General 'mailserver' question.

[netstrider]

If I would like to set up a mail server and actually use a mail address would I require to register a domain ? Are there alternative ways to maybe use for example your IP as the host I just want to test and play around with it.

Secondly, do I need any particular skills in setting it up or is it something a general guy with a bit of savvy can figure out with time and practice ? (I have no coding skills)

Thirdly - Which mailserver progs would be recommended (I have no clue of any names to be honest).

[Roxoff]

Provided you have a static IP address, you'll have no problems setting up a mailserver. If you dont have a static IP address, then you can use a dynamic DNS service to register your floating IP address each time it changes.

The mailserver is reasonably straightforward to set up, you should have no problems if you have a bit of technical nous.

There are several mailserver probrams you could use; the big boy is Sendmail, but it's old and cranky, and has security issues, so you probably want to pick one of the other ones. I use Sendmail, but only because it's configured now and I cant be arsed to change it. There's plenty of help on this subject availalbe through Google; here's some that I found in a moments search - a Postfix/procmail server, some yolinux help on mailserver configs in general, some RedHat help on Sendmail, and some help on setting up a mail server for a small office.

HTH