# Install iRedMail on FreeBSD

!!! attention

	 Check out the lightweight on-premises email archiving software developed by iRedMail team: [Spider Email Archiver](https://spiderd.io/).

[TOC]

> If you want to install iRedMail inside FreeBSD __Jail__, please use
> this installation guide instead:
> [Install iRedMail inside FreeBSD Jail (with ezjail)](./install.iredmail.on.freebsd.with.jail.html)

## System Requirements

!!! warning

    * iRedMail is designed to be deployed on a __FRESH__ server system, which
      means your server does __NOT__ have mail related components installed,
      e.g. MySQL, OpenLDAP, Postfix, Dovecot, Amavisd, etc. iRedMail will install
      and configure them for you automatically. Otherwise it may override your
      existing files/configurations although it will backup files before
      modifying, and it may not be working as expected.
    * __Network port 25 MUST be open.__ Port 25 is used for communication between mail
      servers, it must be open to send to or received from other mail servers.
      Many ISPs block it by default:

          - Linode. Explained in the [blog post](https://www.linode.com/blog/linode/a-new-policy-to-help-fight-spam/),
            you can open a support ticket to ask the Linode team to open it. If you [sign up to Linode with our reference](https://www.linode.com/?r=b4d04083428fb99ce452d84b57253d11692a0850), iRedMail Team's Linode account will receive a credit of $15-20.00. Thanks.
          - Vultr: [Port 25 is blocked](https://www.vultr.com/docs/what-ports-are-blocked/).
          - Amazon AWS EC2. Request to [remove the throttle on port 25](https://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport/knowledge-center/ec2-port-25-throttle/).
          - Google Cloud Platform.
          - Microsoft Azure.
          - DigitalOcean. According to [a post in their community](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/questions/port-25-465-is-blocked-how-can-i-enable-it), __SEEMS__ impossible to unblock port 25, that means you can __NOT__ run mail server on DigitalOcean VPS.

To install iRedMail on FreeBSD, you need:

* A __FRESH__, minimal, working FreeBSD system, no additional ports or binary
  packages were installed. Supported releases are listed on
  [Download](https://www.iredmail.org/download.html) page.
* At least `4 GB` memory is required for a low traffic production mail server
  with spam/virus scanning enabled.
* Make sure 3 UID/GID are not used by other user/group: 2000, 2001, 2002.

Note: All packages will be installed from ports tree.

## Preparations

### Set a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) hostname on your server

No matter your server is a testing machine or production server, it's strongly
recommended to set a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) hostname.

Enter command `hostname -f` to view the current hostname:

```shell
# hostname -f
mx.example.com
```

On FreeBSD, hostname is set in two files: `/etc/rc.conf`, `/etc/hosts`.

* `/etc/rc.conf`: set hostname.

```
# Part of File: /etc/rc.conf
hostname="mx.example.com"
```

* `/etc/hosts`: hostname <=> IP address mapping.

```
# Part of file: /etc/hosts
127.0.0.1   mx.example.com mx localhost localhost.localdomain
```

Verify the FQDN hostname. If it wasn't changed, please reboot server to make it work.

```
# hostname -f
mx.example.com
```

### Update ports tree via portsnap

```
# portsnap fetch extract update
```

### Install package `bash-static`, it's required by iRedMail

```bash
# pkg install bash-static
```

### Download the latest release of iRedMail

* Visit [Download page](https://www.iredmail.org/download.html) to get the
  latest stable release of iRedMail.

* Upload iRedMail to your mail server via ftp or scp or whatever method you
  can use, login to the server to install iRedMail. We assume you uploaded
  it to `/root/iRedMail-x.y.z.tar.gz` (replace x.y.z by the real version number).

* Uncompress iRedMail tarball:

```
# cd /root/
# tar zxf iRedMail-x.y.z.tar.gz
```

## Start iRedMail installer

It's now ready to start iRedMail installer, it will ask you several simple
questions, that's all required to setup a full-featured mail server.

```
# cd /root/iRedMail-x.y.z/
# bash iRedMail.sh
```

## Screenshots of installation:

* Welcome and thanks for your use

![](./images/installation/welcome.png){: width="700px" }

* Specify location to store all mailboxes. Default is `/var/vmail/`.

