I've try to set up my E-Mail server 📬. Dovecot + Postfix. I can sends, but I can't receives.
from xolatgames@programming.dev to selfhosted@lemmy.world on 31 Jul 15:48
https://programming.dev/post/54371648

Hello everyone! 👋✌️

I’ve try to use Dovecot + Postfix for setting up my own E-Mail server 📬

But I have some troubles here 😅. I can sends messages through my E-Mail address 🙂📨, but I can’t receives messages those was be sent from different address 📩❌😅

Please, help me to fix this issue who ones who can help me 🔧😁

The logs from journalctl -xeu postfix

Jul 31 14:02:56 mail.xolat.games postfix/qmgr[1163]: CC268296: from=<>, size=2889, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
Jul 31 14:02:56 mail.xolat.games dovecot[22176]: lda(root)<22176><5eFAMRCrbGqgVgAAuoFhiA>: Warning: Failed to parse address from `From_'-line: Missing domain
Jul 31 14:02:56 mail.xolat.games dovecot[22176]: lda(root)<22176><5eFAMRCrbGqgVgAAuoFhiA>: Error: mkdir(/home/root/Maildir) failed: Permission denied (euid=8(mail) egid=8(mail) missing +w perm: /home, dir owned by 0:0 mode=0755)
Jul 31 14:02:56 mail.xolat.games dovecot[22176]: lda(root)<22176><5eFAMRCrbGqgVgAAuoFhiA>: Error: mkdir(/home/root/Maildir) failed: Permission denied (euid=8(mail) egid=8(mail) missing +w perm: /home, dir owned by 0:0 mode=0755)
Jul 31 14:02:56 mail.xolat.games dovecot[22176]: lda(root)<22176><5eFAMRCrbGqgVgAAuoFhiA>: Error: Mailbox INBOX: Failed to autocreate mailbox: Internal error occurred. Refer to server log for more information. [2026-07-31 14:02:56]
Jul 31 14:02:56 mail.xolat.games dovecot[22176]: lda(root)<22176><5eFAMRCrbGqgVgAAuoFhiA>: Error: sieve: msgid=<20260727174421.CC268296@mail.xolat.games>: failed to store into mailbox 'INBOX': Failed to autocreate mailbox: Internal error occurred. Refer to server log for more information. [2026-07-31 14:02:56]
Jul 31 14:02:56 mail.xolat.games dovecot[22176]: lda(root)<22176><5eFAMRCrbGqgVgAAuoFhiA>: Error: sieve: failed to open logfile (LOGGING TO STDERR): open(/var/lib/dovecot/sieve/default.sieve.log) failed: Permission denied (euid=8(mail) egid=8(mail) missing +w perm: /var/lib/dovecot/sieve, we're not in group 1004(vmail), dir owned by 1004:1004 mode=0775)
Jul 31 14:02:56 mail.xolat.games dovecot[22176]: lda(root)<22176><5eFAMRCrbGqgVgAAuoFhiA>: Error: sieve: Execution of script 'default/default' was aborted due to temporary failure (user logfile /var/lib/dovecot/sieve/default.sieve.log may reveal additional details)
Jul 31 14:02:56 mail.xolat.games postfix/local[22175]: CC268296: to=<root@xolat.games>, orig_to=<postmaster@xolat.games>, relay=local, delay=332315, delays=332315/0.02/0/0.06, dsn=4.3.0, status=deferred (temporary failure. Command output: sieve: info: started log at 2026-07-31 14:02:56 +0000. error: msgid=<20260727174421.CC268296@mail.xolat.games>: failed to store into mailbox 'INBOX': Failed to autocreate mailbox: Internal error occurred. Refer to server log for more information. [2026-07-31 14:02:56]. )

