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Like all other services in NatHost
2.x, the e-mail service is a collection of resources, each
having its own function. These resources serve as bricks to
build any kind of e-mail system. You can construct it from
the following four resources:
- Mailboxes to send and receive mail from your account.
- Forwards to forward mail from your local mailbox
to any other e-mail address(es).
- Aliases to create alternative addresses for your
existing mailboxes.
- Lists to send mail to multiple users.
Each of these resources has its individual properties.
Your Current E-Mail Resources
To open your mail settings page, select Mail Info in
the user menu:
In the page that appears, select the domain from the drop-down
box and click the Go button. The window that opens
is the mail information for the selected domain:
Mail Service section:
Incoming POP3 Server: your host companies mail server
where the incoming mail for your POP3 mailboxes lands.
Outgoing (SMTP) Server: your host companies mail server
through which your outgoing mail is sent.
Login: logging into your webmail box from the control
panel doesn't require any logins/passwords.
Mail traffic: traffic generated on this mail domain
by incomming and outgoing mail (* reset every month).
The Object section that appears lists the resources that
constitute your mail service. On the right of each resource,
there is an icon showing its type. Click the icon to view
or change resource properties.
Adding New E-Mail
Resources
To add a new resource, click Add New Mail Resource
at the bottom of the list. A new form appears:
Four types of resources are available in the drop-down box:
- mailboxes;
- mail forwarding rules;
- mail aliases;
- mailing lists.
Mailboxes
If you select Mailbox, the following form will appear:
- E-mail address: enter the name of the mailbox that
you would like to create.
- Password: set a password for this mailbox.
- Comment: enter a comment that will help you identify
this address among other mail resources.
Note: Postmaster mail box is a vpopmail service
mailbox and it is not related to NatHost.
You don't pay for it. It doesn't mean you can't use it. However,
you can neither delete this mailbox nor change its quota!
The postmaster mailbox quota is unchangeable. To forward
postmaster email to one or more other addresses, create a
forwarding object with exactly the
same name as the postmaster mailbox.
Note: You can have a mailbox named, say, mailbox1@domain.com
and then create a forward with exactly the same name, i.e.
mailbox1@domain.com. However, in NatHost no mail sent
to mailbox1@domain.com is stored in it. A forward works
only as a foward.
Forwards
If you select Mail Forward from the drop-down box
above, the following form will appear:
- Local e-mail address: enter the address that your
mail will be forwarded from.
- Remote e-mail address: enter the address that your
mail will be forwarded to. This can also be your local address,
in which case you must write it in full.
- Comment: add a comment that will help you identify
this forwarding rule among other mail resources.
To add more destination addresses for this forward, click
the Edit icon in the Remote field in the Mail
Forward Properties section.
Note: You can have a mailbox named, say, mailbox1@domain.com
and then create a forward with exactly the same name, i.e.
mailbox1@domain.com. However, in NatHost no mail
sent to mailbox1@domain.com is stored in it. A forward
works only as a foward.
Aliases
If you select Mail Alias from the drop-down box above,
the following form will appear:
- Alias Local Name: enter the alias name you would
like to create.
- To Mbox: select the local mailbox for which you
would like to create the alias.
- Comment: add a comment that will help you identify
this alias among other mail resources.
Mailing List
You can create and manage multiple mailing lists from one
account.
*The Mailing Lists feature is implemented through EZMLM/IDX
MAILING LIST MANAGER (www.ezmlm.org).
This tool lets you to:
- distribute messages,
- handle subscriber addresses,
- archive messages,
- retrieve multi-message threaded archives,
- set digests,
- administrate from a remote computer,
- moderate messages and subscription,
- restrict user privileges,
- trail messages,
- prefix subjects,
- store subscriber names
...and more.
To create a mailing list, choose Mailing List from
the drop-down box above, and the following form will appear:
- E-mail address: This is the e-mail address from
which mail will be forwarded to subscribers. Important:
you can only enter a new e-mail address. If you need to
use an existing address, first delete the resource that
uses it.
- Comment: add a comment that will help you identify
this address among other mail resources.
After you have created a mailing list, you need to configure
it according to your needs.
Configuring E-Mail
Resources
To view or change settings for a resource, click the icon
on its right. The list of settings appears in the Properties
box. It is different for each resource type.
Mailbox
To change settings for an existing mailbox, click the respective
parameters:
- Quota: change the quota for this specific mailbox.
Mailbox quota is not related to the site disk space quota.
To change your mail quota, enter its new size in megabytes.
From that moment on you will be charged for the difference
between this new amount and the default free amount. This
charge will automatically be added to the recurrent fee
at the beginning of each billing period.
- Catch All: designate the mailbox to receive messages
sent to nonexistent e-mail addresses in this account. For
example, somebody sends a message to support@yourdomain.com,
which is not a valid e-mail address in your account. By
default, this message will bounce back to the sender with
an error notification. To have this message land into one
of your mailboxes, for example webmaster@yourdomain.com,
you should mark this account as Catch All. Each account
can have only one Catch All mailbox. If you switch
it ON for one mailbox, it will go OFF for the old Catch
All mailbox.
