Topic: EXT3 FS and NLSUS, Email configuration, and more

[turtle2472]

I was recently pointed to SME to solve my desire to run a server at my house.  I have just installed it on my aging Athlon 64 3000+ and everything seems great.  I'm going to put a few questions here rather than starting many threads.

As I was reading through the wiki trying to figure out a bunch of stuff I noticed that the file system is EXT3 which is the same as my NLSUS (Linksys).  

So my question right now is: Can I just plug that drive into my server without the need to reformat?

This is my first time near Linux so I really don't have a clue of what I'm doing. :\

My initial plan was to take my email away from my web host and run it out of my house instead. As I have read more and more about SME, I'm looking to now make it the Gateway for my home network and why not have it replace my NLSUS while it's at it?  My network is now 4 Macs, 4 PCs and one SME server.

Any other pointers or tips for me would be great since I am just learning this server and Linux.  Seem my biggest challenge is going to be pointing my mail to my house.  I have a dynamic IP address and and account with DynDns.org to keep my files pointed to my house.  My ISP also blocks ports 136-139, 80, 111, 119, 445, 27374, 25. http://support.cox.com/sdccommon/asp/contentredirect.asp?sprt_cid=643ad749-1a58-4824-9d1c-8cd5579e132a

What I've done in the past is have my Mac host the web sites and point people to mydomain.dyndns.org:8080 and have my router forward 8080 to 80 on my Mac.  It works, but what about mail?  I've set the email setting to use one of my cox.net email addresses to use for outbound SMTP.  What about getting the mail to the server?

I bought a domain from GoDaddy and changed it's name server location to my host.  Now I have set my host Mail Exchanger to forward to mydomain.dyndns.org for one of those domains I have.  However, after sending a couple of test messages it didn't work.  This might be due to the placement of my server, behind a Linksys RV042.  If I move the Server to replace the router would this solve my issues?

I'm gonna stop for now, though there is more.  Thanks for any help you can offer.  I searched for the EXT3 question, but admittedly, I didn't for the mail and server placement.

SME 7.2

[CharlieBrady]

I'm gonna stop for now, though there is more.

You might get more response (and the answers will be less confused/confusing) if you post each issue/question in a separate message.

[Reinhold]

...file system is EXT3 which is the same as my NLSUS (Linksys).  

So my question right now is: Can I just plug that drive into my server without the need to reformat?

This is my first time near Linux so I really don't have a clue of what I'm doing. :\

Let me try (this) one - so you don't get frustrated
YES - Basically you can add quite a few disk formats into a Linux box - it's called "mounting"
As a newbie you might want to understand the process so have a look into something like http://www.tuxfiles.org/linuxhelp/mounting.html
Don't get scared. With an ext3 drive it's as easy as physically connecting the HD, creating a mounting directory in SME (via ssh or cmd line) and issuing the mount command (There is a "add 2nd disk to SME" faq - search pls).

However your whole idea  does not do justice to the SME concept.
SME will use a 2nd drive to safeguard your system building a RAID1.
More drives will/might be used in a RAID5 or RAID6 configuration.
Best idea would be to stick all drives into the box - THEN install SME (and let it handle things)(There are some things you should know like use same size disks on separate IDE channels and stuff but this is all in the Wiki/Admin manual).

Http stuff is ultra simple - just get your DynDns stuff set up correctly (SME will even handle the necessary 30 day updates).

Please split off the SMTP question - (read the admin manual first) - this can get tricky with a dynip. My recommendation: Set up dyndns, SME smtp (via provider smtp ?) and SME smtp proxy - then ask again.

Regards
Reinhold

[turtle2472]

Thanks for the info on the drives.  I already have two 300 GB drives in there (I should have specified that, huh) and SME seems to have made a RAID1 out of them even though one's a SATA and one a PATA.  I thought that was really nice of it.

Anyway, this third drive is loaded with data and I just didn't want to have to transfer off and then back again after putting it in the case.  If this is how I really should do it, then so be it, I don't mind.  I just wanted to make it 'easier' for me.  This drive on my NLSUS is only 160GB PATA and I don't have a match for it.  Maybe I should just leave it out for now until I get a better understanding of the drives.  I'm just trying to jump right in and make this thing happen.  It's how I do most things.

[turtle2472]

Http stuff is ultra simple - just get your DynDns stuff set up correctly (SME will even handle the necessary 30 day updates).

I've missed seeing a DynDns settings page. Is it because my server is currently in serveronly mode?  Seems there are a few options missing and my guess is because I don't have my second NIC in there yet.

Thanks for your help though.

BTW, If I change from a serveronly mode will I have to reinstall SME completely just to do this?

[CharlieBrady]

I've missed seeing a DynDns settings page. Is it because my server is currently in serveronly mode?

Yes. In server only mode, SME is not connected to the Internet, and therefore does not have an Internet IP address, and therefore doesn't need to interact with a DynDNS provider.

BTW, If I change from a serveronly mode will I have to reinstall SME completely just to do this?

No. It sounds to me as though you haven't read the manual.

[turtle2472]

BTW, If I change from a serveronly mode will I have to reinstall SME completely just to do this?

No. It sounds to me as though you haven't read the manual.

   I'm actually working through it now.  I'm reading up on a bunch of different settings etc. and I asked this question because I didn't want to find where I had tweaked a bunch of setting only to have to start over.  Or add the NIC and have to start over.  (I have to find my NIC since most of my boards have had ethernet built in.)  I have also already copied my files from my NLSUS to SME since my NLSUS was a single disk instead of a RAID1 setup.  

I  Am reading it though I swear!  

[turtle2472]

Alright, I'm online and my port forwarding is working for port 80.  I still haven't worked out the email yet.  Seem like I just need to get a forwarding service through DynDns and they will forward all the mail to any port I chose which I can then port forward on the serve like I did port 80.

Is this right?  Is there a cheaper way than $40 at DynDns with MailHop Relay?

I have read the entire manual (both user and Admin) and almost all of the FAQ's and how To's.  On thing I haven figured out yet though is how do I enter in command lines like in this wiki (http://wiki.contribs.org/NutUPS)?

I also haven't figured out how to assign static IPs to my client computers.  I vaguely remember seeing something about it, but I can't recall where.  Pointers would be nice.

[Reinhold]

dyndns.ORG is free
- http://www.dyndns.com/services/dns/
- it will publish your DNS record, mail will be handled by the SME (simplified)

static ip:
- limit the range of the dhcp running (on SME i presume)
- set the ip of each (win-) PC at the appropriate PC itself

Regards
Reinhold
...sry haven't really "seen" this

[turtle2472]

dyndns.ORG is free
- http://www.dyndns.com/services/dns/
- it will publish your DNS record, mail will be handled by the SME (simplified)
...

...sry haven't really "seen" this

Thank for getting back with me.  I have gotten the static assignments of IPs done but I'm still having the issue with the mail direction.  I have Dyndns.org set up for my system and all web traffic comes just like it's supposed to but mail doesn't.  I'm sure it's due to my ignorance in configuring it though.  Can you help me by either sharing the detail so I can get around port 25 (since my ISP blocks it) or pointing me to where it's already posted.

Thank you very much for your time.

[Reinhold]

...configuring mail

Please follow this (walkthru):
http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=35613.0

Regards
Reinhold

P.S.: Did you notice the Search-Icon on top of every page ?  
I just clicked there and entered "isp port 25 block" and voila