diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | fetchmail-FAQ.html | 236 |
1 files changed, 121 insertions, 115 deletions
diff --git a/fetchmail-FAQ.html b/fetchmail-FAQ.html index ac8b7572..1261dc41 100644 --- a/fetchmail-FAQ.html +++ b/fetchmail-FAQ.html @@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ content="Frequently asked questions about fetchmail."/> Page</a></td> <td width="30%" align="center">To <a href="/~esr/sitemap.html">Site Map</a></td> -<td width="30%" align="right">$Date: 2003/07/17 18:48:50 $</td> +<td width="30%" align="right">$Date: 2003/07/22 02:05:51 $</td> </tr> </table> @@ -98,18 +98,22 @@ host?.</a><br/> <a href="#S1">S1. How can I use fetchmail with qpopper?</a><br/> <a href="#S2">S2. How can I use fetchmail with Microsoft Exchange?</a><br/> -<a href="#S3">S3. How can I use fetchmail with Compuserve RPA?</a><br/> -<a href="#S4">S4. How can I use fetchmail with Demon Internet's SDPS?</a><br/> -<a href="#S5">S5. How can I use fetchmail with usa.net's servers?</a><br/> -<a href="#S6">S6. How can I use fetchmail with HP OpenMail?</a><br/> -<a href="#S7">S7. How can I use fetchmail with geocities POP3 servers?</a><br/> -<a href="#S8">S8. How can I use fetchmail with Hotmail?</a><br/> -<a href="#S9">S9. How can I use fetchmail with MSN?</a><br/> -<a href="#S10">S10. How can I use fetchmail with SpryNet?</a><br/> -<a href="#S11">S11. How can I use fetchmail with FTGate?</a><br/> -<a href="#S12">S12. How can I use fetchmail with MailMax?</a><br/> -<a href="#S13">S13. How can I use fetchmail with Novell GroupWise?</a><br/> -<a href="#S14">S14. How can I use fetchmail with InterChange?</a><br/> +<a href="#S3">S3. How can I use fetchmail with HP OpenMail?</a><br/> +<a href="#S4">S4. How can I use fetchmail with Novell GroupWise?</a><br/> +<a href="#S5">S5. How can I use fetchmail with InterChange?</a><br/> +<a href="#S6">S6. How can I use fetchmail with MailMax?</a><br/> +<a href="#S7">S7. How can I use fetchmail with FTGate?</a><br/> + +<h1>How to fetchmail work with specific ISPs:</h1> + +<a href="#I1">I1. How can I use fetchmail with Compuserve RPA?</a><br/> +<a href="#I2">I2. How can I use fetchmail with Demon Internet's SDPS?</a><br/> +<a href="#I3">I3. How can I use fetchmail with usa.net's servers?</a><br/> +<a href="#I4">I4. How can I use fetchmail with geocities POP3 servers?</a><br/> +<a href="#I5">I5. How can I use fetchmail with Hotmail?</a><br/> +<a href="#I6">I6. How can I use fetchmail with MSN?</a><br/> +<a href="#I7">I7. How can I use fetchmail with SpryNet?</a><br/> +<a href="#I8">I8. How can I use fetchmail with comcast.net?</a><br/> <h1>How to set up well-known security and authentication methods:</h1> @@ -483,7 +487,7 @@ fetchmail?</a></h2> <p>Fetchmail will work with any POP, IMAP, ETRN, or ODMR server that conforms to the relevant RFCs (and even some outright broken ones like <a href="#S2">Microsoft Exchange</a> and <a -href="#S12">Novell GroupWise</a>). This doesn't mean it works +href="#S6">Novell GroupWise</a>). This doesn't mean it works equally well with all, however. POP2 servers, and POP3 servers without LAST, limit fetchmail's capabilities in various ways described on the manual page.</p> @@ -553,19 +557,19 @@ en clair?</a></h2> ranges from trivial to impossible. It may even be next to useless.</p> -<p>Most people use fetchmail over phone wires, which are hard to -tap. Anybody with the skill and resources to do this could get into -your server mailbox with much less effort by subverting the server -host. So if your provider setup is modem wires going straight into -a service box, you probably don't need to worry.</p> +<p>Most people use fetchmail over phone wires (whether plain old +copper or DSL), which are hard to tap. Anybody with the skill and +resources to do this could get into your server mailbox with much less +effort by subverting the server host. So if your provider setup is +phone-company wire going straight into a service box, you probably +don't need to worry.