MX (Mail Exchange) Records on Apache Server/James

[spider_3000]

Hello everyone.

 

I'm very new to web servers and such, and have only started earlier today with Apache HTTP Server. So far what I've done is used Apache to host a very simple website on my Windows Vista laptop, and use DynDNS for a dynamic domain name. The domain name is in the format "name.doesntexist.org". So far everything worked, people could connect to the website.

What I wanted to do next is make a simple mail server, and so I installed Apache James. I followed the instructions at http://www.mobilefish.com/developer/james/james.html, and installed the James Mail Server Service instead of running "run.bat" everytime. Everything worked, and I could use 2 internally created email addresses to send emails to one another using Thunderbird. However I tried sending an email to my hotmail address, but nothing happened. After much research, I think I have to set up a MX record, the problem is, nobody tells me where it is.

Can anyone please direct me to the file where I can edit or set up a MX record in either Apache or James.

 

P.S., for James, i had to add the following to my host file:

127.0.0.1 smtp.name.doesntexist.org

127.0.0.1 pop.name.doesntexist.org

 

Thank you very much for your help.

[PFMaBiSmAd]

An MX record is a DNS record and it is setup on the name server. You would need to do this under your account at dyndns (edit: and in the dyndns client on your server that keeps the IP addresses updated) - http://www.dyndns.com/support/kb/email_mail_exchangers_and_dns.html

[spider_3000]

Thanks for the reply.

 

I've checked out the the mail routing option on the "Modify Hostname" page. It asks me for the MX Hostname. I've tried entering "name.doesntexist.org" into it, but when I reload the page, it didn't save it. If I enter "mail.name.doesntexist.org", it gives me a "MX should resolve to A or AAAA record." error. Same goes for "pop.name.doesntexist.org" and "smtp.name.doesntexist.org".

However, I forwarded port 25 on my router, and now I can get email from my hotmail to my @name.doesntexist.org on Thunderbird. But still can't send emails away.

So my question is what MX Hostname should I enter, and what else do I need to set up?

 

By the way, I have not yet set up a page for "mail.name.doesntexist.org" because I can't figure out vhosts. But that's a problem for another time.

 

Thanks for your help.