MailWasher Enterprise Server

WINDOWS INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Contents

Quick Overview

MailWasher Enterprise Server (MWES) works as a proxy, meaning it sits in front of your mail server collecting and processing all incoming mail. You will notice a significant reduction spam along with reduced load on your mail server when MWES is installed and working.

The following diagram illustrates how MWES operates.

Download

Download MailWasher Enterprise Server (MWES) for Windows Server 2000, 2003 or 2008. MWES may be used with any Windows Mail Server like Microsoft Exchange 2000,2003,2007, SmarterMail, IMail, MailEnable and any others.

Installation instructions for Microsoft Exchange 2003/2007/2010

  • Download detailed instructions for installing with Microsoft Exchange 2003.
  • Download detailed instructions for installing with Microsoft Exchange 2007/2010.

Installation Instructions (Other Mail Server General Instructions)

Steps:

Note: MWES for Windows does not currently support TLS/SSL. Clients have to use Plain Authentication.

1. Change the listening SMTP port from 25 to 26 for MS Exchange 2000/2003/2007 (or any other MTA you are using).

Helpful Links:

  1. Exchange 2000 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/274842)
  2. Exchange 2003 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/274842) In Exchange 2003 after changing Port 25 from 26 make sure you cross check the following: Go to Exchange System Manager->Servers->Protocols-> SMTP properties. In General Tab you will likely have an IP address specified. Change it to "All Unassigned".
  3. Exchange 2007 (http://www.exchangelog.info/2007/08/how-to-ch...). In Exchange 2007 after changing Port 25 from 26 make sure you cross check the following: Go to Exchange Management Console->Server Configuration->Hub Transport->Default Mail Poroperties at Right pan. In Network Tab Edit Local IP Address and Select "Use all IP addresses available on this server" Press OK & Restart Exchange Transport Service.

2. Run the mwes installer and follow the instructions on the screen. The screenshot below shows options for viewing the web interface.

Note: During install you don't need to change any of the defaults here unless you're using a different port or box.

3. By default a 30 day trial period is setup on installation. This can be changed on the license screen. Please note, you do not need to enter any username and password for the trial account.

On completing the installation, a browser window will launch taking you to your login screen http://[company.site]:4044

The default login is:

UserID: admin
Password: password

4. You will need to add any domains used at settings>>Domains, to prevent your network appearing as an open relay.

5. Make sure ports 25, 4044 and 4051 are not firewalled as MWES uses these ports.

6. Emails will arrive through port 25 and be checked by MWES. If email is not quarantined it will then be passed onto MS Exchange (or other MTA) through port 26.

Note: If you want to install MWES Proxy on a different computer than the Mail Server, you'll need to do the following.

Changing MTA HOSTNAME (By default it is set to localhost):

  1. Go to the Windows Registry setting (Start>>Run>>regedit) - "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Firetrust Limited\mwes"
  2. In the right pane double click on "mta_hostname" string and enter local LAN IP e.g. 192.168.1.1, IP address of the mail server or if you are running Dual LAN Cards, enter IP address to which all SMTP traffic comes in.
  3. Close Registry & Restart MailWasher Enterprise Server in Administrative Services (go to Start>>Run>> type 'services.msc' and locate MailWasher Enterprise Server).



Using MailWasher Enterprise for the first time

Please see the section Using MailWasher Enterprise Server.


Upgrading from the old conduit version

Remove old version of MWES including the conduit

  1. Uninstall conduit Start->Program->Mailwasher Enterprise server->Uninstall conduit.
  2. Using Task Manager, kill process inetinfo.exe to make MS Exchange release and remove the existing conduit (inetinfo.exe will restart automatically)
  3. Uninstall MWES from the Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs

Uninstall

Uninstall MWES from the Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs

Upgrading

Download and run the latest mwes.x.x.x.exe. MWES will automatically upgrade itself.

Note: Users upgrading from an earlier build to version 2.74 or later will need to make sure their existing registry entries correspond to changes in version 2.74 below.
Users of Exchange 2007 and 2010 will need to follow the install instructions (parts 'Exchange Section' and 'MailWasher Section') to get it working properly.