The logs from cat /var/log/mail.log

2026-07-31T14:02:56.763692+00:00 mail postfix/qmgr[1163]: CC268296: from=<>, size=2889, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
2026-07-31T14:02:56.828022+00:00 mail dovecot: lda(root)<22176><5eFAMRCrbGqgVgAAuoFhiA>: Warning: Failed to parse address from `From_'-line: Missing domain
2026-07-31T14:02:56.830219+00:00 mail dovecot: lda(root)<22176><5eFAMRCrbGqgVgAAuoFhiA>: Error: mkdir(/home/root/Maildir) failed: Permission denied (euid=8(mail) egid=8(mail) missing +w perm: /home, dir owned by 0:0 mode=0755)
2026-07-31T14:02:56.830528+00:00 mail dovecot: lda(root)<22176><5eFAMRCrbGqgVgAAuoFhiA>: Error: mkdir(/home/root/Maildir) failed: Permission denied (euid=8(mail) egid=8(mail) missing +w perm: /home, dir owned by 0:0 mode=0755)
2026-07-31T14:02:56.830731+00:00 mail dovecot: lda(root)<22176><5eFAMRCrbGqgVgAAuoFhiA>: Error: Mailbox INBOX: Failed to autocreate mailbox: Internal error occurred. Refer to server log for more information. [2026-07-31 14:02:56]
2026-07-31T14:02:56.832453+00:00 mail dovecot: lda(root)<22176><5eFAMRCrbGqgVgAAuoFhiA>: Error: sieve: msgid=<20260727174421.CC268296@mail.xolat.games>: failed to store into mailbox 'INBOX': Failed to autocreate mailbox: Internal error occurred. Refer to server log for more information. [2026-07-31 14:02:56]
2026-07-31T14:02:56.832584+00:00 mail dovecot: lda(root)<22176><5eFAMRCrbGqgVgAAuoFhiA>: Error: sieve: failed to open logfile (LOGGING TO STDERR): open(/var/lib/dovecot/sieve/default.sieve.log) failed: Permission denied (euid=8(mail) egid=8(mail) missing +w perm: /var/lib/dovecot/sieve, we're not in group 1004(vmail), dir owned by 1004:1004 mode=0775)
2026-07-31T14:02:56.832661+00:00 mail dovecot: lda(root)<22176><5eFAMRCrbGqgVgAAuoFhiA>: Error: sieve: Execution of script 'default/default' was aborted due to temporary failure (user logfile /var/lib/dovecot/sieve/default.sieve.log may reveal additional details)
2026-07-31T14:02:56.843566+00:00 mail postfix/local[22175]: CC268296: to=<root@xolat.games>, orig_to=<postmaster@xolat.games>, relay=local, delay=332315, delays=332315/0.02/0/0.06, dsn=4.3.0, status=deferred (temporary failure. Command output: sieve: info: started log at 2026-07-31 14:02:56 +0000. error: msgid=<20260727174421.CC268296@mail.xolat.games>: failed to store into mailbox 'INBOX': Failed to autocreate mailbox: Internal error occurred. Refer to server log for more information. [2026-07-31 14:02:56]. )
2026-07-31T14:04:25.897233+00:00 mail postfix/submission/smtpd[22193]: connect from unknown[46.101.119.210]
2026-07-31T14:04:32.882147+00:00 mail postfix/submission/smtpd[22193]: SSL_accept error from unknown[46.101.119.210]: lost connection
2026-07-31T14:04:32.888445+00:00 mail postfix/submission/smtpd[22193]: NOQUEUE: lost connection after CONNECT from unknown[46.101.119.210]
2026-07-31T14:04:32.888622+00:00 mail postfix/submission/smtpd[22193]: disconnect from unknown[46.101.119.210] commands=0/0
2026-07-31T14:32:00.045293+00:00 mail dovecot: imap-login: Logged in: user=<hello>, method=PLAIN, rip=95.25.67.217, lip=5.35.81.149, mpid=22438, TLS, session=<uFZlDOlXSPRfGUPZ>
2026-07-31T14:32:01.145793+00:00 mail dovecot: imap-login: Logged in: user=<hello>, method=PLAIN, rip=95.25.67.217, lip=5.35.81.149, mpid=22443, TLS, session=<MuI0DelX4vdfGUPZ>

Postfix config at cat /etc/postfix/main.cf

# Which domain that locally-originated mail appears to come from.
# Debian policy suggests to read this value from /etc/mailname.
#XX needs a review in postinst&config
#myorigin = /etc/mailname
#myorigin = $mydomain
mydomain = xolat.games
myorigin = $mydomain
mail_name = $mydomain

# Text that follows the 220 code in the SMTP server's greeting banner.
# You MUST specify $myhostname at the start due to an RFC requirement.
smtpd_banner = $myhostname ESMTP $mail_name (Debian)

# IP protocols to use: ipv4, ipv6, or all
# (set this explicitly so `post-install upgrade-configuration' wont complain)
inet_protocols = ipv4

# List of "trusted" SMTP clients (maptype:mapname allowed) that have more
# privileges than "strangers".  If mynetworks is not specified (the default),
# mynetworks_style is used to compute its value.
#mynetworks_style = class
#mynetworks_style = subnet
mynetworks_style = host
#
mynetworks = 127.0.0.0/12 [::ffff:127.0.0.0]/104 [::1]/128

# Uncomment the next line to generate "delayed mail" warnings
#delay_warning_time = 4h

# List of domains (maptype:mapname allowed) that this machine considers
# itself the final destination for.
mydestination = $myhostname, xolat.games, mail.xolat.games, localhost.xolat.games, localhost

# Maximum size of a user mailbox
mailbox_size_limit = 0

# Optional external command to use instead of mailbox delivery.  If set,
# you must set up an alias to forward root mail to a real user.
#mailbox_command = /usr/bin/procmail
#mailbox_command = /usr/bin/procmail -a "$EXTENSION"
#mailbox_command = 

