Author Topic: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)  (Read 10655 times)

tabouelo

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Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« on: November 04, 2009, 03:22:52 pm »
Is it possible to use OpenGoo for internal email communication only? Can we configure Opengoo to send emails between employees without going through an external server?

We have very limited bandwidth and we don't have broadband (high-speed internet). Therefore, we would like internal email to not use our ISP bandwidth but simply go from PC to PC internally (or PC to local Server to PC).

Does anyone know if it can be done with OpenGoo?

tabouelo

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Re: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2009, 07:42:21 am »
*bump*

I would like to be able to send emails to employees from within a workgroup without going trough external pop/smtp, is it possible?

Pet

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Re: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2009, 05:16:12 pm »
I think it should be possible if you have set up your own mailserver internally, and just use that internal ip address for your smtp server. You will still need to set up a mail server, because OG acts as a mail client, not the type of mail server you require.
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tabouelo

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Re: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« Reply #3 on: November 17, 2009, 01:27:04 pm »
thank you for your response. So basically, I should look into setting up my own local mail server and configure it to relay internal messages.

Do you know a freeware/open source mail server that I could install to do this?

I heard about Pegasus mail http://www.pmail.com/ but I'm not sure if that's what it does.

Pet

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Re: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2009, 04:26:06 pm »
Pegasus mail, wow nice to see it still around, I remember using that back in the 80s on Novell networks.  That is a mail client, you'll need a mail server, also known as an SMTP server.  If you have Windows XP Pro or Windows server software, they come with a built-in smtp server (see this). The makers of Pegasus mail have Mercury Mail, but it is commercial.

There are some other free and open source options out there for Windows, such as hMailServer or MailEnable Standard edition. If you are running Linux, there are many excellent ones available, postfix, qmail etc.
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tabouelo

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Re: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2009, 11:44:11 am »
Thank you.

It's working now, I manage to receive my emails via pop and IMAP in my internal email system. But we're unable to send mails in OpenGoo. It says SMTP settings are wrong. I tried various options, sometimes the emails appear in the sent box, but it never reaches the inbox. (I use the internal mail server IP as POP & SMTP)

POP, IMAP and SMTP work fine in Outlook, but not in OpenGoo. It seems there is a problem here.

I noticed this is an SMTP problem many users are having with OpenGoo. Doing a search for SMTP in the forums will show many users having difficulties with SMTP.

http://forums.opengoo.org/index.php?topic=2642.0

Do you know a workaround to fix the SMTP problem?  ???  :)

« Last Edit: November 18, 2009, 11:57:01 am by tabouelo »

paulscallanjr

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Re: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2009, 12:31:11 pm »
Hmm, common initial issue.  Without any more details, I will attempt to assist.  Since your Outlook seems to be working fine, I do not believe or foresee this as any issue with any firewall or router config, but it may be on the server-side...again though without any tech details on the server you have OG on, I cannot list things for you to check. 

So, let's check the easiest thing:  Check the smtp authorization (if required) in the advanced settings of Outlook or other e-mail program you are using.  HINT:  Look at the e-mail account settings in Outlook (especially the advanced settings for "outgoing mail"  by opening up the account properties for the e-mail account, then click on "More Settings" button at the bottom right hand corner.  Then click on the "Outgoing Settings" tab at the top of the new window that appears.... copy down any information you see down to use in OpenGoo (hereinafter referred to as "OG") e-mail setup.  Often, this is set to "use same settings as incoming server" which is important to note.  Remember, you need to configure OpenGoo smtp for the web application itself (i.e. in the Administration area>Mail Settings) and also for each individual e-mail acccount for the users. 

If your server is on an ISP like AT&T or Bellsouth, remember that the server's outgoing e-mail account MUST be one that they have issued or allowed.  For instance, Say I set up OG on a server of mine that is on a Bellsouth ADSL line.  I must configure the smtp for the server to utilize accountholdername@bellsouth.net as the "outgoing" e-mail account and set smtp to use this address for all outgoing mail.  Bellsouth's mail server would bounce back anything else.

As a result of their efforts on cutting down SPAM, most ISPs do not allow relay of email or their users sending outgoing email to various other smtp servers.  Therefore, you will need to get your ISPs smtp server address as well as have them set you up with a user name and password (if applicable).  Then setup your email with the regular incoming server info (i.e. for POP) and then use your ISPs outgoing (SMTP) server info which should fix your problem.  Again, check to make sure that the SMTP is configured to use the ISPs allowed account (username/password) if necessary.

(I will add more on the specifics of configuring OG in about an hour or so)

I did not look at your PM first, though so, I was not sure of the server platform you were using.  Since your using IIS, I would check the following in the PHP.ini file that OpenGoo is using: 

[mail function]
; For Win32 only.
SMTP = localhost
smtp_port = 25

; For Win32 only.
;sendmail_from = me@example.com

NOW, change "localhost" up there to your smtp mail server address (i.e. something like mail.yourserver.net).  If you do NOT have an SMTP server setup on that server, use your ISPs smtp server address.  Next, uncomment the "sendmail_from" item, then change me@example.com to whatever ISP e-mail account you use (or if it is a local smtp server, then use account info for that smtp server).

Now, you still need to configure OpenGoo in the administration area > mail settings to reflect the same information; as well as, for the users e-mail account setups.

