So, given that my power utility company is promising years of preventative power outages, I'm revisiting moving my BBS and mailer to a VPS.

I've run Synchronet for years under Windows and wanted to understand how
other people here configure their BBSes when running under *nix.

Do you run another web server like Apache or Nginx and then set up
Synchronet as a sgi handler to handle .ssjs files? Or use Synchronet as your primary web server? Or configure another web server as a reverse proxy?

Ditto for mail - I'd like to be able to use procmail and other anti-spam tools, not sure how I'd have one MTA on the system answer for incoming mail and then hand off to Synchronet.

Or, do you just have Synchronet handling everything?

Lastly, do you use a software firewall on the box?

I'm trying to imagine a setup where I had a public IP on the front-end services (like Nginx/Sendmail), and then routed to a Synchronet bound on a private IP on the same interface, but that might be overcomplicating the issue.

Thanks in advance!




... Have you ever asked a question you weren't supposed to ask?
--- MultiMail/XT v0.52
þ Synchronet þ realitycheckBBS -- http://realitycheckBBS.org

Re: SBBS and services under Linux
By: poindexter FORTRAN to All on Tue Nov 12 2019 07:20 am

I've run Synchronet for years under Windows and wanted to understand how other people here configure their BBSes when running under *nix.

Do you run another web server like Apache or Nginx and then set up Synchronet as a sgi handler to handle .ssjs files? Or use Synchronet as your primary web server? Or configure another web server as a reverse proxy?

Ditto for mail - I'd like to be able to use procmail and other anti-spam tools, not sure how I'd have one MTA on the system answer for incoming mail and then hand off to Synchronet.

Or, do you just have Synchronet handling everything?

So for me, on the linux server I have hosting Synchronet, I've made sure all services Synchronet can handle were turned off. The only exception is I left sshd on running on the default 22 port and changed Synchronet's ssh port to 2222. So Synchronet is handling it all, except I have rlogin and a few other services disabled. I might change it around and disable Synchronet's mail services and put those direct on the server.

I think it's going to simply be your personal preference on how you go about it as you could run most of Synchronet's services on different ports other then default. A matter of if you're using the vps for something other then hosting Synchronet or not.

-altere

---
þ Synchronet þ Athelstan BBS - athelstan.org ssh:2222 telnet:23

Re: SBBS and services under Linux
By: poindexter FORTRAN to All on Tue Nov 12 2019 07:20 am

I've run Synchronet for years under Windows and wanted to understand how other people here configure their BBSes when running under *nix.

So I run SBBS in a docker container. But dont let docker confuse you. The reason I use docker, is it makes it super easy to move an application from Host A to host B - and I can do it in minutes. (Ever tried to "reinstall" an app on a new host, go through the config, then move the data, and there is always something that you missed/forgot or didnt do - docker completely alleviates that.)

Anyway, so the container is configured to receive connections on the ports you desire (22,23,25,80, etc).

For mail, I have another (group of) containers that handle mail spam and mail routing - the group being sendmail, rspam, clamav - they all talk to each other on the internal docker network. Mail for the BBS, goes to the BBSes port 25, mail for my other domains goes to my mail server (another docker container).

I could put nginx in front, and have it proxy stuff through to SBBS - to port 80 - I actually havent done that you as I havent got around to it. (But I do that with web apps I'm hosting or developing.)

Telnet is portforwarded through with my firewall - which is opnsense.

Now, having everything inside docker, if I dont like who I host with, its pretty easy to move everything somewhere else (home or another VPS) - and I'm actually doing that with a bunch of web sites that I'm managing.
...ëîå*

... Hypochondriac: someone who enjoys bad health.

---
þ Synchronet þ Alterant | an SBBS in Docker on Pi!

On 11-12-19 07:20, poindexter FORTRAN wrote to All <=-

So, given that my power utility company is promising years of
preventative power outages, I'm revisiting moving my BBS and mailer to
a VPS.

Might be a wise move for you.

I've run Synchronet for years under Windows and wanted to understand
how other people here configure their BBSes when running under *nix.

Do you run another web server like Apache or Nginx and then set up Synchronet as a sgi handler to handle .ssjs files? Or use Synchronet as your primary web server? Or configure another web server as a reverse proxy?

Depends what you want to do. Web access is available but not a high priority for me.

Ditto for mail - I'd like to be able to use procmail and other
anti-spam tools, not sure how I'd have one MTA on the system answer for incoming mail and then hand off to Synchronet.

You could do that. I think SBBS has some anti spam tools, but from memory they rely on RBLs, which I don't like to do, because the RBLs can sometimes be a bit over the top. I prefer to use them as input for something like SpamAssassin.

Or, do you just have Synchronet handling everything?

Lastly, do you use a software firewall on the box?

That's easily done, because Linux has iptables available.

I'm trying to imagine a setup where I had a public IP on the front-end services (like Nginx/Sendmail), and then routed to a Synchronet bound
on a private IP on the same interface, but that might be
overcomplicating the issue.

Again, depends what you want, and it might actually be better to use iptables to do any port redirection or blocking necessary onto the same IP. That way, user facing services like telnet/SSH can be handled directly by Synchronet, while anything you want something infront of Synchronet can be setup that way.


