fetchmail-6.2.2

Introduction to fetchmail

Download location (HTTP):       http://www.catb.org/~esr/fetchmail/fetchmail-6.2.2.tar.gz
Download location (FTP):        
Version used:                   6.2.2
Package size:                   1.2 MB
Estimated Disk space required:  5.7 MB
Estimated build time:           0.22 SBU

The fetchmail package contains the fetchmail program. "It retrieves mail from remote mail servers and forwards it to your local (client) machine's delivery system, so it can then be read by normal mail user agents."

fetchmail depends on:
openssl-0.9.7a and a local MDA (procmail-3.22)

Installation of fetchmail

Install fetchmail by running the following commands:

./configure --prefix=/usr --with-ssl --enable-fallback=procmail &&
make &&
make install

Command explanations

--with-ssl : This enables SSL if found, so that you can handle connections to secure POP3 and IMAP servers.

--enable-fallback=procmail : This tells fetchmail to hand incoming mail to procmail for delivery if your port 25 mail server is not present or not responding.

Configuring fetchmail

Config files

~/.fetchmailrc

Configuration Information

set logfile /var/log/fetchmail.log
set no bouncemail
set postmaster root

poll SERVERNAME :
        user "username" pass "password";
        mda "/usr/bin/procmail -f %F -d %T";

Is an example configuration that should suffice for most people. You can add as many users and servers as you need using the same syntax.

man fetchmail : Look for the section near the bottom named CONFIGURATION EXAMPLES it gives some quick examples too. There are countless other config options once you get used to it.

Contents

The fetchmail package contains fetchmail and fetchmailconf.

Description

fetchmail

When executed as a user this will source that users ~/.fetchmailrc and download the appropriate mail. When run as root ALL users who have a .fetchmailrc will have their mail downloaded and delivered accordingly.

fetchmailconf

This program provides a Tk GUI interface to your ~/.fetchmailrc making it much easier to configure. However you will require, Python, and it must have the Tkinker module available.