Koozali.org: home of the SME Server

novice seeking help

Offline discoclover

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novice seeking help
« on: October 22, 2009, 09:43:23 AM »
Hi

I had SME 6 on a home server but it failed due to the motherboard handing in its notice!

I am new to centOS played around a bit with Ubuntu server but found it a bit too advanced to setup for me! I'm alright at following instructions but when they don't work because of something I did (possibly?) I can't then get to bottom of whats wrong. Anyway I hope you are all friendly on here and won't bite my head off!

So I returned to something I know sort of. Anyway I downloaded SME 8 as I fancied playing around with something newer.

My problems are this - I can only log in remotely to Sme server manager by putting https://myserversip/server-manager. It returns an error if i try to log in to the server by name (https:server/server-manager). Also related to this I can't log in to get emails (or smtp) useing mail.mywebsite.com.

I am sure this must have been covered here before? A link to the discussion would be useful as I can't seem to get up anything useful(my bad search strings I guess).

Sorry to be a pain but I figure its something that is easily fixed once I am told what I need to do :-)

John   

Offline paradigm

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Re: novice seeking help
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2009, 11:24:23 AM »
We do need to know a bit more about your setup (server , server gateway ) and your lan configuration


My problems are this - I can only log in remotely to Sme server manager by putting https://myserversip/server-manager. It returns an error if i try to log in to the server by name (https:server/server-manager). Also related .

John   

You are missing to letters in (https:server/server-manager) it should be https://server name/server manager

to this I can't log in to get emails (or smtp) using mail.mywebsite.com.


Do you have a registered domain name and have configured it (including mx) to point to your server's ip address ?


Offline discoclover

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Re: novice seeking help
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2009, 03:40:38 PM »
Hi

Its a server gateway which is working and serving 1 Ubuntu 1 mac and a winblows laptop. My lan is two NIC working on the server. eth1 192.168.1.something is serving DHCP to the client machines. I have eth0 192.168.0.something is connected to a sky router wired/wireless. Don't use the wireless except sometimes on wife uses it on my laptop. I have a number of ports forwarded on the router including 25, 80, 110 etc...

Sorry it was my typing error yes I do have https://server/server-manager sorry.

Yes I have a registered domain name and its configured to point towards my servers IP address.


Offline paradigm

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Re: novice seeking help
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2009, 05:13:18 PM »
A few more questions :

How are you sending and receiving mail ? are trying to to that inside your lan or from outside it ?

Are you using pop3 , pop3s , imap , imaps , ssmtp , smtp ?

Can you successfully telnet  from another network to check open ports (110 , 25 , 80 , and so on...) ?


Sorry it was my typing error yes I do have https://server/server-manager sorry.


After fixing your typing error can you now access the server manager with https://server name/server-manager ?

Hi

 I have eth0 192.168.0.something is connected to a sky router wired/wireless. Don't use the wireless except sometimes on wife uses it on my laptop.


That is a Little messy lan you have there , a better way is to use a modem or the router in a bridged way and

Connect a wireless access point to sme server which can than be configured as server gateway.

By the way how is your router configured ? does it have it's nat and/or firewall turned on ? or is it bridged ?

Sorry for bombarding you with a lot of questions ...



Offline sekt

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Re: novice seeking help
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2009, 05:24:17 PM »
If you use skype , then call me at account 'svenn-erik' then i will try to talk you Thu you problems

Svenn-Erik
I use skype, contact me at 'svenn-erik'

Offline paradigm

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Re: novice seeking help
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2009, 05:42:08 PM »
The point of open forum is so that others like you or me can add or learn and help others in the future ....

please use the forum so others can contribute here....

Offline discoclover

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Re: novice seeking help
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2009, 06:12:28 PM »
Hi

From inside and outside. A shields up search says the ports are open. I don't have access to another network but I could ask one of my friends if they are about.

No it won't connect using the servers name.

I'm sure its got a firewall and probably nat but I don't think you can turn them off. I will have a look on the sky site and see what it says.

I don't have a microphone so no skype i am afraid.

