SSMTP
SSMTP is a program to deliver an email from a local computer to a configured mailhost (mailhub). It is not a mail server (like feature-rich mail server sendmail) and does not receive mail, expand aliases or manage a queue. One of its primary uses is for forwarding automated email (like system alerts) off your machine and to an external email address.
Installation
To install SSMTP:
pacman -S ssmtp
Forward to a Gmail Mail Server
To configure SSMTP, you will have to edit its configuration file (/etc/ssmtp/ssmtp.conf) and enter your account settings:
# The user that gets all the mails (UID < 1000, usually the admin) root=username@gmail.com # The mail server (where the mail is sent to), both port 465 or 587 should be acceptable # See also http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=78799 mailhub=smtp.gmail.com:587 # The address where the mail appears to come from for user authentification. rewriteDomain=gmail.com # The full hostname hostname=localhost # Use SSL/TLS before starting negotiation UseTLS=Yes UseSTARTTLS=Yes # Username/Password AuthUser=username AuthPass=password # Email 'From header's can override the default domain? FromLineOverride=yes
Change the file permissions of /etc/ssmtp/ssmtp.conf because the password is printed in plain text (so that other users on your system cannot see your Gmail password).
chmod 640 /etc/ssmtp/ssmtp.conf
Change the config file group to mail to avoid "/etc/ssmtp/ssmtp.conf not found" error.
chown root:mail /etc/ssmtp/ssmtp.conf
Users who can send mail need to belong to "mail" group (must log out and log back in for changes to be used).
gpasswd -a mainuser mail
Create aliases for local usernames
/etc/ssmtp/revaliases
root:username@gmail.com:smtp.gmail.com:587 mainuser:username@gmail.com:smtp.gmail.com:587
To test whether the Gmail server will properly forward your email:
echo test | mail -v -s "testing ssmtp setup" username@somedomain.comIf you receive the error
send-mail: Cannot open mailhub:25be sure the user is a member of the "mail" group.
Change the 'From' text by editing /etc/passwd to receive mail from 'root@myhostname' instead of just 'root'.
chfn -f root@myhostname root chfn -f mainuser@myhostname mainuser
Which changes /etc/passwd to:
grep myhostname /etc/passwd
root:x:0:0:root@myhostname,,,:/root:/bin/bash mainuser:x:1000:1000:mainuser@myhostname,,,:/home/mainuser:/bin/bash
An alternate method for sending emails is to create a text file and send it with 'ssmtp' or 'mail'
test-mail.txt
To:username@somedomain.com From:youraccount@gmail.com Subject: Test This is a test mail.
Send the test-mail.txt file
mail username@somedomain.com < test-mail.txt
Attachments
This method does not work with attachments. If you need to be able to add attachments, install and configure Mutt and Msmtp and then go see the tip at nixcraft.