![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/Linux-cheat-sheet-1024x283.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>Why Host Your Own Email Server?<\/h2>
A self-hosted email server requires some technical expertise to set up and manage. However, it has many benefits compared to a third-party service:<\/p>
- \n
- Control<\/strong>. Users can choose a mail transfer agent (MTA), set up any email server software, and customize the features. This is different from third-party providers, commonly offering pre-configured plans with limited customization.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Data privacy<\/strong>. A VPS provides each account with an isolated environment. It prevents other users from accessing your data, improving your email server privacy. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Reputation<\/strong>. A free email provider usually lacks a dedicated IP address<\/a>. This might impact deliverability since other mailing services within the same server can affect it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Cost efficiency<\/strong>. Mailing hosting services might be cheaper in the short term. However, a self-hosted server can host more email accounts and provide more storage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Scalability<\/strong>. Users can scale up their private email server hardware and set up a load balancer. In comparison, email hosting providers usually offer limited plans with fixed resources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Security<\/strong>. A self-hosted server is safer when properly configured since users can implement any security measures and firewall rules based on their needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
How to Host Your Own Mail Server<\/h2>
In this section, we will explain the steps on how to host your own private email server, from purchasing a VPS hosting plan to sending a test email.<\/p>
1. Select the Right VPS Plan<\/h3>
While you can host an email service on a personal computer, managing it requires more time and effort. Moreover, you would need server-grade hardware to run the machine 24\/7, increasing the total cost.<\/p>
Email hosting on a VPS is simpler since the provider will set up and manage the hardware. As such, it is more cost-efficient and offers various features that help simplify the email server configuration process.<\/p>
To pick the best VPS hosting provider<\/a> and plan for your needs, consider the following factors:<\/p>
- \n
- Resources<\/strong>. The VPS plan must offer sufficient bandwidth, storage, and computing power to host your email service.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Reliability and uptime<\/strong>. The ideal VPS hosting plan should guarantee high uptime to maintain your mailing service availability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Dedicated IP<\/strong>. A dedicated IP address isolates your mailing service from other users, improving email reputation and deliverability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Management tool<\/strong>. Management tools like a graphical control panel and one-click installer help simplify email server maintenance and configuration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Hostinger offers four VPS KVM plans<\/a> starting at RM29.99\/month<\/strong> with a 30-day money-back guarantee. We use reliable hardware and network infrastructure to ensure 99.9% uptime<\/strong>, ideal for self-hosted email for businesses.<\/p>
All Hostinger VPS hosting plans include a dedicated IP address to improve email deliverability and reputation. Moreover, users can configure various operating systems and control panels in one click via hPanel <\/strong>without any Linux commands<\/a>.<\/p>
We also provide the Kodee AI Assistant<\/a> to help troubleshoot server problems using simple prompts. For example, ask, “I have pointed my domain using custom nameservers, but it won’t propagate. Explain the issues and their solutions,” and the tool will give the guide to fix it.<\/p>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/VPS-hosting-banner-1024x300.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>2. Set Up Your Virtual Private Server<\/h3>
After purchasing a plan, navigate to the VPS<\/strong> section on the top menu of hPanel and select your new server. Complete the setup process by entering a hostname, selecting a server location, and choosing an operating system.<\/p>
For this tutorial, we will use AlmaLinux 8 with CyberPanel<\/strong>. You can change the operating system anytime by following these steps:<\/p>
- \n
- Log in to <\/strong>hPanel<\/a> and head to VPS <\/strong>on the top menu. Select your server.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- On the sidebar, go to Settings<\/strong> → OS & Panel<\/strong> → Operating System<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select OS with Control Panel<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- From the drop-down menu, select AlmaLinux 8 with CyberPanel<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Click Change OS<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/The-operating-system-installation-menu-in-hPanel-1024x492.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n Warning!<\/strong> Changing your VPS operating system and control panel will wipe all your existing data. We strongly suggest creating a backup before doing so. <\/p>\n \n\n\n\n<\/p>
If you prefer to use another Linux distribution, install CyberPanel using commands. To do so, connect to your remote server using an SSH client like PuTTY<\/a>.<\/p>
Enter the SSH login credentials, which you can obtain in your VPS overview’s SSH Access<\/strong> tab. Run the following command to start the installation wizard and follow the instructions:<\/p>
sh <(curl https:\/\/cyberpanel.net\/install.sh || wget -O - https:\/\/cyberpanel.net\/install.sh)<\/pre>
3. Point the Domain to Your Mail Server<\/h3>
After setting up your VPS, purchase a domain<\/a> from Hostinger. Log in to hPanel<\/strong> and follow these steps to point it to your outgoing mail server:<\/p>
- \n
- Go to Domains <\/strong>on the top menu.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select the domain you want to configure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Navigate to DNS\/Nameservers <\/strong>on the sidebar → Child Nameservers<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Name your child nameservers. For simplicity, we’ll name them ns1.domain.tld<\/strong> and ns2.domain.tld<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Enter your VPS IP address<\/strong>. You can find this information in the VPS overview<\/strong> menu. Then, press both of the Save <\/strong>buttons.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
![\"Child](\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/Child-nameservers-configuration-menu-in-hPanel-1-1024x380.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>- \n