  • OLD NAME (Pre Version 2.74) -> NEW NAME (Version 2.74 onwards)
  • hostname -> web_hostname
  • port -> web_port
  • mta_hostname -> proxy_hostname
  • mta_port -> proxy_port
  • mta_relay_hostname -> mta_hostname
  • mta_relay_port -> mta_port

Start and Stop

If needed, you can Start/Stop/Restart MailWasher Enterprise Server in Administrative Services (go to Start>>Run>> type 'services.msc' and locate MailWasher Enterprise Server).



TROUBLESHOOTING

Creating a log file

If you installed MailWasher Server to the default location a log file is created "C:\Program Files\MailWasher Enterprise Server\logs\"

Go to the Windows Registry: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Firetrust Limited\mwes"

Change the registry key to log_level=1

When changed, restart the MailWasher Enterprise Server Service (Go to Start>>Run>>Type 'services.msc' and locate MailWasher Enterprise Server, and restart).

Please zip this directory up and send it to us at nick.bolton@firetrust.com

There's also the forum for any questions and Frequently Asked Questions.

Any other problems please email us.



Q. Inbound email is not being filtered.

A. Please see the FAQ at I've installed MWES but it does not filter inbound email.



Q. I can't rescue email.

A. There's two options to fix this.

1. Go to Exchange System Manager and locate SMTP properties like below. You will likely have an IP address specified. If you change this to 'All Unassigned' then rescue will work. Stop and start the service (wait a minute for it to work). If you want to keep the IP address specified then go to option 2.

2. Make sure you're using version 2.68 or later and go to the Windows Registry setting (Start>>Run>>regedit) - "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Firetrust Limited\mwes"

Locate the key 'proxy_hostname' and enter the IP address you're using above.

Restart MailWasher Enterprise Server in the services (go to Start>>Run>> type 'services.msc' and locate MailWasher Enterprise Server)

MISCELLANEOUS

You can add/change these options in the registry

Windows Registry: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Firetrust Limited\mwes"

If changed, restart the MailWasher Enterprise Server Service (Go to Start>>Run>>Type 'services.msc' and locate MailWasher Enterprise Server, and restart).



Database location

database_location C:\Program Files\MailWasher Enterprise Server\data



Default page after login

default_page Quarantined.srv



Location of installed files

home C:\Program Files\MailWasher Enterprise Server



Web server details

root_document C:\Program Files\MailWasher Enterprise Server\site
web_port=4044
web_hostname=localhost



Change the logging level

If you want to change the logging level. Default is 2 (normal)

0 = Full
1 = Partial
2 = Normal
3 = Warnings
4 = Errors

log_level=2



Location of logs

logging C:\Program Files\MailWasher Enterprise Server\logs



Proxy configuration

Details show the port and location of MWES proxy
use_mta_proxy=1
proxy_port=25
proxy_hostname=



Change the location and port where MWES sees the MTA

MTA Relay is used to show the location and port of your MTA. Defaults are shown below.
mta_hostname=localhost
mta_port=26



FirstAlert cache size information.

This is used to cache already checked spam to reduce the number of external checks.
cfs_max_cache_size=20000



RBL cache size information.

This is used to cache already checked spam to reduce the number of external checks.
rbl_max_cache_size=20000



Use working domains to stop open relay

use_check_domains=1
# If set = 1 this stops your MTA appearing as an open relay by checking the list of your working domains.
# If set = 0 will let all email through without checking your working domains. (ie. it will filter everything instead of distinguishing between internal and external email). You'll just need to make sure your MTA is configured to not appear as an open relay.



Ignore MTA Authentication

use_mta_authentication=1

# If set =1 then all emails authenticated by MTA are safe and will not be filtered.
# If set =0 then MTA Authentication is ignored and all emails pass through filters.



Don't check local email

use_is_routable=1

# If set = 1 to not check your local mail going out.
# If set = 0 to check your local mail going out.



Discard empty email's.

Emails without a body are discarded.
discard_empty_emails=1
# If set = 1, emails with empty bodies are discarded
# If set = 0, emails with empty bodies are passed through for filtering



Preview body of blocked emails

Displays the number of characters used in the email preview when the mouse is moved over the subject
view_body_max=200
# 200 characters is the default but feel free to adjust this to a higher value.



SPF lite

A lite version of SPF is able to be turned on. This means emails will be delivered more quickly as many of them won't need to be greylisted, but you may receive slightly more spam.
use_spf=0
# If set = 1, spf lite is turned on
# If set = 0, spf lite is turned off