Mail server- researching options. (Clarified)

[Nik-Ken-Bah]

I am wondering is it possible to set-up a dedicated Email server for myself?
Can I set-up on my computer without requiring another dedicated device?
What would be a good choice should I require a dedicated device?
When setting up a server what are the list of steps, with a few words to describe the step, required to get it up and running? Just the steps will ask relevant questions at a later date, I plan my research.
What would be a good choice or two for the Linux OS to use for it?
I already have a router and a fairly hassle free ISP and looking at my plan I think that my account has a VPN included in it.
Should you be a wondering I just want to set the server up so that I can use it for the security address on social media only and some businesses that I deal with.
Looking forward to hear your views and advice on the subject.

 

[f33dm3bits]

Running a mailserver from your home ip is most likely not possible because most ISP's block incoming and outgoing traffcing for port 25. So your best option would be to set it up on a vps with Debian or a RHEL clone but any other distribution will do but I would go for one of those. You would need a Mail Tranfser Agent(MTA) such as postfix, an IMAP server for reading the e-mail in your mailboxes, a virus scanner, some sort of anti-spam protection and ssl for secure smtp and imap connections. Also you will need to look into setting up SPF and DMARC, as wel as signing your e-mail using DKIM so that e-mails being sent from your system won't be marked as spam. Aside from that you will have to secure/harden your vps as much as you can since it will be directly accessible from the internet.

Just a heads up, setting up, running and maintaining a mail server is not an easy job and is best done by a professional. If you want to manage your own e-mail server your best option is probably to go for a hosting provider that offers e-mail packages. I do run my own e-mail setup but I work in IT and it took me some
time and reading to understand it all but I did learn a great deal so it was worth it.

Comparison of mail servers - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[KGIII]

Should you be a wondering I just want to set the server up so that I can use it for the security address on social media only and some businesses that I deal with.

What kind of volume of email are we talking about?

 

[Nik-Ken-Bah]

Thanks for that @f33dm3bits appreciated.
I will stick with what I have to put up with for the time being while I figure away to achieve what I want to achieve. I had a hazy knowledge of some of the aspects and you cleared a lot of the haze away so I could see the operational plan of email a lot clearer.
As they say back to the old drawing board.

 

[Nik-Ken-Bah]

What kind of volume of email are we talking about?

Not enough to warrant the time and effort as explained by @f33dm3bits.
Don't know till ya ask a question.

 

[KGIII]

Yeah, it can be a pain in the butt.

You can buy a domain name, change the MX records, and use free email hosting from Yandex (among others).

You can buy a domain name and cheap hosting, or specific email hosting, and host it like you'd normally host it with a website.

You have options.

 

[f33dm3bits]

If you want better privacy have a look at protonmail but in the end we all have contacts who use either gmail or outlook. And as I mentioned before you can also have a look at the different packages that e-mail hosting providers offer such as these.

 

[KGIII]

Sorta related...

I'd previously considered getting a domain name, setting up Yandex's email hosting for domains, and then giving people email addresses that kinda went hand-in-hand with the site I'm working on. One of the domains I was looking at was L-T.club, which would be nice easy names to remember. It's in the same idea bucket as setting up a chat.

If there's enough legit interest, I can give that a look this coming week.

 

[Nik-Ken-Bah]

@f33dm3bits and @KGIII
How does mail encryption work?
You have a key to encrypt the package and the receiving end has got another key to decrypt package. Or something like that.
I have been led to understand most emails these days are encrypted as they go on their journey to wherever but mail providers like Gmail which when it lands on their serve it is decrypted so they can target ads at you.

 

[KGIII]

You share your public key (which can be used for decryption) and encrypt with your private key. They're a pair of keys, with one being public and the other being private.

Nobody ever encrypts email. Well, pretty much nobody. In all the years I have had a public key, I've had maybe one encrypted email sent to me and I don't think I've sent any intentionally.

A number of people sign their emails with their, using their private key to give a public signature that can be verified.

They may be encrypted during transit, but that's a temporary thing. Encryption is typically done on your end with your email client.