</p> -<p>In general there is little point in trying to secure your -fetchmail transaction unless you trust the security of the server -host you are retrieving mail from. Your vulnerability is more -likely to be an insecure local network on the server end (e.g. to -somebody with a TCP/IP packet sniffer intercepting Ethernet traffic -between the modem concentrator you dial in to and the mailserver -host).</p> +<p>In general there is little point in trying to secure your fetchmail +transaction unless you trust the security of the server host you are +retrieving mail from. Your vulnerability is more likely to be an +insecure local network on the server end (e.g. to somebody with a +TCP/IP packet sniffer intercepting Ethernet traffic between the modem +concentrator or DSL POP you dial in to and the mailserver host).</p> <p>Having realized this, you need to ask whether password encryption alone will really address your security exposure. If you @@ -625,7 +629,7 @@ response.</p> <p>If you are fetching mail from a CompuServe POP3 account, you can use their RPA authentication (which works much like APOP). See <a -href="#S3">S3</a> for details. If you are fetching mail from +href="#I1">I1</a> for details. If you are fetching mail from Microsoft Exchange using IMAP, you will be able to use NTLM.</p> <p>Your POP3 server may have the RFC1938 OTP capability to use @@ -1017,7 +1021,7 @@ any token following "username" or "password" is a string.</p> <h2><a id="F3" name="F3">F3. The .fetchmailrc parser won't accept my host or username beginning with `no'.</a></h2> -<p>See <a href="#F2">F2</a> You're caught in an unfortunate crack +<p>See <a href="#F2">F2</a>. You're caught in an unfortunate crack between the newer-style syntax for negated options (`no keep', `no rewrite' etc.) and the older style run-on syntax (`nokeep', `norewrite' etc.).</p> @@ -1549,6 +1553,7 @@ Notes?</a></h2> convert \n to \r\n, but its rules are not the intuitive and correct-for-RFC822 ones. Use `forcecr'.</p> +<hr/> <h2><a id="T7" name="T7">T7. How can I use fetchmail with Courier IMAP?</a></h2> @@ -1557,7 +1562,7 @@ IMAP?</a></h2> <code>smtphost</code> or <code>smtpaddress</code>.</p> <hr/> -<h2><a href="T8">T8. How can I use fetchmail with vbmailshield?</a></h2> +<h2><a name="T8">T8. How can I use fetchmail with vbmailshield?</a></h2> <p>vbmailshield's SMTP interpreter is broken. It doesn't understand RSET.</p> @@ -1730,13 +1735,77 @@ explicitly to your mailbox name.</li> <p>But, the best option involves a tactical nuclear weapon (an old ASROC will do), pissing off a lot people who live downwind from Redmond, and your choice of any Linux, NetBSD, FreeBSD, or Solaris -CD.</p> +CD-ROM.</p> + +<hr/> +<h2><a id="S3" name="S3">S3. How can I use fetchmail with HP +OpenMail?</a></h2> + +<p>No special configuration is required, but OpenMail versions +prior to 6.0 have an annoying bug similar to the big one in <a +href="#S2">Microsoft Exchange</a>. The message sizes it gives in +the LIST are rounded to the nearest 1024 bytes. It also has a nasty +habit of discarding headers it doesn't recognize, such as X- and +Resent- headers.</p> + +<p>As with M$ Exchange, the only real fix for these problems is to +get a POP (or preferably IMAP) server that isn't brain-dead. +OpenMail's project manager claims these bugs have been fixed in +6.0.</p> + +<p>We've had a more recent report (December 2001) that the TOP +command fails, returning only one line regrardless of its argument, +on something identifying itself as "OpenMail POP3 interface".</p> + +<hr/> +<h2><a id="S4" name="S4">S4. How can I use fetchmail with Novell GroupWise?</a></h2> -<p>I'll provide the CD.</p> +<p>The Novell GroupWise IMAP server would be better named +GroupFoolish; it is (according to the designer of IMAP) unusably +broken. Among other things, it doesn't include a required content +length in its BODY[TEXT] response.</p> + +<p>Fetchmail works around this problem, but we strongly recommend +voting with your dollars for a server that isn't brain-dead. If you +stick with code as shoddy as GroupWise seems to be, you will +probably pay for it with other problems.</p> <hr/> -<h2><a id="S3" name="S3">S3. How can I use fetchmail with -CompuServe RPA?