From f310e92be94179a8d3ad417ec0f6ffc0cc88c405 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: missytake Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:59:23 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] doc: document IPv4-only relays --- doc/source/getting_started.rst | 7 +++++-- doc/source/index.rst | 1 + doc/source/iponly.rst | 29 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3 files changed, 35 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) create mode 100644 doc/source/iponly.rst diff --git a/doc/source/getting_started.rst b/doc/source/getting_started.rst index 28781f28..76d7bacf 100644 --- a/doc/source/getting_started.rst +++ b/doc/source/getting_started.rst @@ -14,8 +14,6 @@ Minimal requirements and prerequisites You will need the following: -- Control over a domain through a DNS provider of your choice. - - A Debian 12 **deployment server** with reachable SMTP/SUBMISSIONS/IMAPS/HTTPS ports. IPv6 is encouraged if available. Chatmail relay servers only require 1GB RAM, one CPU, and perhaps 10GB storage for a few thousand active @@ -28,6 +26,11 @@ You will need the following: (An ed25519 private key is required due to an `upstream bug in paramiko `_) +- Control over a domain through a DNS provider of your choice + (there is experimental support for :ref:`DNS-less relays `). + + +.. _setup: Setup with ``scripts/cmdeploy`` ------------------------------------- diff --git a/doc/source/index.rst b/doc/source/index.rst index 48fc1cc5..48768810 100644 --- a/doc/source/index.rst +++ b/doc/source/index.rst @@ -19,3 +19,4 @@ Contributions and feedback welcome through the https://github.com/chatmail/relay reverse_dns related faq + iponly diff --git a/doc/source/iponly.rst b/doc/source/iponly.rst new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f4813c56 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/source/iponly.rst @@ -0,0 +1,29 @@ +.. _iponly: + +Hosting without DNS records +=========================== + +.. note:: + + This option is experimental and might change without notice. + +In case you don't have a domain, +for example in a local network, +you can run a chatmail relay with only an IPv4 address as well. + +To deploy a relay without a domain, +run ``cmdeploy init`` with only the IPv4 address +during the :ref:`installation steps `, +for example ``cmdeploy init 13.12.23.42``. + +Drawbacks +--------- + +- your transport encryption will only use self-signed TLS certificates, + which are vulnerable against MITM attacks. + the chatmail core's end-to-end encryption should suffice in most scenarios though. + +- your messages will not be DKIM-signed; + experimentally, most chatmail relays accept non-DKIM-signed messages from IPv4-only relays, + but some relays might not accept messages from yours. +