CommuniGate Pro Quick Start
This document contains the basic steps for installing and configuring CommuniGate Pro internet messaging software. After finishing steps 1-4, you will have a live e-mail server. For more information, the complete Configuration Guide is available here.
Note: This document describes how to set up a single server trial version of CommuniGate Pro, and keeps most of the default configuration values. The trial version is fully functional, but designed for evaluation purposes only.
The trial version of CommuniGate Pro adds the following text line to all outgoing messages "This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) Pro." In some cases, that line of text will be encoded into attachments, causing them to become corrupted. This only happens in the unlicensed (trial) version of the software and only when sending an email that contains just an attachment with no message.
1. Download CommuniGate Pro
Download the latest version of CommuniGate Pro for your operating system.
2. Install
Follow the installation instructions for your operating system.
Restart the system or start the CommuniGate Pro Server manually.
3. Before you begin
A. Find the postmaster password:
- On a Unix or BeOS system, open the file:
{CGateBase}/Accounts/postmaster.macnt/account.settings - On a MacOS X (Darwin) system:
open the Terminal application, type the following command:
sudo more /var/CommuniGate/Accounts/postmaster.macnt/account.settings
the sudo command will ask you for the "root" password. - On a MS Windows system, open the file:
{CGateBase}\Accounts\postmaster.macnt\account.settings - On an OS/400 system, use any ASCII-capable text editor to open the file:
{CGateBase}/Accounts/postmaster.macnt/account.settings
This text file contains a random password assigned to the postmaster account. Remember this password, as you will use it to login as the postmaster in the next section.
DO NOT EDIT the password with a text editor or vi command while the CommuniGate Pro services are running.
B. Ensure that your server is connected to the network and the MX record for the domain (i.e. testcompany.com) points to the server.
4. Initial Configuration
It is important that you review and understand these official rules prior to participating in the program.
A. Connect to the server with any Web browser, using the port number 8010. If you are accessing the server from your network, type the following URL: http://yourserver.domain:8010 or http://serverIPaddress:8010. If you are working locally on the server, type the following URL: http://127.0.0.1:8010 or http://localhost:8010.
B. Start configuring the Server by opening the General page under the Settings menu. Use the default username postmaster, with the password from the file above to login.
C. On the General Settings screen, enter the name of the domain this server should process into the Main Domain Name field (i.e. testcompany.com).
D. Under the Monitors menu, click on the Log button. Open the active log file (denoted with the *) to ensure that all listeners were created. If any were unable to be created because the port was already in use, you will need to shut down the other process using the port (i.e. sendmail).
E. Choose the Accounts menu (you might have to login again) and enter some user accounts for your domain.
F. To access Webmail you might want a user-friendly domain name such as mail.testcompany.com. You must tell CommuniGate Pro that mail.testcompany.com will be an alias of the testcompany.com domain. To do this, open the Domain Settings page and find the Aliases table. In an empty field, enter the mail.testcompany.com name and click the Update button. Now the CommuniGate Pro Server will know that mail.testcompany.com domain name is just a different name for the testcompany.com Domain it serves.
Your users can connect to their accounts via Webmail by entering the URL http://mail.testcompany.com:8100 and then entering their username/password. (With this default configuration of CommuniGate Pro, your users must specify port 8100 to access the Webmail user interface.)>
G. To test your email server, first send some local messages between accounts (user1@testcompany, user2@testcompany.com, etc). Next try sending to other internet domains. Finally, ensure that your users can receive mail from outside your domain.
5. Prevent Open Relay
While evaluating the software, you might want to "close" your server for unauthorized SMTP relaying, so that you are not an open relay. The easiest way to accomplish this is to restrict anyone who is not within your internal network from using your server to send messages.
First, from the Web Admin Interface under the Settings menu, choose SMTP. On the SMTP Settings screen, scroll down to the Relaying section. Change the If Received from parameter to clients and then hit the Update button.
Secondly, open the Protection page from the Settings menu and click the Client IP Addresses link. Enter the IP addresses on your LAN(s), as well as IP addresses of other systems that should be allowed to use your server as a mail relay. Read the online doc for more info.
6. Need Help?
Check out the online Guide or read the CommuniGate Pro Mailing List archive or e-mail technical support.
7. Get licensed
When you're ready to purchase the CommuniGate Pro license, simply go to www.communigate.com, and click on the Purchase tab. Fill in the required fields and print out the form. Sign the form and fax back to CommuniGate Systems at 1 415 383 7461. Once we receive the form, we will e-mail or fax you the appropriate license keys. Click here to read more information on obtaining and entering the license keys.