[kwlug-disc] Postfix on a laptop

[unsolicited]

Chris Irwin wrote, On 06/11/2010 5:25 PM:
> I've got some questions about local mailservers and laptops. I've
> typically run a local mailserver (postfix in my case) on each of my
> systems, and set them up to forward all mail to my centralized server
> (which in turn currently relays through my google apps account..).
> 
> This has served well. It gave me CLI 'sendmail' functionality for cron,
> etc on each host, and it ended up routing through to my regular email
> address. Authentication was not a big deal since my machines were all on
> a common (private) network.
> 
> The problem now is my laptop. I need to either (1) open up a port to my
> home server and do some sort of authenticated relaying, or (2) replicate
> my gmail forwarding to my laptop. Currently my laptop sends directly,
> but that gives me a greater chance of being flagged spam, especially
> since I am violating my SPF rules.
> 
> Has anybody solved this problem, or have a better way of handling a mail
> server on a mobile remote?

No answers, but a question. And an apology.

I see your problem / take your point, for sending mail. But (take the 
current laptop issue out of the mix), how are you dealing with 
incoming mail? e.g. Computer queries the master e-mail server and 
reads it? [I guess you're not fetching it down to each machine, just 
reading it off the server.] By extension, how would you deal with this 
via laptop when out and about?

Very sorry to say this, but ... sounds like a presentation to me.
- it has to be handy to do this local smtp thing everywhere. How? [Not 
to say there aren't disadvantages, too.]
- "gave me CLI 'sendmail'...", and you chose postfix over sendmail 
because? [No flamewars please, honest question, and everyone would 
have their own particular preferences for their choice.]
- "currently relays through my google apps account" ... huh? You can 
do that? (Not relaying, 'google apps')


My first blush assumption as to the answer to your problem would be an 
auto-created ssh tunnel on specific ports to home. I assume you 
already have ssh set up anyways, using key files. You would read, and 
send this way, presumably.

I would assume, also, that when connectivity isn't present, outgoing 
mail is kept queued on the device until it does connect some day.

And if connectivity isn't present, and you really have to do 
something, your gmail account is still web accessible. Which begs the 
question, if you can get to the web, you can ssh home, etc., etc.

- guess this condition hits when you can get to the web but not home, 
due to firewall, port restrictions. Which is why you have your home 
ssh server listen on 443.