</a></h2> +<h2><a id="S5" name="S5">S5. How can I use fetchmail with +InterChange?</a></h2> + +<p>You can't. At least not if you want to be able to see +attachments. InterChange has a bug similar to the MailMax server; +it reports the message length with attachments but doesn't download +them on TOP or RETR.</p> + +<p>On Jan 9 2001, the people at InfiniteMail sent me mail informing +me that their new 3.61.08 release of InterChange fixes this +problem. I don't have any reports one way or the other yet.</p> + +<hr/> +<h2><a id="S6" name="S6">S6. How can I use fetchmail with MailMax?</a></h2> + +<p>You can't. At least not if you want to be able to see +attachments. MailMax has a bug; it reports the message length with +attachments but doesn't download them on TOP or RETR.</p> + +<p>Also, we're told that TOP sometimes fails to retrieve the entire +message even when enough lines have been specified. The MailMax +developers have acknowledged this bug as of 4 May 2000, but there +is no fix yet. If you must use this server, force RETR with the +<tt>fetchall</tt> option.</p> + +<hr/> +<h2><a id="S7" name="S7">S7. How can I use fetchmail with FTGate?</a></h2> + +<p>The FTGate V2 server (and possibly older versions as well) has a +weird bug. It answers OK twice to a TOP request! Use the +<code>fetchall</code> option to force use of RETR and work around +this bug.</p> + +<hr/> +<h2><a id="I1" name="I1">I1. How can I use fetchmail with CompuServe RPA?</a></h2> <p>First, make sure your fetchmail has the RPA support compiled in. Stock fetchmail binaries (such as you might get from an RPM) don't. @@ -1775,7 +1844,7 @@ poll non-rpa.csi.com via "pop.site1.csi.com" with proto POP3 and options no dns </pre> <hr/> -<h2><a id="S4" name="S4">S4. How can I use fetchmail with Demon +<h2><a id="I2" name="I2">I2. How can I use fetchmail with Demon Internet's SDPS?</a></h2> <h3>Single-drop mode</h3> @@ -1848,7 +1917,7 @@ greeting line; if you're accessing Demon Internet through a proxy it may fail. To force SDPS mode, pick "sdps" as your protocol.</p> <hr/> -<h2><a id="S5" name="S5">S5. How can I use fetchmail with usa.net's +<h2><a id="I3" name="I3">I3. How can I use fetchmail with usa.net's servers?</a></h2> <p>Enable `<code>fetchall</code>'. A user reports that the 2.2 @@ -1873,27 +1942,7 @@ servers. They seem to be chronically flaky. We recommend finding another provider.)</p> <hr/> -<h2><a id="S6" name="S6">S6. How can I use fetchmail with HP -OpenMail?</a></h2> - -<p>No special configuration is required, but OpenMail versions -prior to 6.0 have an annoying bug similar to the big one in <a -href="#S2">Microsoft Exchange</a>. The message sizes it gives in -the LIST are rounded to the nearest 1024 bytes. It also has a nasty -habit of discarding headers it doesn't recognize, such as X- and -Resent- headers.</p> - -<p>As with M$ Exchange, the only real fix for these problems is to -get a POP (or preferably IMAP) server that isn't brain-dead. -OpenMail's project manager claims these bugs have been fixed in -6.0.</p> - -<p>We've had a more recent report (December 2001) that the TOP -command fails, returning only one line regrardless of its argument, -on something identifying itself as "OpenMail POP3 interface".</p> - -<hr/> -<h2><a id="S7" name="S7">S7. How can I use fetchmail with geocities +<h2><a id="I4" name="I4">I4. How can I use fetchmail with geocities POP3 servers?</a></h2> <p>Nathan Cutler reports that the the mail.geocities.com POP3 @@ -1918,7 +1967,7 @@ already been read.</p> Geocities are lame, you should boycott them anyway.</p> <hr/> -<h2><a id="S8" name="S8">S8. How can I use fetchmail with Hotmail?</a></h2> +<h2><a id="I5" name="I5">I5. How can I use fetchmail with Hotmail?</a></h2> <p>You can't, yet. But <a href="http://linux.cudeso.be/linuxdoc/gotmail.php">gotmail</a> or @@ -1926,7 +1975,7 @@ href="http://linux.cudeso.be/linuxdoc/gotmail.php">gotmail</a> or be what you need.</p> <hr/> -<h2><a id="S9" name="S9">S9. How can I use fetchmail with MSN?</a></h2> +<h2><a id="I6" name="I6">I6. How can I use fetchmail with MSN?