Installing Mailcow on Clear Linux

Introduction

Mailcow is a popular mail server software that is known for its user-friendly interface and powerful features. It is available for installation on multiple operating systems, including Clear Linux. In this tutorial, we will go through the step-by-step process of installing Mailcow on Clear Linux Latest.

Prerequisites

  • A machine running Clear Linux Latest.
  • SSH access to the machine with root privileges.
  • Basic knowledge of Linux commands

Installation Steps

Step 1: Update the system

Before proceeding with the Mailcow installation process, it is essential to update the system. This ensures that all packages and software components are up-to-date.

  1. Connect to your Clear Linux machine using SSH.
  2. Update the system by running the following command:
sudo swupd update

Step 2: Installing Docker and Docker Compose

Mailcow runs on Docker containers, hence the need to install Docker and Docker-Compose. Here is how to install them:

  1. Install Docker by typing the following command:
sudo swupd bundle-add containers-basic
  1. To install Docker-compose, run the following command:
sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/1.28.6/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose 
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Ensure that both Docker and Docker-compose are installed successfully by running the following commands: 

docker version 

docker-compose version

Step 3: Installing Git

Git is required to clone the Mailcow source code from Github.

Use the following command to install Git: 

sudo swupd bundle-add git-latest

Step 4: Installing Mailcow

With Docker, Docker-compose, and Git installed, it is now time to install Mailcow.

Follow these steps to install Mailcow on Clear Linux:

  1. Clone Mailcow's source code from Github by typing the following command:
git clone https://github.com/mailcow/mailcow-dockerized.git
  1. Switch to the cloned directory by typing the following command:
cd mailcow-dockerized
  1. Edit the .env file to configure Mailcow's settings by typing the following command:
cp env-example .env 
vi .env

In the .env file, you should configure the following settings:

  • MAILSERVER_HOSTNAME: This is the hostname of your mail server.
  • SOGo_Sieve_Port: The port used to access Sieve.
  • DKIM_SELECTOR: The DKIM selector name.
  • MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: The root password for MySQL server.
  1. Build and start Mailcow by running the following command:
sudo ./generate_config.sh 
sudo docker-compose up -d

The first command generates a configuration file for Mailcow while the second command sets up and starts the Mailcow server instances.

Step 5: Accessing Mailcow

With Mailcow installed, you should be able to access it using a web browser.

  1. Access Mailcow's web interface by typing the following address in your browser:
https://your-server-name/mail

Replace your-server-name with your server's hostname.

  1. Enter your login credentials:
Username: admin 
Password: your-password

You have now completed the installation of Mailcow on Clear Linux.

Conclusion

Mailcow is an excellent mail server software that provides users with a user-friendly interface and powerful features. With this tutorial, you should be able to install Mailcow on Clear Linux Latest with ease.

If you encounter any issues, you can visit the Mailcow Github page or join the Mailcow community to get help.