Setup for sending mail via Mutt

Setup for sending mail via Mutt

[Richard Akintola]

The following assumes that you have installed Esmtp or Exim4 (default on Debian)
and you have generated password using App Password (for Gmail)

Configure Esmtp 
1. Added the following to ~/.esmtp file
identity "my.email@gmail.com"
hostname smtp.gmail.com:587
username "my.email@gmail.com"
password "passwordGeneratedByAppPassword"
starttls required

2. Make sendmail point to esmtp using the command
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/sbin/sendmail sendmail /usr/bin/esmtp 50

3. Test if esmtp can send mails
echo "Testing email via esmtp" | /usr/sbin/sendmail -v recipient@gmail.com

4. Add the following to ~/.muttrc file
set sendmail="/usr/bin/esmtp"
set envelope_from=yes
set from="My Name <my.email@gmail.com>"
set use_from=yes
set edit_headers=yes

5. Setup Done


Configure Exim4 (default mail transfer agent - MTA on Debian)
1. Make sendmail point to exim4 using the command
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/sbin/sendmail sendmail /usr/sbin/exim4 100

2. Run the command below to add gmail and password to exim4 in the format below
sudo vi /etc/exim4/passwd.client

smtp.gmail.com:my.email@gmail.com:passwordGeneratedByAppPassword

3. Add the following configuration to update-exim4.conf.conf via sudo
 e.g sudo vi /etc/exim4/update-exim4.conf.conf

dc_eximconfig_configtype='smarthost'
dc_other_hostnames=''
dc_local_interfaces='127.0.0.1; ::1'
dc_readhost=''
dc_relay_domains=''
dc_minimaldns='false'
dc_relay_nets=''
dc_smarthost='smtp.gmail.com::587'
CFILEMODE='644'
dc_use_split_config='false'
dc_hide_mailname='true'
dc_mailname_in_oh='true'
dc_localdelivery='mail_spool'

3. Test if Exim4 can send mails
echo "Testing email via Exim4" | /usr/sbin/sendmail -v recipient@gmail.com

4. Add the following to ~/.muttrc
set sendmail="/usr/sbin/exim4"
set use_from=yes
set realname="Your Name"
set from="my.email@gmail.com"
set envelope_from=yes

5. Setup Done.

Re: Setup for sending mail via Mutt

[Samuel Abraham]

On Tue, Apr 1, 2025 at 2:11 PM Richard Akintola
<princerichard17a@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> The following assumes that you have installed Esmtp or Exim4 (default on Debian)
> and you have generated password using App Password (for Gmail)
>
> Configure Esmtp
> 1. Added the following to ~/.esmtp file
> identity "my.email@gmail.com"
> hostname smtp.gmail.com:587
> username "my.email@gmail.com"
> password "passwordGeneratedByAppPassword"
> starttls required
>
> 2. Make sendmail point to esmtp using the command
> sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/sbin/sendmail sendmail /usr/bin/esmtp 50
>
> 3. Test if esmtp can send mails
> echo "Testing email via esmtp" | /usr/sbin/sendmail -v recipient@gmail.com
>
> 4. Add the following to ~/.muttrc file
> set sendmail="/usr/bin/esmtp"
> set envelope_from=yes
> set from="My Name <my.email@gmail.com>"
> set use_from=yes
> set edit_headers=yes
>
> 5. Setup Done

Hello Richard

I have an observation.
The initial challenge the person faced was that he could not send
patches with mutt via Gmail.
But there is a link in the <Set up email>  section of the firstPatch
documentations that shows how to send
patches using mutt via Gmail using IMAP.
<approved email client>
 https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/process/email-clients.html
The MUTT(TUI) section shows the complete configuration that allows
mutt to be used to send mails
using Gmail as a MTA and SMTP server, via IMAP, without the need for
esmpt. This is what I used to set up and it allows
 me to see the mails I sent via MUTT in the Sent Box of my Gmail account.
I think the update that should be done in the documentation is to
remove first paragraph
of the <Gmail setUp> section that talks about enabling IMAP and
Forwarding POP/IMAP
since according to the settings page on Gmail, IMAP and Forwarding
POP/IMAP are enabled
 automatically starting. January 2025, so no need to enable anything.

I think the above link should be inputted in the second paragraph of
the <Gmail setup>
after the two-factor authentication and the App password have been
generated since the Mutt
configuration needs them and so that no one can easily miss the link
since the link is hidden in the
<approved email client> text.

You can wait to hear more from Julia.