- Navigate to the DNS Record <\/strong>tab.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Under the Nameservers <\/strong>section, click Change nameservers<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select Change nameservers <\/strong>and enter the two child nameservers. Leave the rest of the fields empty.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Press Save <\/strong>to apply the changes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
![\"Nameservers](\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/Nameservers-configuration-menu-in-hPanel-1-1024x600.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>Wait until the propagation process is complete, which can take up to 24 hours.<\/p>
Note that once finished, your domain might still not point to several DNS records. We will configure them later in CyberPanel.<\/p>
4. Create a Website Container<\/h3>
Self-hosting an email server in a CyberPanel VPS<\/a> requires creating an empty website as a container. It is essential for domain binding and DNS configuration.<\/p>
To do so, enter https:\/\/your_vps_ip:8090<\/strong> in your web browser to open CyberPanel. Alternatively, click the panel access link in hPanel’s Operating System <\/strong>menu.<\/p>
Enter the admin username <\/strong>and password <\/strong>to log in. If you forget the credentials, reset them via the Operating System <\/strong>menu. On the CyberPanel dashboard, follow these steps:<\/p>
- \n
- Go to Websites<\/strong> → Create Website<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select Default <\/strong>from the Select Package <\/strong>drop-down menu.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Choose admin <\/strong>as the Owner<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Turn off the Test Domain <\/strong>toggle and enter your domain name without www<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Enter an email address<\/strong> – this account will be used for email server administration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select the PHP<\/strong> version, ideally the newest one.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Check the DKIM Support<\/strong> box. It will improve your mail security, prevent spoofing, and ensure deliverability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Click Create Website<\/strong> to complete the process.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
![\"Website](\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/Website-container-creation-settings-in-CyberPanel-1-1024x605.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>Important!<\/strong> When accessing CyberPanel for the first time, your web browser might warn you about an unsafe website. You can ignore the warning and proceed to the login page.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p>
5. Create Nameservers in CyberPanel<\/h3>
Create nameservers in CyberPanel to connect your mailing service with the domain. Here are the steps:<\/p>
- \n
- On your CyberPanel dashboard, navigate to DNS<\/strong> → Create Nameserver<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Enter your child nameservers <\/strong>and your VPS IP address<\/strong> in the respective fields.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select Create Nameserver<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
CyberPanel will generate all the DNS records, including MX<\/strong>, which allows your server to receive and send emails. Check them by navigating to DNS → Add\/Delete record<\/strong>.<\/p>
In addition, head to Email<\/strong> → DKIM Manager <\/strong>and select your website from the list. Ensure your domain has the public<\/strong> and private key<\/strong> pairs. Otherwise, email providers like Gmail<\/strong> might flag your messages as spam.<\/p>
Before creating an email account, wait until the propagation completes. Use an online DNS checker tool<\/a> to see if all the records appear, then proceed to the next step.<\/p>
6. Issue an SSL Certificate for the Domain<\/h3>
Secure sockets layer (SSL)<\/a> certificates enable encryption to improve your email server security. CyberPanel provides free, unlimited Let’s Encrypt SSL, which you can issue via the control panel dashboard.<\/p>
To do so, go to SSL<\/strong> → MailServer SSL<\/strong>. Select your domain from the drop-down list, then click Issue SSL<\/strong>. The process might take a few minutes.<\/p>
7. Set Up Reverse DNS for Your VPS<\/h3>
Setting up a reverse DNS helps improve message deliverability. It enables other mail servers like Gmail<\/strong> and Yahoo<\/strong> to track back your server IP address using the domain, bypassing the spam filters.<\/p>
Hostinger users can set up a reverse DNS using PTR records<\/a> via hPanel. Here are the steps:<\/p>
- \n
- In hPanel<\/strong>, click VPS<\/strong> on the top bar.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select the relevant VPS<\/strong> and click Settings<\/strong> on the sidebar.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Hit the IP address<\/strong> tab → Set PTR record<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Enter your domain name<\/strong> and click Save<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>
![\"PTR](\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/PTR-records-configuration-in-hPanel-1024x327.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>Wait until the propagation process finishes. To check if your VPS IP address resolves to the correct domain, run this command on Terminal:<\/p>
dig -x ip_address<\/pre>
8. Create Your Email Account<\/h3>
After the server and domain are set, create your mail address. Open your CyberPanel dashboard and navigate to Email <\/strong>→ Create Email<\/strong>.<\/p>
Select the domain<\/strong> from the drop-down list. Enter your email address<\/strong> and password<\/strong>, then press Create Email<\/strong>.<\/p>
- Select the relevant VPS<\/strong> and click Settings<\/strong> on the sidebar.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Enter your child nameservers <\/strong>and your VPS IP address<\/strong> in the respective fields.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Select Default <\/strong>from the Select Package <\/strong>drop-down menu.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Under the Nameservers <\/strong>section, click Change nameservers<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- On the sidebar, go to Settings<\/strong> → OS & Panel<\/strong> → Operating System<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Reliability and uptime<\/strong>. The ideal VPS hosting plan should guarantee high uptime to maintain your mailing service availability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Data privacy<\/strong>. A VPS provides each account with an isolated environment. It prevents other users from accessing your data, improving your email server privacy. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/12\/New-email-account-creation-settings-in-CyberPanel-1-1024x400.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>