![](./images/installation/mail_storage.png){: width="700px" }

* Choose backend used to store mail accounts. You can manage mail accounts
with iRedAdmin, our web-based iRedMail admin panel.

!!! note

    There's no big difference between available backends, so
    it's strongly recommended to choose the one you're familiar with for easier
    management and maintenance after installation.

![](./images/installation/backends.png){: width="700px" }

* If you choose to store mail accounts in OpenLDAP, iRedMail installer will
  ask to set the LDAP suffix.

![](./images/installation/ldap_suffix.png){: width="700px" }

!!! note "To MySQL/MariaDB/PostgreSQL users"

    If you choose to store mail accounts in MySQL/MariaDB/PostgreSQL, iRedMail
    installer will generate a random, strong password for you. You can find it
    in file `iRedMail.tips`.

* Add your first mail domain name

![](./images/installation/first_domain.png){: width="700px" }

* Set password of admin account of your first mail domain.

__Note__: This account is an admin account and a mail user. That means you can
login to webmail and admin panel (iRedAdmin) with this account, login username
is full email address.

![](./images/installation/admin_pw.png){: width="700px" }

* Choose optional components

    !!! attention

        __Which webmail should you choose?__ Roundcube or SOGo?

        - Roundcube is a fast and lightweight webmail, and webmail only.
          If all you need is a webmail to access mailbox and manage mail
          filters, then Roundcube is the best option.
        - SOGo offers webmail, calendar (CalDAV), contacts (CardDAV) and
          ActiveSync. If you need calendar and contacts support, also syncing
          them to mobile or PC mail client applications, then SOGo is the one
          to go. Note: If you have many ActiveSync clients, it requires a lot RAM.
        - It's ok to install both, but you can only manage mail filters with
          Roundcube in this case, because the filter rules generated by
          Roundcube and SOGo are not compatible. You can [force to enable it in
          SOGo](./why.no.sieve.support.in.sogo.html), but please inform end
          users and ask them to stick to one of them for managing mail filters.

![](./images/installation/optional_components.png){: width="700px" }


After answered above questions, iRedMail installer will ask you to review and
confirm to start installation. It will install and configure required packages
automatically. Type `y` or `Y` and press `Enter` to start.

![](./images/installation/review.png){: width="700px" }

## Important things you __MUST__ know after installation

!!! warning

    The weakest part of a mail server is user's weak password. Spammers don't
    want to hack your server, they just want to send spam from your server.
    Please __ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS__ force users to use a strong password.

* Read file `/root/iRedMail-x.y.z/iRedMail.tips` first, it contains:

    * URLs, usernames and passwords of web-based applications
    * Location of mail service related software configuration files. You can
      also check this tutorial instead:
      [Locations of configuration and log files of major components](./file.locations.html).
    * Some other important and sensitive information

* [Setup DNS records for your mail server](./setup.dns.html)
* [How to configure your mail clients](./index.html#configure-mail-client-applications)
* [Locations of configuration and log files of major components](./file.locations.html)
* It's highly recommended to get a SSL cert to avoid annonying warning
  message in web browser or mail clients when accessing mailbox via
  HTTPS/IMAPS/POP3/SMTPS. [Let's Encrypt offers __FREE__ SSL certificate](https://letsencrypt.org).
  We have a document for you to
  [use a SSL certificate](./use.a.bought.ssl.certificate.html).
* If you need to bulk create mail users, check our document for
  [OpenLDAP](./ldap.bulk.create.mail.users.html) and
  [MySQL/MariaDB/PostgreSQL](./sql.bulk.create.mail.users.html).
* If you're running a busy mail server, we have [some suggestions for better
  performance](./performance.tuning.html).

## Access webmail and other web applications

After installation successfully completed, you can access web-based programs
if you choose to install them. Replace `your_server` below by your real server
hostname or IP address.

* __Roundcube webmail__: <https://your_server/mail/>
* __SOGo Groupware__: <https://your_server/SOGo>
* __Web admin panel (iRedAdmin)__: <https://your_server/iredadmin/>

## Get technical support

* You are welcome to post issues, feedbacks, feature requests, suggestions in
  our [online support forum](https://forum.iredmail.org/), it's more
  responsive than you expected.
* We offer paid professional support service too, check our web site for more
  details: [Get Professional Support from iRedMail Team](https://www.iredmail.org/support.html).
