How to Create Your Own Home Email Server

How to Create Your Own Home Email Server
How to Create Your Own Home Email Server

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Are you looking for an alternative to popular email services like Yahoo, Gmail, or Outlook? Then you have come to the right place. Why? Because we are going to share the method of creating your own home email server in this post. Yes, you have heard it right.

If you are concerned about your privacy and want to use a good alternative to the popular email services, then there’s no better option than opening your own email server at home. But how do you do it? It is pretty straightforward, actually. And, the best part is that we will walk you through all the steps to set up your own email server or service in this post.

So, are you ready? Then, let’s dive right in…

How to Create Your Own Email Server at Home

Prior to setting up your home email server, you will need a few things. Here are the things that you will require to set up an email server at home.

Required Things:

  • Your own web server
  • A spare computer to host your own webmail server
  • A domain name for assigning it to your email server
  • Windows or Linux operating system (Linux is free)
  • High-Speed internet connection with dedicated IP address
  • Web development environed software like WampServer, or XAMPP Server, or MAMP Server
  • An Email server software like hMailServer
  • A Webmail interface like SquirrelMail

Steps to Follow:

If you have got everything we have mentioned above, you can start to set up your own webmail. In this section, we will share the complete process of setting up an email server in a step by step manner. So, let’s go…

Step 1- Create Your Web Server:

First of all, you will need to create your own webserver. This is very easy to create. Matter of fact, we have actually shown how to create your own webserver at home in this post. As a result, we will not elaborate on the process here. We would recommend you to read the post first to learn how to create your own webserver. Now, if you have created your own server, you can proceed to the next step.

Step 2- Set up the Email Server:

In this step, we will explain how to set up an email server. To do this, you will need an email server software. There are a lot of email server softwares out there. Some of them are free and some are premium that comes with a price. However, we would recommend you use the ‘hMailServer’ software. Because this is open-source, compatible with Microsoft Windows operating system, and totally free.

So, download the software and install it on your PC. At first, you will have to create a password for the software before installing it. Remember that password. After you have installed ‘hMailServer’ on your PC, you should launch the software.

Now, you will have to click on the ‘Connect’ button from the bottom right corner of the screen. In doing so, a popup box will appear where you will have to insert the password, you have just created. So, enter the password, and click on the ‘OK’ button to close the popup window.

Now, click on the ‘Add domain…’ button from the main window of the ‘hMailServer’ software. Next, you have to enter the domain name on the blank box that will appear under the ‘General’ section. Lastly, click on the ‘Save’ button from the bottom right corner of the screen.

After that, you have to click on the ’Accounts’ option from the left sidebar under the newly created folder. Then, click on the ‘Add’ button from the right corner of the screen. Now, a new form will appear. You will be able to create a new email address for you by filling out this form.

So, enter the name of the email address of your in the ‘Address’ box. You have to enter the password of the email address in the ‘Password’ box. Also, you can enter the size of the mailbox of yours in the ‘Size’ box. And finally, click on the ‘Save’ button from the bottom right corner of the screen. You can follow this step for creating as many mailboxes as you want.

Next, you have to click on the ‘Settings’ option from the left sidebar and navigate to the ‘Protocols’ option. Next, you have to check the ‘SMTP’ box and uncheck the IMAP and POP boxes.

There are many other options in the ‘hMailServer’, you can configure according to your preferences. For instance, you can go to the ‘Advanced’ option from the left sidebar. Then, you have to type in or enter ‘localhost’ in the ‘Default domain’ box and save it.

You can also stop the ‘Auto ban’ service. To do that, click on the ‘+’ button next to the ‘Advanced’ option from the left sidebar. In doing so, a new dropdown menu will appear. From the menu, click on the ‘Auto ban’ option. Now, you have to uncheck the box next to the ‘Enabled’ option and click on the ‘Save’ option from the bottom right corner of the screen.

You can also open some ports or perform port forwarding if you are having issues with accessing your email server. After you have installed and configured the ‘hMailServer’ you can exit the software.

Step 3- Access your Email Server:

Up until now, you have set up your own webserver. Also, you have just installed and configured your webmail server on your computer. That means you have created your own home email server. But how do you access this? Or how do you send or receive emails on your email server?

Interestingly, it is very easy to do that. You will have to use any mail clients or webmail interface software. There are a lot of such softwares out there. However, we would recommend ‘SquirrelMail’. Because it is also another free software and it is fully compatible with the ‘hMailServer’ as well. Added to that, it has over 200 plugins if you want more features.

So, download and unzip the ‘SquirrelMail’ compressed file on your PC. Next, you should configure the newly downloaded webmail interface software and connect it to your web server software.

And, after you have configured the ‘SquirrelMail’, you will be able to access the email server you have just created with ease. You can also use a browser to access the webmail server you have just created.

In this case, you will have to use the email address and password you have created for your newly created mailboxes earlier. Also, you can use webmail clients like Thunderbird, or Microsoft Outlook to access your newly created mail server.

Closing Thoughts:

We have to admit that it might be a bit tricky to create your own home email server. However, we think it is still worth it to have your own webmail server. If you want the best security and don’t want to deal with spams or other hassles with the popular webmail services like Gmail, Yahoo Mail, or Zoho Mail, etc., then a web server of your own is a great idea.

We tried to make sure the tutorial is clear and easy to follow. As a result, we have written in a step by step manner. However, if you still have any questions, you can leave them in the comment section down below! We hope this guide will help you in the long run.