</a></h2> <p>You can't. MSN uses something that looks like POP3, except the authentication part is nonstandard. And of course they don't @@ -1941,8 +1990,7 @@ MSN; if so, somebody should report it so this FAQ can be corrected.</p> <hr/> -<h2><a id="S10" name="S10">S10. How can I use fetchmail with -SpryNet?</a></h2> +<h2><a id="I7" name="I7">I7. How can I use fetchmail with SpryNet?</a></h2> <p>The SpryNet POP3 servers mark a message queried with TOP as seen. This means that if your connection drops in mid-message, it @@ -1951,57 +1999,15 @@ may end up invisibly stuck on your mail spool. Use the next cycle.</p> <hr/> -<h2><a id="S11" name="S11">S11. How can I use fetchmail with -FTGate?</a></h2> - -<p>The FTGate V2 server (and possibly older versions as well) has a -weird bug. It answers OK twice to a TOP request! Use the -<code>fetchall</code> option to force use of RETR and work around -this bug.</p> - -<hr/> -<h2><a id="S12" name="S12">S12. How can I use fetchmail with -MailMax?</a></h2> - -<p>You can't. At least not if you want to be able to see -attachments. MailMax has a bug; it reports the message length with -attachments but doesn't download them on TOP or RETR.</p> - -<p>Also, we're told that TOP sometimes fails to retrieve the entire -message even when enough lines have been specified. The MailMax -developers have acknowledged this bug as of 4 May 2000, but there -is no fix yet. If you must use this server, force RETR with the -<tt>fetchall</tt> option.</p> - -<hr/> -<h2><a id="S13" name="S13">S13. How can I use fetchmail with Novell GroupWise?</a></h2> +<h2><a id="I8" name="I8">I8. How can I use fetchmail with comcast.net?</a></h2> -<p>The Novell GroupWise IMAP server would be better named -GroupFoolish; it is (according to the designer of IMAP) unusably -broken. Among other things, it doesn't include a required content -length in its BODY[TEXT] response.</p> - -<p>Fetchmail works around this problem, but we strongly recommend -voting with your dollars for a server that isn't brain-dead. If you -stick with code as shoddy as GroupWise seems to be, you will -probably pay for it with other problems.</p> +<p>Stock fetchmail will work with a comcast.net server...<em>but</em> +they seem to have an 80K limit on the length of downloaded messages. +Anything larger is silently truncated. Don't mistake this for a +fetchmail bug.</p> <hr/> -<h2><a id="S14" name="S14">S14. How can I use fetchmail with -InterChange?</a></h2> - -<p>You can't. At least not if you want to be able to see -attachments. InterChange has a bug similar to the MailMax server; -it reports the message length with attachments but doesn't download -them on TOP or RETR.</p> - -<p>On Jan 9 2001, the people at InfiniteMail sent me mail informing -me that their new 3.61.08 release of InterChange fixes this -problem. I don't have any reports one way or the other yet.</p> - -<hr/> -<h2><a id="K1" name="K1">K1. How can I use fetchmail with -SOCKS?</a></h2> +<h2><a id="K1" name="K1">K1. How can I use fetchmail with SOCKS?</a></h2> <p>Giuseppe Guerini added a --with-socks option that supports linking with socks library. If you specify the value of this option @@ -3454,6 +3460,12 @@ dns errors.</p> <p>All these issues are not related to fetchmail directly.</p> +<hr /> +<h2><a name="#O13">O13. I want timestamp information in my fetchmail logs.</a></h2> + +<p>Write a <code>preconnect</connect> command in your configuration file that +does something like "date >> $HOME/Procmail/fetchmail.log".</p> + <hr/> <table width="100%" cellpadding="0" summary="Canned page footer"> <tr> @@ -3461,16 +3473,10 @@ dns errors.</p> Page</a></td> <td width="30%" align="center">To <a href="/~esr/sitemap.html">Site Map</a></td> -<td width="30%" align="right">$Date: 2003/07/17 18:48:50 $</td> +<td width="30%" align="right">$Date: 2003/07/22 02:05:51 $</td> </tr> </table> -<hr /> -<h2><a name="#O13">O13. I want timestamp information in my fetchmail logs.</a></h2> - -<p>Write a <code>preconnect</connect> command in your configuration file that -does something like "date >> $HOME/Procmail/fetchmail.log".</p> - <br clear="left"/> <address>Eric S. Raymond <a href="mailto:esr@thyrsus.com"><esr@thyrsus.com></a></address> |