How to receive email sent to domain hosted on Digital Ocean?

May 31, 2014 15.5k views
michal
By:
michal
I'm following process on StartSSL - they require to verify the domain: "Select the email address for verification of domain ownership from below." I chose the following address: webmaster@pi.org.pl I do own the domain and I set up DNS: ns1.digitalocean.com ns2.digitalocean.com How do I retrieve the email with the confirmation code? *** I tried creating email account via cpanel where I purchased the domain and have hosting, but (obviously) it doesn't work as DNS is pointing to Digital Ocean. So the question for you - is there a quick and easy way of getting that email / setting up mail server? Thanks!
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6 Answers
michal May 31, 2014
I found this one: https://www.digitalocean.com/community/questions/setting-up-email-for-my-domain

Either: https://www.digitalocean.com/community/articles/how-to-install-iredmail-on-ubuntu-12-04-x64

Or Google Apps / Outlook.com

Do you have any *insider information* whether email is on the roadmap and when it is going to be released?
How To Install iRedMail On Ubuntu 12.04 x64
by Bulat Khamitov
If you would like to create your own online e-mail system, you can use iRedMail. In this article we will explain how you can do it on your Ubuntu 12.04 virtual server.
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jt May 31, 2014
Email is not on the roadmap because DO isn't shared hosting. They provide unmanaged servers. If you want email for your domain then you'll need to set that up yourself on the droplet.
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guinslym June 1, 2014
arlen/JT And how can I set email for my domain on my dropplet. Is there a tutorial
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jt June 2, 2014
https://www.digitalocean.com/community/articles/how-to-set-up-a-postfix-e-mail-server-with-dovecot
How To Set Up a Postfix E-Mail Server with Dovecot
by Lukas Erlacher
This tutorial will tell you how to setup a basic mail server and attempts to teach you a bit about the Postfix MTA (Mail Transfer Agent) in the process.
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stefan424333 June 9, 2014
@guinslym for the sake of internet as whole, and your own, do not try to set up an email server. It's really a bad idea unless you really know what you're doing and you're willing to do it on regular basis. I was always recommended not to maintain an email server on my own, so I'm passing on that recommendation.

Instead, you could keep using shared hosting service, and set up your droplet's DNS records so it keeps using your shared hosting for email. I just opened up a question regarding that particular request, you can keep track if you want.
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  • review September 4, 2014

    @stefan424333 I want to do as you suggested. Can you please let me know how you managed to do it?

  • pills November 21, 2014

    check this out.

    How To Use Google's SMTP Server
    by Pablo Carranza
    A little-known feature about Gmail and Google Apps email is Google's portable SMTP server. Instead of having to manage your own outgoing mail server on your DigitalOcean VPS, you can simply configure Google's SMTP server settings into whatever script or program you wish to send email from.
mikenodding May 2, 2017

FWIW i faffed around and ended up keeping mail on shared hosting by entering
IN DO and on SHARED HOST DNS:
MX: hostname domain.com handled by mail.domain.com
A recor: IP of shared host mail.domain.com

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