Adekunle.
>
>
> Configure Exim4 (default mail transfer agent - MTA on Debian)
> 1. Make sendmail point to exim4 using the command
> sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/sbin/sendmail sendmail /usr/sbin/exim4 100
>
> 2. Run the command below to add gmail and password to exim4 in the format below
> sudo vi /etc/exim4/passwd.client
>
> smtp.gmail.com:my.email@gmail.com:passwordGeneratedByAppPassword
>
> 3. Add the following configuration to update-exim4.conf.conf via sudo
>  e.g sudo vi /etc/exim4/update-exim4.conf.conf
>
> dc_eximconfig_configtype='smarthost'
> dc_other_hostnames=''
> dc_local_interfaces='127.0.0.1; ::1'
> dc_readhost=''
> dc_relay_domains=''
> dc_minimaldns='false'
> dc_relay_nets=''
> dc_smarthost='smtp.gmail.com::587'
> CFILEMODE='644'
> dc_use_split_config='false'
> dc_hide_mailname='true'
> dc_mailname_in_oh='true'
> dc_localdelivery='mail_spool'
>
> 3. Test if Exim4 can send mails
> echo "Testing email via Exim4" | /usr/sbin/sendmail -v recipient@gmail.com
>
> 4. Add the following to ~/.muttrc
> set sendmail="/usr/sbin/exim4"
> set use_from=yes
> set realname="Your Name"
> set from="my.email@gmail.com"
> set envelope_from=yes
>
> 5. Setup Done.
>

Re: Setup for sending mail via Mutt

[Julia Lawall]

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On Tue, 1 Apr 2025, Samuel Abraham wrote:

> On Tue, Apr 1, 2025 at 2:11 PM Richard Akintola
> <princerichard17a@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > The following assumes that you have installed Esmtp or Exim4 (default on Debian)
> > and you have generated password using App Password (for Gmail)
> >
> > Configure Esmtp
> > 1. Added the following to ~/.esmtp file
> > identity "my.email@gmail.com"
> > hostname smtp.gmail.com:587
> > username "my.email@gmail.com"
> > password "passwordGeneratedByAppPassword"
> > starttls required
> >
> > 2. Make sendmail point to esmtp using the command
> > sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/sbin/sendmail sendmail /usr/bin/esmtp 50
> >
> > 3. Test if esmtp can send mails
> > echo "Testing email via esmtp" | /usr/sbin/sendmail -v recipient@gmail.com
> >
> > 4. Add the following to ~/.muttrc file
> > set sendmail="/usr/bin/esmtp"
> > set envelope_from=yes
> > set from="My Name <my.email@gmail.com>"
> > set use_from=yes
> > set edit_headers=yes
> >
> > 5. Setup Done
>
> Hello Richard
>
> I have an observation.
> The initial challenge the person faced was that he could not send
> patches with mutt via Gmail.
> But there is a link in the <Set up email>  section of the firstPatch
> documentations that shows how to send
> patches using mutt via Gmail using IMAP.
> <approved email client>
>  https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/process/email-clients.html
> The MUTT(TUI) section shows the complete configuration that allows
> mutt to be used to send mails
> using Gmail as a MTA and SMTP server, via IMAP, without the need for
> esmpt. This is what I used to set up and it allows
>  me to see the mails I sent via MUTT in the Sent Box of my Gmail account.
> I think the update that should be done in the documentation is to
> remove first paragraph
> of the <Gmail setUp> section that talks about enabling IMAP and
> Forwarding POP/IMAP
> since according to the settings page on Gmail, IMAP and Forwarding
> POP/IMAP are enabled
>  automatically starting. January 2025, so no need to enable anything.
>
> I think the above link should be inputted in the second paragraph of
> the <Gmail setup>
> after the two-factor authentication and the App password have been
> generated since the Mutt
> configuration needs them and so that no one can easily miss the link
> since the link is hidden in the
> <approved email client> text.
>
> You can wait to hear more from Julia.

Not me.  You all are the experts :)

Please conclude and then I will update the web page.