Check all of that and you should be good.  If not, check any firewall on the IIS server and ensure that port 25 is open for smtp traffic OUTBOUND and INBOUND.  Warning here though, if the IIS server is on a public-accessible IP address (i.e. available to the outside internet), then you need to ensure that you have setup smtp authorization with your local smtp server and to disallow relaying...otherwise your server will eventually get swamped by SPAMmers searching for relaying smtp servers...yes, this happens very quickly.  If your the paranoid-type systems admin, like me, you can visually see this on your traffic logs real-time from the moment you make a anon-relaying smtp server available on a public IP address.  Amazing to watch.  So watch out for that. 

Hit me back in this topic or on PM if your still having issues after checking all of that.

If you need your own easy to install and configure smtp server on the Win32/Win64 platform... try http://www.softstack.com/freesmtp.html
« Last Edit: November 18, 2009, 12:57:37 pm by paulscallanjr »
Sincerely,

Paul Scallan, Jr., MCSA
paulscallanjr@homail.com

tabouelo

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Re: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2009, 07:24:54 pm »
thanks for your comprehensive reply! I'll try this at work tomorrow :)

tabouelo

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Re: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2009, 09:52:28 am »
bad news...

Sending mail is still not working. I installed OpenGoo 1.6 Beta 3 to see if it would work better, but it's still not working but I get a different error message.

In OpenGoo 1.5.3, I get the following error message:
- Error while sending mail. Possibly wrong SMTP settings.

In OpenGoo 1.6 Beta 3 I get the following error messages:
if I say no SMTP authentication, I get:
- error running command: quit. no connection available
if I say SMTP authentication "same as incoming", I get:
- The MTA doesn't support any of Swift's loaded authentication mechanisms

In Outlook Express (which works), I have the following settings:
- Incoming mail (IMAP): 192.168.0.222
- Outgoing mail (SMTP): 192.168.0.222

Account name:
employee email (username@mycompanyname.com)
password:
**** (user defined password)

Login using Secure Password Authentication:
unchecked

Outgoing mail server:
My server requires authentication
unchecked

Ports
Outgoing 25
Incoming 143

------

I changed the PHP.ini file to:

[mail function]
; For Win32 only.
SMTP = 192.168.0.222
smtp_port = 25

; For Win32 only.
sendmail_from = myusername@mycompanyname.com (an mail address we use that exists)


--------

My ISP is not involved in the settings because it's sending mail on my local mail server only between employees. From PC 1 to PC 2 within the company. On Outlook express, it sends from PC 1 to PC 2 without sending through my ISP; the mail stays local within the company. In outlook express it works well, but in OpenGoo it's not working correctly.

My IIS server is only local from internal use. I don't think it's open to the internet.

The local mail server we are using is called Alt-N technologies (a Research in Motion subsidiary) www.altn.com I contacted them, they helped me set up the server to make it work with Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, Netscape Mail, Opera Mail etc. I tried Outlook Express which works. This mail server is very complete since it allows to control which employee can send external mail and which employee can only send locally.

-------

Do you have any suggestions concerning the error messages I am receiving while sending an email in OpenGoo?

« Last Edit: November 20, 2009, 10:00:25 am by tabouelo »

paulscallanjr

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Re: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« Reply #9 on: November 22, 2009, 08:08:45 pm »
Ahhh, MDaemon, I love it.  I used to use it before Kerio got their act better together.  Do you still have the telephone number I gave you in my earlier PM?  If so, give me a call tomorrow at work.  I will walk you through this.  This is purely a MDaemon config issue.  I hope you have access to the MDaemon admin console, though. 
« Last Edit: November 22, 2009, 08:15:51 pm by paulscallanjr »
Sincerely,

Paul Scallan, Jr., MCSA
paulscallanjr@homail.com

ignacio

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Re: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« Reply #10 on: November 24, 2009, 01:56:33 pm »
Hi tabouelo,

Take a look at this thread. It may help you.

tabouelo

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Re: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« Reply #11 on: November 24, 2009, 03:46:24 pm »
Thanks guys!! You're all outdoing yourselves for me :)

I'll try the SWIFT recommendation you gave me tomorrow at work.

paulscallanjr

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Re: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« Reply #12 on: November 24, 2009, 04:30:18 pm »
If I may, please wait on that.  The issue is one of internal relaying for the sender e-mail account OG is using in connection with MDaemon.  I had this issue arise back when I used to use MDaemon and I needed a PHP app to mail through it.   I have PM'ed the person with the issue.  It is NOT an issue with OG.  It is an issue with the relaying properties of the sender e-mail account on the MDaemon server.  By default, the properties disallow internal relaying.  I will post the resolution here soon.
Sincerely,

Paul Scallan, Jr., MCSA
paulscallanjr@homail.com

paulscallanjr

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Re: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« Reply #13 on: November 25, 2009, 01:45:34 pm »
We made progress.  It's working.  Not an issue with OpenGoo.  Issue was name to IP address resolution between OG server and Mail Server + smtp sender account relay settings.
Sincerely,

Paul Scallan, Jr., MCSA
paulscallanjr@homail.com

ignacio

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Re: Send emails between employees (only internal communication mail)
« Reply #14 on: November 25, 2009, 03:15:16 pm »
Great work, Paul! Thanks a lot!