... BULLFIGHTER: 1 little man against a 1/2 ton of pissed off pot roast.
=== MultiMail/Win v0.51
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Linux
* Origin: Freeway BBS Bendigo,Australia freeway.apana.org.au (3:633/410)
þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net

Re: Re: SBBS and services under Linux
By: Tony Langdon to poindexter FORTRAN on Wed Nov 13 2019 11:33 am

You could do that. I think SBBS has some anti spam tools, but from memory they rely on RBLs, which I don't like to do, because the RBLs can sometimes be a bit over the top. I prefer to use them as input for something like SpamAssassin.

You can use either or both:
http://wiki.synchro.net/howto:spamd

digital man

This Is Spinal Tap quote #21:
So when you're playing you feel like a preserved moose on stage?
Norco, CA WX: 72.4øF, 40.0% humidity, 2 mph ESE wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

---
þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net

On 11-12-19 17:39, Digital Man wrote to Tony Langdon <=-

Re: Re: SBBS and services under Linux
By: Tony Langdon to poindexter FORTRAN on Wed Nov 13 2019 11:33 am

You could do that. I think SBBS has some anti spam tools, but from memory they rely on RBLs, which I don't like to do, because the RBLs can sometimes be a bit over the top. I prefer to use them as input for something like SpamAssassin.

You can use either or both:
http://wiki.synchro.net/howto:spamd

No probs. Yeah I've had too many issues with systems setup to trust RBLs only. :/


... That unit is a woman. A mass of conflicting impulses. Spock and Nomad
=== MultiMail/Win v0.51
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Linux
* Origin: Freeway BBS Bendigo,Australia freeway.apana.org.au (3:633/410)
þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net

El 12/11/19 a las 12:20, poindexter FORTRAN escribi¢:

So, given that my power utility company is promising years of preventative power outages, I'm revisiting moving my BBS and mailer to a VPS.

I've run Synchronet for years under Windows and wanted to understand how other people here configure their BBSes when running under *nix.

Do you run another web server like Apache or Nginx and then set up Synchronet as a sgi handler to handle .ssjs files? Or use Synchronet as your primary web server? Or configure another web server as a reverse proxy?

Ditto for mail - I'd like to be able to use procmail and other anti-spam tools, not sure how I'd have one MTA on the system answer for incoming mail and then hand off to Synchronet.

Or, do you just have Synchronet handling everything?

Lastly, do you use a software firewall on the box?

I'm trying to imagine a setup where I had a public IP on the front-end services (like Nginx/Sendmail), and then routed to a Synchronet bound on a private IP on the same interface, but that might be overcomplicating the issue.

Thanks in advance!

I run sync on debian and use nginx as web front.
Most services are handle from synchronet, nntp, ftp, telnet, irc,
binkit, etc

I relay bbs mail to my primary mailserver (dovecot and postfix). Just
use the mailserver from synchronet to receive and interbbs messages
because i'm imap user and synchornet imap service is not very fast
compare with dovecot

i run several DOS door via dosemu.
Under gnu/linux, Synchronet run very very well.


Saludos!

---
þ Synchronet þ Dock Sud BBS TLD 24 HS - http://bbs.docksud.com.ar - telnet://bbs.docksud.com.ar

Altere wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

I think it's going to simply be your personal preference on how you go about it as you could run most of Synchronet's services on different
ports other then default. A matter of if you're using the vps for something other then hosting Synchronet or not.

My intention was to dedicate the VPS to Synchronet, but now that I think
about it, could probably host my domains on it as well.


... Into the impossible
--- MultiMail/XT v0.52
* Origin: http://realitycheckbbs.org | tomorrow's retro tech (1:218/700)
þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net

Re: Re: SBBS and services under Linux
By: Kurt Weiske to Altere on Thu Nov 14 2019 06:28 am

Altere wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

I think it's going to simply be your personal preference on how you go about it as you could run most of Synchronet's services on different ports other then default. A matter of if you're using the vps for something other then hosting Synchronet or not.

My intention was to dedicate the VPS to Synchronet, but now that I think about it, could probably host my domains on it as well.

just get a dedicated host from ovh. they have budget ones. search for soyoustart

then you can install proxmox on it from the control panel and then do whatever vms you want.
---
þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

MRO wrote to Kurt Weiske <=-

just get a dedicated host from ovh. they have budget ones. search for soyoustart

I've got a 4 ghz KVM VPS with 100 GB of SSD for $51/year from Chicagovps, we'll see how that goes first.




... Do you ever see inconsistencies in your world?
--- MultiMail/XT v0.52
* Origin: http://realitycheckbbs.org | tomorrow's retro tech (1:218/700)
þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net

Re: Re: SBBS and services under Linux
By: Kurt Weiske to MRO on Fri Nov 15 2019 08:39 pm

MRO wrote to Kurt Weiske <=-

just get a dedicated host from ovh. they have budget ones. search for soyoustart

I've got a 4 ghz KVM VPS with 100 GB of SSD for $51/year from Chicagovps, we'll see how that goes first.

i used them a bunch of times. each time the vps didnt have enough muscle and it would disconnect from the network all the time.
i still have money in my account there, but i doubt i'll use it.
---
þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::