Thanks for your help!

julia


>
> Adekunle.
> >
> >
> > Configure Exim4 (default mail transfer agent - MTA on Debian)
> > 1. Make sendmail point to exim4 using the command
> > sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/sbin/sendmail sendmail /usr/sbin/exim4 100
> >
> > 2. Run the command below to add gmail and password to exim4 in the format below
> > sudo vi /etc/exim4/passwd.client
> >
> > smtp.gmail.com:my.email@gmail.com:passwordGeneratedByAppPassword
> >
> > 3. Add the following configuration to update-exim4.conf.conf via sudo
> >  e.g sudo vi /etc/exim4/update-exim4.conf.conf
> >
> > dc_eximconfig_configtype='smarthost'
> > dc_other_hostnames=''
> > dc_local_interfaces='127.0.0.1; ::1'
> > dc_readhost=''
> > dc_relay_domains=''
> > dc_minimaldns='false'
> > dc_relay_nets=''
> > dc_smarthost='smtp.gmail.com::587'
> > CFILEMODE='644'
> > dc_use_split_config='false'
> > dc_hide_mailname='true'
> > dc_mailname_in_oh='true'
> > dc_localdelivery='mail_spool'
> >
> > 3. Test if Exim4 can send mails
> > echo "Testing email via Exim4" | /usr/sbin/sendmail -v recipient@gmail.com
> >
> > 4. Add the following to ~/.muttrc
> > set sendmail="/usr/sbin/exim4"
> > set use_from=yes
> > set realname="Your Name"
> > set from="my.email@gmail.com"
> > set envelope_from=yes
> >
> > 5. Setup Done.
> >
>

Re: Setup for sending mail via Mutt

[Samuel Abraham]

On Tue, Apr 1, 2025 at 4:24 PM Richard Akintola
<princerichard17a@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Samuel,
>
> Thank you for the observation, I believe the Gmail Setup section should be updated in the coming days with something like this:
>
> Gmail set up

Okay

> Starting January 2025, the option to choose “Enable IMAP” or “Disable IMAP” won't be available. IMAP access is always turned on in Gmail (by default).

I do not think this line is necessary since the user does not need to
do anything. It is enabled by default

>
> Next, make sure two-step verification (https://myaccount.google.com/signinoptions/two-step-verification) is enabled on your gmail account, then generate and use App Password (https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185833?hl=en).

This is Okay without the 'Next' after the first paragraph is removed.
Then we could add the text below
"To configure Mutt to send patches through Gmail, scroll down to the
MUTT (TUI) section of the page
<Email clients info for Linux >
https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/process/email-clients.html
and follow the configuration steps shown.

Then, in the "Note" section of the  <configure esmtp> section, we
should also indicate in another paragraph
that if they have followed the link in the <Set up Gmail> section
above to configure mutt to send patches
via Gmail, they should skip that section to avoid conflicting configurations.
>
> The mail I sent was only for configuring Esmtp pending the time the changes are effected.

Yes, then you can add your previous esmpt commands to point send mail
and test esmtp after the esmtp
configuration since your configuration and the one in the
documentation are the same.

Adekunle.

Re: Setup for sending mail via Mutt

[Richard Akintola]

On Tue, Apr 1, 2025 at 5:16 PM Samuel Abraham
<abrahamadekunle50@gmail.com> wrote:

> This is Okay without the 'Next' after the first paragraph is removed.

I hope this is now appropriate.

Gmail set up

Enable two-step verification
(https://myaccount.google.com/signinoptions/two-step-verification) if
not enabled on your gmail account, then generate and use App Password
(https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185833?hl=en)


Richard Akintola

Re: Setup for sending mail via Mutt

[Julia Lawall]

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On Tue, 15 Apr 2025, Richard Akintola wrote:

> On Tue, Apr 1, 2025 at 5:16 PM Samuel Abraham
> <abrahamadekunle50@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > This is Okay without the 'Next' after the first paragraph is removed.
>
> I hope this is now appropriate.
>
> Gmail set up
>
> Enable two-step verification
> (https://myaccount.google.com/signinoptions/two-step-verification) if
> not enabled on your gmail account, then generate and use App Password
> (https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185833?hl=en)

Hello Richard,

I'm not completely sure what the suggestion is.  The current text is:

---------------
Gmail set up

In gmail, go click the gear icon, go to "Settings", go to the tab
"Forwarding POP/IMAP", and click "Enable IMAP", then click on "Save
Changes".

Then click the "Configuration instructions" link at the very bottom of the
page. Note the outgoing mail server information in "Step 2", and copy it
into the .esmtprc file, as shown in the next section.

