Getting named to work was giving me bloody hell. Whenever I tried to start the service, it would fail. I went through the log and got a:

• could not configure root hints from '/etc/db.cache': file not found

error message. Since I had no idea what chroot was doing nor what a 'prison' is, this error was making no sense to me. /etc/db.cache is a file and it exists! I'm sure of it.

Finally, I discovered that we are setting up named to run in a 'prison', which means it thinks the directory /var/named/chroot/etc/ is the root top directory. I got the problem fixed by copying db.cache to the prison, like so:

• cp -f /etc/db.cache /var/named/chroot/etc/

I'm thinking maybe that PostFix is configured wrong, but I'm not sure how to debug. Some of my webpages make use of the mail() function. Which has worked on other hosts...but under my ISPConfig host (which is being hosted and setup using the Perfect Setup for FC4), I get the follow in root's mail:

----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors -----
dave@network.net
(reason: 550 <dave@network.net>: Recipient address rejected: User unknown in local recipient table)
(expanded from: dave@network.net)

----- Transcript of session follows -----
... while talking to [127.0.0.1]:
>>> DATA
<<< 550 <dave@network.net>: Recipient address rejected: User unknown in local recipient table
550 5.1.1 dave@network.net... User unknown
<<< 554 Error: no valid recipients

I double checked /etc/alternatives and found that mta --> /usr/sbin/sendmail.sendmail

changed to mta --> /usr/sbin/sendmail.postfix

and my error message (in roots mail) changed to:

I'm sorry to have to inform you that your message could not
be delivered to one or more recipients. It's attached below.

For further assistance, please send mail to <postmaster>

The Postfix program

<dave@network.net>: unknown user: "dave"

so I double-checked /etc/postfix/local-host-names and found:

localhost
....etc...
network.net
## MAKE MANUAL ENTRIES BELOW.....

but my setup in ISPConfig for that site shows that I'm using an external mailserver (and how would the mail() from PHP care about that?!)...and I have the MX record setup in DNS to point to the 'real' mail server. I know DNS is setup properly, as mail to this address/site from any other client works/goes through...just can't use the mail() function properly?!

Any help, always appreciated - as I have a bruised forehead from banging!?

-dave-

What directory do I need to be in for this symlink:

ln -s ../../ chroot

Thanks for the killer article!

First let me say that this is an excellent HOWTO and I really appreciate the effort to help everyone out --Thanks Falko!

I do not have a fixed IP address, furthermore, I have a Linksys gateway router that insists on assigning my server an IP through the DHCP, regardless of how I configure my server. For example, I've tried to set my IP as 192.168.1.100, which my router does not see. Instead, my router assigns my server something like 192.168.1.102, depending on how may clients I have running on the router at the time. This creates all kinds of problems, usally that I cannot access the internet from my server.

Anyone have a solution? This all started with a simple project to upgrade my perfectly running server from PHP4 to PHP5 and Apache 1.3 to 2.0. About 8 days later, I have no hair, bags under my eyes, and I'm about to get fired from my job! I'm afraid without a MS in computer science, Linux is an impossibility! Just me venting fustration ....really though, this is just the first problem I have to solve before I can move on. Thanks!

FTP 21

SSH 22

SMTP 25

Apache 80, 443

Name Serv 81

N E way, do I need any other ports open?

Thanks!

Many thanks for what seems to have been a pretty straight forward installation . I do have though a couple of daft questions !

• what are the default login details for the administration panel (http://www.mydomainname.com:81) ? I never got prompted anywhere !
• can i change the port 81 ?

Regards

No matter what is being said in these replies, I DO like this article but it gives a very distinguished straight to the goal direction for a certain task: creating a working hostingserver. Thnx Falko!!

Remark: apt did not work for me, do not know why, but just kept stalling at reading the packages. Used yum instead.

The part where you install imap is unclear. The package isnt simply called 'imap'. Dovecot is the only thing found with apt-cache search. This requires additional configuration that you didn't cover. Yum also doesnt have 'imap'

Hi,

Thanks for your advice. However, I tend to disagree with the linux distro you've chosen. Fedora Core, is too bleeding edge for production purpose, at least on servers. I'd suggest using something more "Enterpris class" like Red Hat Enterprise Linux" or SUSE server edition. Don't have money? There are alternatives like RHEL-clones: CentOS, Whitebox Linux, Tao Linux. This article will probably apply more or less to those.

Another wise choice would be Debian. I probably forget other ones...