- Password: click the icon
to change the mailbox password. After you have changed the
password, the old one becomes invalid. Remember your new
password to log in for future sessions.
* Starting from version 2.1 you can change your mailbox
password without logging into your control panel.
- Autoresponder: set your mailbox to respond to the
sender of incoming mail with a preset message. You need
to compose a separate response message for every mailbox.
(For details see below)
- WebMail: go to the web e-mail client to send or
receive e-mail messages.
- Discard All Incoming Mail: turn this ON only if
you are absolutely sure you don't want to receive any mail
that is sent to this box.
- Delete: delete the mailbox. You cannot delete a
Catch All mailbox. To delete a Catch All mailbox,
first switch Catch All OFF.
- Trouble Ticket: send your technical administrator
a Trouble Ticket to get help with the mailbox.
Forwards
Forwarding rules do not have parameters to change:
- Local: the local address your mail is forwarded
from.
- Remote: any local (the same account) or remote
address your mail is forwarded to.
- Description: a comment that will help you identify
the forwarding rule among other resources.
- Delete: click the wastebasket icon to delete the
forwarding rule.
- Trouble Ticket: send your technical administrator
a Trouble Ticket to get assistance with the forwarding rule.
Note: You can have a mailbox named, say, mailbox1@domain.com
and then create a forward with exactly the same name, i.e.
mailbox1@domain.com. However, in NatHost no mail
sent to mailbox1@domain.com is stored in it. A forward
works only as a foward.
Aliases
Like forwarding rules, aliases do not have parameters to
change:
- E-mail alias: the alternative address of the mailbox.
- Store to Mbox: the primary (real) address of the
mailbox.
- Description: a comment that will help you identify
this mail alias among other mail resources.
- Delete: to delete this alias, just click the wastebasket
icon.
- Trouble Ticket: send your technical administrator
a Trouble Ticket to get assistance with this alias.
Mailing List
- Mail list: name of the mailing list. Click the
Edit icon to configure its settings (for profound
information on how to configure your mail list according
to your requirements please read documentation at www.ezmlm.org).
- Description: a comment that will help you identify
this mailing list from among others.
- Subscribers: to add/remove
subscribers to this mailing list, click the Edit
icon. The total number of subscribers the mail is sent to
is displayed in the brackets.
- Moderators: the people you appoint responsible
for Mailing List management. These are usually e-mail addresses
to which users send requests for subscription and messages
for approval. There can be several moderators, both for
messages and subscription.
- Message moderators allow messages to be sent
to the mail list. The message will be passed on to the
mailing list subscribers only if a moderator approves
it.
- Subscription moderators allow people to subscribe
to the list. If at least one subscription moderator
approves the request, the user address becomes a subscriber.
As a rule of thumb, most lists use the same addresses
for all two functions.
The moderation address is kept secret, even from other
moderators. To appoint a moderator, click the Edit
icon. The total number of moderators is displayed
in the brackets.
- Delete: to delete this mailing list, click the
Trash icon.
- Trouble Ticket: send your technical administrator
a Trouble Ticket to get help with this issue.
Configuring
Mail List Settings (version 2.07 and higher)
To configure your Mail List Settings, click the Edit
icon next to the Mailing List name in the Properties section
of the mail resource. The form with a list of options will
appear.
Now let's take a closer look at some of the options.
Enter the e-mail address to which mail list subscribers
can report their problems or error messages sending requests
to your_mailinglist-owner@domain.com.
Since EZMLM can take care of virtually all request
without human intervention, the list owner may read mail only
infrequently.
By default, all messages sent to a list are kept archived.
This way, subscribers can later retrieve messages from the
archive. For instance, subscribers haven't been following
the list for a while, or they just want to see the discussion
of a specific question.
E.g.: retrieve one message at a time with the -get command:
your_mailinglist-get.123@domain.com (get message
123)
Read more on commands to access
the ezmlm message archive.
* The archive is also used to create digests.
Check Not Archived to disable archiving the messages
sent to the list.
You can prohibit the overall access to the archive and authorize
only moderators to get at it.
Here you can restrict the access to the mailing list archive
by allowing only subscribers retrieve the archive. Non-subscribers'
requests will be rejected.
Check the Digest box to set up
the mailing list with a digest function. The digest is a special
kind of mailing list extension. Instead of sending separate
messages, it sends out a collection of messages ordered by
digest subscribers collections of messages. Digest is sent
out when a predetermined time or traffic limit has been reached.
Receiving digest is very convenient for users who want to
follow a list, but not to participate in the discussion. Digests
contain each message as it was sent out by the list. No editorials,
no missing messages. If the list owner has chosen to restrict
posts and archive access to subscribers, digest subscribers
are automatically given the same privilege.