Next, make sure two-step verification is enabled on your gmail account,
then generate and use App Password.
---------------

What should it become?

julia


>
>
> Richard Akintola
>

Re: Setup for sending mail via Mutt

[Richard Akintola]

On Tue, Apr 1, 2025 at 2:11 PM Richard Akintola
<princerichard17a@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> The following assumes that you have installed Esmtp or Exim4 (default on Debian)
> and you have generated password using App Password (for Gmail)
>
> Configure Esmtp
> 1. Added the following to ~/.esmtp file
> identity "my.email@gmail.com"
> hostname smtp.gmail.com:587
> username "my.email@gmail.com"
> password "passwordGeneratedByAppPassword"
> starttls required
>
> 2. Make sendmail point to esmtp using the command
> sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/sbin/sendmail sendmail /usr/bin/esmtp 50
>
> 3. Test if esmtp can send mails
> echo "Testing email via esmtp" | /usr/sbin/sendmail -v recipient@gmail.com
>
> 4. Add the following to ~/.muttrc file
> set sendmail="/usr/bin/esmtp"
> set envelope_from=yes
> set from="My Name <my.email@gmail.com>"
> set use_from=yes
> set edit_headers=yes
>
> 5. Setup Done
>
>
> Configure Exim4 (default mail transfer agent - MTA on Debian)
> 1. Make sendmail point to exim4 using the command
> sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/sbin/sendmail sendmail /usr/sbin/exim4 100
>
> 2. Run the command below to add gmail and password to exim4 in the format below
> sudo vi /etc/exim4/passwd.client
>
> smtp.gmail.com:my.email@gmail.com:passwordGeneratedByAppPassword
>
> 3. Add the following configuration to update-exim4.conf.conf via sudo
>  e.g sudo vi /etc/exim4/update-exim4.conf.conf
>
> dc_eximconfig_configtype='smarthost'
> dc_other_hostnames=''
> dc_local_interfaces='127.0.0.1; ::1'
> dc_readhost=''
> dc_relay_domains=''
> dc_minimaldns='false'
> dc_relay_nets=''
> dc_smarthost='smtp.gmail.com::587'
> CFILEMODE='644'
> dc_use_split_config='false'
> dc_hide_mailname='true'
> dc_mailname_in_oh='true'
> dc_localdelivery='mail_spool'
>
> 3. Test if Exim4 can send mails
> echo "Testing email via Exim4" | /usr/sbin/sendmail -v recipient@gmail.com
>
> 4. Add the following to ~/.muttrc
> set sendmail="/usr/sbin/exim4"
> set use_from=yes
> set realname="Your Name"
> set from="my.email@gmail.com"
> set envelope_from=yes
>
> 5. Setup Done.

Building Linux Kernel on Debian

The command "make bindeb-pkg" is a Debian-specific command and is used
to build Debian (.deb) kernel packages from the Linux kernel source,
these packages are created in the parent directory of the directory
where the make command was used.

Installation
After running "make bindeb-pkg or make -jN bindeb-pkg", you can install the
kernel with:
cd ..
sudo apt install ./*.deb

And if needed, remove it safely using:
sudo apt remove linux-image-<version> linux-headers-<version>

Richard Akintola

Re: Setup for sending mail via Mutt

[Julia Lawall]

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Hello,

Again, please be more clear about what shoud be done.  What page is this
referring to, for example?

thanks,
julia

On Tue, 15 Apr 2025, Richard Akintola wrote:

