This is my fourth attempt to get a mail server working under FC4 (upgrading soon). I think that I must be making some fundemenatal errors.

What I want to do is to set up an IMAP server (seems to be ok), pick mail up directly from the internet without using a pop server (I have a fixed IP address and various domain names). Filter SPAM and other nasties as the mail arrives.

Is there an existing walkthrough?

What changes do I need to make to my MX Records? How do I make the system listen for mail? How do I distribute it by user and reroute it?

Many thanks,

Michael.

Google for a tutorial or three. I could point you at some for Debian but you probably want one for Fedora (which I can't help with).

I can say in general though, you need more than an IMAP server. You also need an SMTP server like sendmail or (my preference) postfix. The SMTP server accepts incoming mail, optionally sets it through spam and virus filtering (via programs like amavis, spamassassin, and clamav), then passes it to a small program like maildrop which delivers it. Only then can your mail client program connect to the IMAP server and retrieve the mail.

As for the MX record, you just have to point it at the IP of the server running the SMTP server software.