows around. Seems most people opt for Exchange if they have the budget, but you could try hmailserver, or smartermail has a free edition if you only need a couple of mailboxes.

 

[ForumKB]

I don't think (could be wrong) that 2003 web edition will run exchange, web edition is a cut down version for the purpose of serving websites (unless its 2003 std / ent and you are just using it as a web server of course)

Probably find exchange is overkill and you may be better just using a 3rd party pop3 service for the mail if you only need a couple of addresses and don't want extra hassle.




Adrian Paris

Paris Engineering Ltd

http://www.ForumKB.com

Google search of just tech forums & articles
(very useful, honest!)

 

[Zelandakh]

2003 won't do Exchange, you are right.