Today, email security and uninterrupted communication are among the most important issues for companies and individual users. One of the prominent solutions to meet these needs is the use of Proxmox Mail Gateway and SmarterMail. In this article, we will provide you with step-by-step information about Proxmox Mail Gateway installation, configuration, and then SmarterMail installation.

You can also achieve a more stable infrastructure by preferring Hetzner located servers for installations. For this, you can use affordable VPS solutions or Germany located Hetzner servers.

What is Proxmox Mail Gateway?

Proxmox Mail Gateway is an open-source email security solution specializing in filtering spam, viruses, and malicious content. It protects your system against threats by scanning all incoming and outgoing email traffic.

Proxmox Mail Gateway Installation

Requirements:

• 1 VPS or physical server

• At least 2 CPUs, 4 GB RAM, 50 GB Disk space

• A Debian-based operating system (Debian 11 is recommended)

Installation Steps:

1. Connect to the server via SSH:

   ssh root@server-ip
   

2. Update system packages:

   apt update && apt upgrade -y
   

3. Add the Proxmox Mail Gateway repository:

   echo "deb http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pmg bullseye pmg-no-subscription" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pmg.list
   wget http://download.proxmox.com/debian/proxmox-release-bullseye.gpg -O /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/proxmox-release-bullseye.gpg
   apt update
   

4. Install Proxmox Mail Gateway packages:

   apt install proxmox-mailgateway -y
   

5. Restart the server after installation is complete:

   reboot
   

6. Access the web interface: Go to the following address from your browser: https://server-ip:8006

Default Login Information:

• Username: root

• Password: SSH password

What is SmarterMail?

SmarterMail is an enterprise-level email server software. It is an alternative to Exchange Server and supports services such as ActiveSync, IMAP, POP3, SMTP, and Webmail. It is ideal for Windows-based servers.

SmarterMail Installation

Requirements:

• Windows Server 2019 or 2022

• At least 2 CPUs, 4 GB RAM, 50 GB Disk space

• Static IP address

Installation Steps:

1. Preparing the Server:

   • Install all Windows updates.

   • Install IIS (Internet Information Services).

2. Download the SmarterMail Installation File:

   • Download the latest version of SmarterMail from the SmarterTools site.

3. Start the Installation:

   • Run the SmarterMail setup file and complete the installation by following the instructions.

4. Configure Settings on IIS:

   • Define a website for SmarterMail on IIS.

   • Open the necessary ports (HTTP - 80, HTTPS - 443).

5. Login to SmarterMail Web Panel:

   • Access the web panel from http://server-ip/.

6. Make Basic Settings:

   • Add a domain.

   • Create user accounts.

   • Add an SSL/TLS certificate.

How Do Proxmox Mail Gateway and SmarterMail Work Together?

• Incoming emails first arrive at the Proxmox Mail Gateway server.

• Here, they pass through filters such as spam, viruses, and malicious files.

• Cleaned emails are delivered to the SmarterMail server.

• Outgoing emails are sent from SmarterMail to Proxmox Mail Gateway, and from there to the internet.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do I need to purchase a license for Proxmox Mail Gateway? No, a license is not required for basic functions, but a commercial license is recommended for advanced features.

Is SmarterMail free? It is free for limited use. You need to purchase a license for professional use.

Can I do this installation on Hetzner servers? Yes, Hetzner servers are very suitable for this type of installation thanks to their stable structures.

Can I install it on a VPS server? Yes, it works smoothly on a VPS with sufficient resources.

By following these steps, you can professionally install the Proxmox Mail Gateway and SmarterMail infrastructure and make your email communication more secure.