How do I set up Synology MailPlus?
How do I set up Synology MailPlus?
Purpose
With the MailPlus suite, you can build a mail system using Synology NAS. This article will help you get started with MailPlus Server and MailPlus.
Resolution
Understand how email works
When you send an email, your mail user agent (MUA) interacts with mail transfer agents (MTA) to get that email to the right destination. Check out the illustration and explanation below:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Mail User Agent (MUA) | Mail user agents such as Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird are applications where users can compose, send, and manage messages. |
| Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) | Mail transfer agents transport emails between mail servers. When a mail user agent passes a message to a mail transfer agent, the latter passes the message to another transfer agent (or possibly many other transfer agents) for routing. |
| Mail Delivery Agent (MDA) | Mail delivery agents place messages into local users' mailboxes. When a message arrives at its destination, the final transfer agent gives the message to the delivery agent in charge, and the latter will put it into the target user's mailbox. |
| Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) | SMTP is used for email transmission over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. Mail transfer agents use SMTP to send and receive emails, and mail user agents use SMTP to send messages to a mail server for relay. |
| Post Office Protocol (POP) | POP is used by mail clients to retrieve emails from mail servers. POP version 3 (POP3) is the most common in use. |
| Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) | IMAP is used by mail clients to retrieve emails from mail servers over a TCP/IP connection. POP3 and IMAP are the most popular protocols for receiving emails. |
Connect your NAS to the Internet
There are three ways to connect your NAS to the Internet: direct connection, PPPoE connection, and connection through a router. For details about accessing your NAS via the Internet, refer to the External Access Quick Start Guide.
An external static IP address is essential to a mail system. Although it's also possible to run a mail system with a dynamic IP address, it's not as reliable as using a static one. Therefore, it's recommended to register an external static IP address for your mail system.
Set up a domain
A domain name is a label that identifies a network domain and functions as a link to the actual numeric IP address of a service node. To let MailPlus Server send and receive emails over the Internet, you must first register a domain name from a stable and established DNS provider.
In addition to a valid domain name, you need to set up various DNS records to ensure smooth mail delivery.
Configure reverse DNS
- What is reverse DNS?
Reverse DNS translates the numeric address of a website (i.e., the IP address) to the domain/hostname, as opposed to the forward DNS process which translates the domain/hostname to the IP address. Reverse DNS helps locate which domain name/hostname belongs to the given IP address. That is why this process is often referred to as Reverse DNS Lookup. When a domain name has a valid reverse DNS, it can be accessed by just using its IP address. - How do I set up reverse DNS?
Reverse DNS is usually managed by the entity that controls IP addresses, so you can contact your ISP to configure reverse DNS. - What can I do if my ISP does not allow reverse DNS?
If you are not allowed to set up reverse DNS and keep experiencing mail delivery problems, you can add another SMTP server for mail delivery. It's recommended to use a well-known SMTP server to avoid being mistaken for a spammer.
Set up MailPlus Server
- Go to Package Center to install Synology MailPlus Server.
- Launch Synology MailPlus Server.
- In the wizard window, choose Create a new mail system if you want to set up a whole new mail system. Otherwise, choose the other two to migrate configurations from existing mail servers.
- Configure the following settings:
Option Description Account type Select which account type (local, LDAP, or domain users) is allowed to use email services. Network interface Select which LAN port should be used for the server communication under the MailPlus high-availability structure. Domain name This will appear after @ in an email address. For example, if mydomainname.comis entered here, the email addresses of your users will beusername@mydomainname.com.Volume Select a volume to install MailPlus Server and store its data. - Follow the wizard to complete the setup process.
- MailPlus Server is installed with five free email accounts by default. You can add more licenses in the License page and activate users in the Account page.
Secure your MailPlus Server
Assign your certificates
Enable SMTP authentication
Configure daily sending quota
Access emails with MailPlus
- Go to Package Center to install Synology MailPlus.
- Go to Synology MailPlus Server > Account and tick the checkboxes to Activate user accounts.1
- There are two ways to enter the MailPlus login page:
- Go to DSM Main Menu > Synology MailPlus.
- Enable the application portal for MailPlus. In this way, you can access MailPlus by entering the name of your Synology NAS followed by
/mailin the browser's address bar. For example, if your NAS is calledmydiskstation, entermydiskstation/mail.
- Enter your credentials to sign in.
- If you have already configured the SMTP settings in MailPlus Server before installing MailPlus, the server's SMTP settings will be automatically applied in Settings > SMTP.
You can also check emails of your MailPlus account on your preferred applications such as Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird.
Notes:
- The application privileges of MailPlus Server and MailPlus are granted to all users by default. Users from the DSM administrator group can access all the MailPlus Server settings, while general users can only see the Personal page. Note that editing privileges in Control Panel can affect the functionality of your MailPlus suite and therefore should be avoided.