I appreciate the support I have found on here today. Sometimes "experienced" users can mercilessly rip you to shreds for showing your lack of knowledge sometimes.

cheers

John

Offline paradigm

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Re: novice seeking help
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2009, 06:26:06 PM »
Does your mail work from inside the network  ? (try sending yourself mail)


From inside and outside. A shields up search says the ports are open. I don't have access to another network but I could ask one of my friends if they are about.


can you ask a friend to telnet to your server using ports for mail and show the output here ?



I'm sure its got a firewall and probably nat but I don't think you can turn them off. I will have a look on the sky site and see what it says.


You can put the server into DMZ mode if the router allows.


I appreciate the support I have found on here today. Sometimes "experienced" users can mercilessly rip you to shreds for showing your lack of knowledge sometimes.

cheers


John

I'm not so "experienced" , pretty new here , but thanks for the complement

Offline cactus

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Re: novice seeking help
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2009, 07:22:12 PM »
Also related to this I can't log in to get emails (or smtp) useing mail.mywebsite.com

AFAIK above URL is not a valid URL by default. Did you already try the default address and replace the server-manager part with webmail, so like this:

https://www.mywebsite.com/webmail/

If you want to have the mail.mywebsite.com point to your server as well you will need to modify the DNS settings of your provider as the outside world needs to know at what IP address the hostname can be found.

For mailservers to work at least a A record should be available for your mail.mywebsite.com and preferrably also a MX record. To go short I think you might need to read up on DNS and the way they work, so perhaps this might be a nice start: http://www.howstuffworks.com/dns.htm
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than its worth ~ Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

Offline discoclover

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Re: novice seeking help
« Reply #9 on: October 22, 2009, 08:41:04 PM »
Hi

It does matter what I plug into the client email settings. I would have thought it would be pop.mywebsite.com and smtp.mywebsite.com but neither of these work. It says in server manager that I need to use mail.mywebsite.com as you email settings. The only one that works is 192.168.1.something. Then thunderbird will log into the server and collect email but it won't send stuff via smtp even setup with 192.168.1.something.

There is two issues here it gets other mail but not stuff sent to john@myserver.com (first problem) second problem is I don't think my pop and smtp are working internally between client and server (second problem).

Lastly on a separate note it does not let me log into the server-manager unless i put in the server IP. If i plug in https://www.mywebsite.com/webmail/ I get nada.

I am wondering if the port forwarding on the router is working properly and I think the dns is pointing toward my router rather than passing through to the server??

Cheers
John


Offline paradigm

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Re: novice seeking help
« Reply #10 on: October 22, 2009, 09:40:45 PM »
You probably do have a problem with your router not forwarding ports to

sme server , you have 3 options :

1.If the router supports DMZ , use it and put smeserver in to DMZ

(in server gateway only).

2.Connect smeserver straight to a modem , or if possible you the router in bridge

Mode.

3.Configure nat and/or the firewall in the router .

About your problem logging in to sme with https://server-name/server-manager:

what are your dhcp and dns servers ? where is every client configured to do

Dns lookups ?

Offline discoclover

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Re: novice seeking help
« Reply #11 on: October 23, 2009, 02:00:41 PM »
I have reloaded an older version 7.0alpha and that works email website the lot so its definitely a problem with version 8. Going to try a 7.4 next and see if that works.

Offline CharlieBrady

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Re: novice seeking help
« Reply #12 on: October 23, 2009, 03:21:14 PM »
I have reloaded an older version 7.0alpha and that works email website the lot so its definitely a problem with version 8.

Version 8 exists only so that people can test it and report all problems they find via the bug tracker. Please use the Bug Tracker to report the problems you have found.

Offline discoclover

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Re: novice seeking help
« Reply #13 on: October 23, 2009, 03:42:40 PM »
Will do. I have upgraded to 7.4 and all Ok so far. Might try an upgrade to 8 and see what happens.

Offline discoclover

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Re: novice seeking help
« Reply #14 on: October 23, 2009, 04:21:37 PM »
Well the upgrade to 8 worked as well I've checked all the setting and nothing has changed so it must have been something that has stayed the same throughout the upgrade process that is different to a fresh install.

Beats me! I'm off to file a bug report if I can!