# List of alias maps to use to lookup local addresses.
# Per Debian Policy it should be /etc/aliases.
alias_maps = hash:/etc/aliases

# List of alias maps to make indexes on, when running newaliases.
alias_database = hash:/etc/aliases

# Notify (or not) local biff service when new mail arrives.
# Rarely used these days.
biff = no

# Separator between user name and address extension (user+foo@domain)
#recipient_delimiter = +
recipient_delimiter = +

# A host to send "other" mail to
#relayhost = $mydomain
#relayhost = [gateway.example.com]
#relayhost = [ip.add.re.ss]:port
#relayhost = uucphost
relayhost = 

# Where to look for Cyrus SASL configuration files.  Upstream default is unset
# (use compiled-in SASL library default), Debian Policy says it should be
# /etc/postfix/sasl.
cyrus_sasl_config_path = /etc/postfix/sasl

# SMTP server RSA key and certificate in PEM format
smtpd_tls_cert_file = /etc/letsencrypt/live/mail.xolat.games/fullchain.pem
smtpd_tls_key_file = /etc/letsencrypt/live/mail.xolat.games/privkey.pem
smtpd_tls_CAfile = /etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt
smtpd_tls_auth_only = yes
smtpd_tls_loglevel = 1
# SMTP Server security level: none|may|encrypt
smtpd_tls_security_level = may

smtpd_tls_mandatory_protocols = !SSLv2, !SSLv3, !TLSv1, !TLSv1.1
smtpd_tls_protocols = !SSLv2, !SSLv3, !TLSv1, !TLSv1.1

smtpd_sasl_auth_enable = yes
smtpd_sasl_type = dovecot
smtpd_sasl_path = private/auth

smtpd_sasl_security_options = noanonymous, noplaintext
smtpd_sasl_tls_security_options = noanonymous
milter_default_action = accept
milter_protocol = 6
smtpd_milters = inet:localhost:8991
non_smtpd_milters = inet:localhost:8991
mailbox_command = /usr/lib/dovecot/deliver

smtpd_forbid_bare_newline = normalize
smtpd_forbid_bare_newline_exclusions = $mynetworks

smtpd_sender_login_maps = pcre:/etc/postfix/login_maps.pcre
smtpd_sender_restrictions = reject_sender_login_mismatch, permit_sasl_authenticated, permit_mynetworks, reject_unknown_reverse_client_hostname, reject_unknown_sender_domain
smtpd_recipient_restrictions = permit_sasl_authenticated, permit_mynetworks, reject_unauth_destination, reject_unknown_recipient_domain
smtpd_relay_restrictions = permit_sasl_authenticated, reject_unauth_destination
smtpd_helo_required = yes
smtpd_helo_restrictions = permit_mynetworks, permit_sasl_authenticated, reject_invalid_helo_hostname, reject_non_fqdn_helo_hostname, reject_unknown_helo_hostname

home_mailbox = Maildir/INBOX

default_privs = mail

header_checks = regexp:/etc/postfix/header_checks

# List of CAs for SMTP Client to trust
# Prefer this over _CApath when smtp is running chrooted
smtp_tls_CAfile = /etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt
smtp_tls_loglevel = 1
# SMTP Client TLS security level: none|may|encrypt|...
smtp_tls_security_level = may

smtp_tls_mandatory_protocols = !SSLv2, !SSLv3, !TLSv1, !TLSv1.1
smtp_tls_protocols = !SSLv2, !SSLv3, !TLSv1, !TLSv1.1

# SMTP Client TLS session cache
smtp_tls_session_cache_database = btree:${data_directory}/smtp_scache
#smtpd_relay_restrictions = permit_mynetworks permit_sasl_authenticated defer_unauth_destination
myhostname = mail.xolat.games
inet_interfaces = all