> On Tue, Apr 1, 2025 at 2:11 PM Richard Akintola
> <princerichard17a@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > The following assumes that you have installed Esmtp or Exim4 (default on Debian)
> > and you have generated password using App Password (for Gmail)
> >
> > Configure Esmtp
> > 1. Added the following to ~/.esmtp file
> > identity "my.email@gmail.com"
> > hostname smtp.gmail.com:587
> > username "my.email@gmail.com"
> > password "passwordGeneratedByAppPassword"
> > starttls required
> >
> > 2. Make sendmail point to esmtp using the command
> > sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/sbin/sendmail sendmail /usr/bin/esmtp 50
> >
> > 3. Test if esmtp can send mails
> > echo "Testing email via esmtp" | /usr/sbin/sendmail -v recipient@gmail.com
> >
> > 4. Add the following to ~/.muttrc file
> > set sendmail="/usr/bin/esmtp"
> > set envelope_from=yes
> > set from="My Name <my.email@gmail.com>"
> > set use_from=yes
> > set edit_headers=yes
> >
> > 5. Setup Done
> >
> >
> > Configure Exim4 (default mail transfer agent - MTA on Debian)
> > 1. Make sendmail point to exim4 using the command
> > sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/sbin/sendmail sendmail /usr/sbin/exim4 100
> >
> > 2. Run the command below to add gmail and password to exim4 in the format below
> > sudo vi /etc/exim4/passwd.client
> >
> > smtp.gmail.com:my.email@gmail.com:passwordGeneratedByAppPassword
> >
> > 3. Add the following configuration to update-exim4.conf.conf via sudo
> >  e.g sudo vi /etc/exim4/update-exim4.conf.conf
> >
> > dc_eximconfig_configtype='smarthost'
> > dc_other_hostnames=''
> > dc_local_interfaces='127.0.0.1; ::1'
> > dc_readhost=''
> > dc_relay_domains=''
> > dc_minimaldns='false'
> > dc_relay_nets=''
> > dc_smarthost='smtp.gmail.com::587'
> > CFILEMODE='644'
> > dc_use_split_config='false'
> > dc_hide_mailname='true'
> > dc_mailname_in_oh='true'
> > dc_localdelivery='mail_spool'
> >
> > 3. Test if Exim4 can send mails
> > echo "Testing email via Exim4" | /usr/sbin/sendmail -v recipient@gmail.com
> >
> > 4. Add the following to ~/.muttrc
> > set sendmail="/usr/sbin/exim4"
> > set use_from=yes
> > set realname="Your Name"
> > set from="my.email@gmail.com"
> > set envelope_from=yes
> >
> > 5. Setup Done.
>
> Building Linux Kernel on Debian
>
> The command "make bindeb-pkg" is a Debian-specific command and is used
> to build Debian (.deb) kernel packages from the Linux kernel source,
> these packages are created in the parent directory of the directory
> where the make command was used.
>
> Installation
> After running "make bindeb-pkg or make -jN bindeb-pkg", you can install the
> kernel with:
> cd ..
> sudo apt install ./*.deb
>
> And if needed, remove it safely using:
> sudo apt remove linux-image-<version> linux-headers-<version>
>
> Richard Akintola
>
>

Re: Setup for sending mail via Mutt

[Richard Akintola]

On Tue, Apr 15, 2025 at 10:04 AM Julia Lawall <julia.lawall@inria.fr> wrote:

Hi Julia,

Given this information from Gmail:
------------------
Gmail users with a personal Google Account

Starting January 2025, the option to choose “Enable IMAP” or “Disable
IMAP” won't be available. IMAP access is always turned on in Gmail,
and your current connections to other email clients aren’t affected.
You don’t need to take any action.
------------------
One cannot enable IMAP as the current "Gmail set up" text suggests
and in the same vein there are no configuration instructions to copy
except copying
the app password to password line of the .esmtprc file.

identity "my.email@gmail.com"
hostname smtp.gmail.com:587
username "my.email@gmail.com"
password "ThisIsNotARealPassWord" --- app password to be placed here
starttls required

> I'm not completely sure what the suggestion is.  The current text is:
>
> ---------------
> Gmail set up
>
> In gmail, go click the gear icon, go to "Settings", go to the tab
> "Forwarding POP/IMAP", and click "Enable IMAP", then click on "Save
> Changes".
>
> Then click the "Configuration instructions" link at the very bottom of the
> page. Note the outgoing mail server information in "Step 2", and copy it
> into the .esmtprc file, as shown in the next section.
>
> Next, make sure two-step verification is enabled on your gmail account,
> then generate and use App Password.
> ---------------

> What should it become?

This is what I suggest that it becomes:

Gmail set up

Enable two-step verification
(https://myaccount.google.com/signinoptions/two-step-verification) if
not enabled on your gmail account, then generate and use App Password
(https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185833?hl=en), copy password
to password line of the .esmtprc file.

Richard Akintola

Re: Setup for sending mail via Mutt

[Richard Akintola]

On Tue, Apr 15, 2025 at 10:17 AM Julia Lawall <julia.lawall@inria.fr> wrote:

> Again, please be more clear about what shoud be done.  What page is this
> referring to, for example?

Oh my bad that it wasn't clear, I couldn't use the "make -jN" and
"sudo make modules_install install" to successfully install the kernel on my
Debian based OS, so I found a way around it.

Below are the parts of the page that I think that they could be placed
but it must be
noted that these are for Debian based OS.

Compile the Kernel
make bindeb-pkg
Or for example
make -j2 bindeb-pkg

Install your changes
After running "make bindeb-pkg or make -jN bindeb-pkg", install the
kernel with:
cd ..
sudo apt install ./*.deb

To uninstall the custom kernel -- this could also be placed at the
install your changes
sudo apt remove linux-image-<version> linux-headers-<version>

Richard Akintola