From the subscriber point of view, the digest list for the
mailing list your_mailinglist@domain.com is called
your_mailinglist-digest@domain.com. You use
the same commands to work with digest as you do when you work
with the main list. The only difference is that you use your
commands with 'digest' indication.
Check "No prefix" to prohibit adding prefix
to the subject line of each message that does not already
contain it. If you want the subject line of each message that
does not already contain it include the prefix, place the
text in the file DIR/prefix
Usually an applicant for subscription (your_mailinglist-subscribe@domain.com)
is sent a confirmation request. To confirm it, one should
just reply to the message. When it is done, recipient's address
is added to the database and he becomes a subscriber.
This verification mechanism tests if the person at the subscription
address really wants to be a subscriber. You can always include
or exclude confirmation from the subscription procedure.
Mailing lists may use subscription moderation. Subscription
to these lists is identical to the process described above,
except that after confirmation the request is passed on to
the list moderator(s). One becomes a subscriber only after
his request has been approved by a moderator, i.e. he replies
to the ``Reply-To:'' address.
In special cases, the list owner may set up the list to be
message moderated. On a message moderated list, messages,
instead of going directly to the list (to send messages to
the list, one must know its name. If the list is called mailinglist@domain.com,
just send a message to mailinglist@domain.com), are
sent to one or more moderators. They can accept or reject,
but not modify the message. If the message is accepted, it
is sent to the list unmodified. If it is rejected, it is e-mailed
back to the sender, optionally with an explanation from the
moderator. On moderated lists it may take a little longer
for the message to reach all the subscribers, since it has
to be read and approved by at least one moderator before being
sent out to the subscribers.
Here, you can allow remote administrators to edit the text
files that make up most of the ezmlm responses. Replies are
sent only if the target address is a remote administrator.
With this switch, ezmlm replies to the -edit command with
a list of the files in dir/text/. Only files where
editing seems reasonable are included in the list. The remote
administrator can edit any file in dir/text/ by sending
e-mail containing the new text to -edit.file where ``file''
is the name of the file replaced (edited). In reply to this
command, ezmlm sends a message with the file and editing instructions.
A ``cookie'' based on the date, file name, and contents of
the file is added to the ``Reply-To:'' address. The cookie
becomes invalid as soon as the file has been changed, or after
27 hours, whichever is shorter. Also, the cookie cannot be
used to edit any other file, even if the other file has exactly
the same contents.
Here you can disable posting by subscribers to the mailing
list, so they will only receive messages posted by moderators.
This is usually chosen to send announcement or notifications
where the interaction between recipients is not intended.
A remote administrator is an address with the rights to do
certain administrative tasks remotely by E-mail. Depending
on how the list is configured, remote administrators may have
the right/ability to list subscribers, search for subscriber
addresses by name, add and remove subscriber addresses and/or
edit the texts that are sent in reply to list commands.
Mailing list users are not allowed to list the addresses of
all subscribers. Still, you can allow remote administrator
to get it. The subscription log stores entries for each modification
made to the subscriber database. Remote administrators can
list this log or search it for specific entries. For example,
listing this file allows the remote administrator to see recent
additions and removals.
You can set up your mailing list to allow posts from subscribers
only. In this case posts received from non-subscribers will
be rejected and sent back.
Trailer is extra information (e.g. on how to unsubscribe from
the list, or where the list html archive is kept) added to
each message.
You can configure your mailing list to be accessible from
the 'web'. However, it requires additional configuration of
your system (mail and web servers mainly).
If you enable this function, users will be required to request
to the remote administrator in order to retrieve mail list
archives. Otherwise, archive will be accessible only to the
remote administrator.
Adding/Removing Subscribers
to your Mail List
Click the Edit icon in the Subscribers field.
The following form will appear:
Mail domain - click it to get back to the Mail Info
page.
Mail List indicates which Mail List subscribers are
added to.
Subscription address - the e-mail address that Internet
users must write to in order to be added to the mail list.
Subscription address - the e-mail address that the
Internet users must write to in order to be removed from the
mail list.
Email Address - lists all active subscribers of your
Mail List.
Action - remove any of your subscribers from the Mail
List.
Remove all subscribers - click the Trash icon
to delete all mail list subscribers at once.
Add Subscribers - add subscribers one by one. Click
the Add button to confirm your query.
Batch Subscribers Creation - add several subscribers
at once. Separate e-mail addresses by pressing the "Enter"
key.
To send a message to a mailing list, follow these steps:
Autoresponders
Autoresponder is an attribute of a mailbox. Whenever a message
arrives in a mailbox, the system immediately sends a uniform
response back to the sender. Use this form to compose an autoresponse:
Send a Copy To: the optional e-mail address to
which copies of response messages will be e-mailed.
Subject: the subject of the response message,
e.g. receipt confirmation.
Message: the body of the response message, e.g.
Your message was received. Thank you.
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