Postfix config at cat /etc/postfix/master.cf

# Postfix master process configuration file.  For details on the format
# of the file, see the master(5) manual page (command: "man 5 master" or
# on-line: https://www.postfix.org/master.5.html).
#
# Do not forget to execute "postfix reload" after editing this file.
#
# ==========================================================================
# service type  private unpriv  chroot  wakeup  maxproc command + args
#               (yes)   (yes)   (no)    (never) (100)
# ==========================================================================
#smtp	unix	-	-	n	-	-	smtp
smtp      inet  n       -       y       -       -       smtpd
#smtp      inet  n       -       y       -       1       postscreen
#smtpd     pass  -       -       y       -       -       smtpd
#dnsblog   unix  -       -       y       -       0       dnsblog
#tlsproxy  unix  -       -       y       -       0       tlsproxy
# Choose one: enable submission for loopback clients only, or for any client.
#127.0.0.1:submission inet n -   y       -       -       smtpd
   -o content_filter=spamassasin
submission inet n       -       y       -       -       smtpd
   -o syslog_name=postfix/submission
#  -o smtpd_forbid_unauth_pipelining=no
   -o smtpd_tls_security_level=encrypt
   -o smtpd_sasl_auth_enable=yes
   -o smtpd_tls_auth_only=yes
   -o smtpd_client_restrictions=permit_sasl_authenticated,reject
   -o smtpd_sender_restrictions=reject_sender_login_mismatch
   -o smtpd_sender_login_maps=pcre:/etc/postfix/login_maps.pcre
   -o smtpd_recipient_restrictions=permit_sasl_authenticated,reject_unauth_destination
#  -o local_header_rewrite_clients=static:all
#  -o smtpd_hide_client_session=yes
#  -o smtpd_reject_unlisted_recipient=no
#     Instead of specifying complex smtpd_<xxx>_restrictions here,
#     specify "smtpd_<xxx>_restrictions=$mua_<xxx>_restrictions"
#     here, and specify mua_<xxx>_restrictions in main.cf (where
#     "<xxx>" is "client", "helo", "sender", "relay", or "recipient").
#  -o smtpd_client_restrictions=
#  -o smtpd_helo_restrictions=
#  -o smtpd_sender_restrictions=
#  -o smtpd_relay_restrictions=
#  -o smtpd_recipient_restrictions=permit_sasl_authenticated,reject
#  -o milter_macro_daemon_name=ORIGINATING
# Choose one: enable submissions for loopback clients only, or for any client.
#127.0.0.1:submissions inet n  -       y       -       -       smtpd
#submissions     inet  n       -       y       -       -       smtpd
#  -o syslog_name=postfix/submissions
#  -o smtpd_forbid_unauth_pipelining=no
   -o smtpd_tls_wrappermode=yes
#  -o smtpd_sasl_auth_enable=yes
#  -o local_header_rewrite_clients=static:all
#  -o smtpd_hide_client_session=yes
#  -o smtpd_reject_unlisted_recipient=no
#     Instead of specifying complex smtpd_<xxx>_restrictions here,
#     specify "smtpd_<xxx>_restrictions=$mua_<xxx>_restrictions"
#     here, and specify mua_<xxx>_restrictions in main.cf (where
#     "<xxx>" is "client", "helo", "sender", "relay", or "recipient").
#  -o smtpd_client_restrictions=
#  -o smtpd_helo_restrictions=
#  -o smtpd_sender_restrictions=
#  -o smtpd_relay_restrictions=
#  -o smtpd_recipient_restrictions=permit_sasl_authenticated,reject
#  -o milter_macro_daemon_name=ORIGINATING
smtps	inet	n	-	y	-	-	smtpd
   -o syslog_name=postfix/smtps
   -o smtpd_tls_wrappermode=yes
   -o smtpd_sasl_auth_enable=yes
spamassasin	unix	-	n	n	-	-	pipe
	user=debian-spamd argv=/usr/bin/spamc -f -e /usr/sbin/sendmail -oi -f ${sender} ${recipient}	
#628       inet  n       -       y       -       -       qmqpd
pickup    unix  n       -       y       60      1       pickup
cleanup   unix  n       -       y       -       0       cleanup
qmgr      unix  n       -       n       300     1       qmgr
#qmgr     unix  n       -       n       300     1       oqmgr
tlsmgr    unix  -       -       y       1000?   1       tlsmgr
rewrite   unix  -       -       y       -       -       trivial-rewrite
bounce    unix  -       -       y       -       0       bounce
defer     unix  -       -       y       -       0       bounce
trace     unix  -       -       y       -       0       bounce
verify    unix  -       -       y       -       1       verify
flush     unix  n       -       y       1000?   0       flush
proxymap  unix  -       -       n       -       -       proxymap
proxywrite unix -       -       n       -       1       proxymap
smtp      unix  -       -       y       -       -       smtp
relay     unix  -       -       y       -       -       smtp
        -o syslog_name=${multi_instance_name?{$multi_instance_name}:{postfix}}/$service_name
#       -o smtp_helo_timeout=5 -o smtp_connect_timeout=5
showq     unix  n       -       y       -       -       showq
error     unix  -       -       y       -       -       error
retry     unix  -       -       y       -       -       error
discard   unix  -       -       y       -       -       discard
local     unix  -       n       n       -       -       local
virtual   unix  -       n       n       -       -       virtual
lmtp      unix  -       -       y       -       -       lmtp
anvil     unix  -       -       y       -       1       anvil
scache    unix  -       -       y       -       1       scache
postlog   unix-dgram n  -       n       -       1       postlogd

If I will need to put here some Dovecot’s configs - let me know from which file in /etc/dovecot/conf.d/ directory 📂, okay? 😁

Thanks in advance! 😉

#selfhosted