Usually, you do not need to setup an email server under Linux desktop operating system. Most GUI email clients (such as Thunderbird) supports Gmail POP3 and IMAP configurations. But, how do you send mail via the standard or /usr/bin/mail user agents or a shell script? Programs such as sendmail / postfix / exim can be configured as a gmail smarthost but they are largely overkill for this use.
You can use gmail as a smart host to send all messages from your Linux / UNIX desktop systems. You need to use a simple program called ssmtp. It accepts a mail stream on standard input with recipients specified on the command line and synchronously forwards the message to the mail transfer agent of a mailhub for the mailhub MTA to process. Failed messages are placed in dead.letter in the sender’s home directory.
Install ssmtp
Type the following command under CentOS / RHEL / Red Hat / Fedora Linux:
# yum install ssmtp
Type the following command under Debian / Ubuntu Linux:
# apt-get update && apt-get install ssmtp
Configure gmail as a smarthost
Open /etc/ssmtp/ssmtp.conf, enter:
# vi /etc/ssmtp/ssmtp.conf
Update file with the following settings:
AuthUser=vivek@gmail.com AuthPass=Your-Gmail-Password FromLineOverride=YES mailhub=smtp.gmail.com:587 UseSTARTTLS=YES
Also, make sure you disable Sendmail:
# service sendmail stop
# chkconfig sendmail off
# mkdir /root/.bakup
# mv /usr/sbin/sendmail /root/.bakup
# ln -s /usr/local/ssmtp/sbin/ssmtp /usr/sbin/sendmail
Now, you can use mail / mailx command to send email messages. You can also write a shell script to backup your files and email to somewhere else (see below). You can test settings using following syntax:
$ echo "This is a test" | mail -s "Test" vivek@nixcraft.co.in
A note about sSMTP
sSMTP works well for desktop systems, but it is not a replacement for Sendmail / Postfix / Exim / Qmail for email server environment. This software is perfect for a single user system.
Further readings:
- man page ssmtp
- A shell script to backup directories & files and email them as .tar.gz file.
- Alpine is a text-based e-mail client. It supports POP3 and IMAP configurations.
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echo “This is a test” | mail -s “Test” nimisha.mec@gmail.com
mail: cannot send message: Process exited with a non-zero status
One of the main reasons this method won’t work is that the ssmtp command may be located on a different directory. This is the updated version of the command lines in order to disable send mail:
# service sendmail stop
# chkconfig sendmail off
# mkdir /root/.bakup
# mv /usr/sbin/sendmail /root/.bakup
# ln -s $(which ssmtp) /usr/sbin/sendmail
worked wonderfully!
thaanks!
You can create a dedicated Google password just for Gmail, that you are able to revoke at any time: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185833?hl=en
Hi,
Unable to send mail’s getting error as below
“/usr/sbin/sendmail: No such file or directory
“/root/dead.letter” 9/220
. . . message not sent.”
Is ssmtp not available with “epel” repo of RHEL7? is not, what could be used as an alternative of ssmtp in RHEL7, for sending out emails using gmail?
[root@localhost /]# yum install ssmtp
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
* addons: centos.excellmedia.net
* base: centos.excellmedia.net
* extras: centos.excellmedia.net
* updates: centos.excellmedia.net
Setting up Install Process
No package ssmtp available.
Nothing to do
WHY THIS KOLAVERI DI?
My OS is CentOS
You need to install epel repository before going to install ssmtp
still works like a charm 🙂
The first instructions posted 4 years ago, and still useful. Thanks.
You tutorial doesn’t work
google doesn’t like it when you help others “weaponize gmail”.
I have used gmail to torment 419 scammers… and subsequently had my accounts frozen
beware the do-not-evil (which is NOT “do good”)
Hi,
Thank you very much!
Exactly what I needed.
:))
Kudos for a simple-to-use solution!
I have a problem with sending mail in CentOS 5.6.
I need a script to send mail from gmail to other accounts.
Please help me.