On Mon, 2007-05-21 at 16:23 -0400, William Case wrote: > Thanks Rick; > > On Mon, 2007-05-21 at 13:13 -0700, Rick Stevens wrote: > > On Mon, 2007-05-21 at 12:13 -0400, William Case wrote: > > > I was about to say, when I see weird stuff like that on mail systems, I > > try ye ol' manual POP session via telnet to see what's what (Evolution's > > error messages can be cryptic): > > > > # telnet pop.broadband.rogers.com 110 > > +OK (sign-on messages appear) > > user billlinux > > +OK (some message about password) > > pass (your password) > > +OK (messages regarding "Mailbox open, xx messages) > > quit > > +OK (signoff messages) > > > > Stuff from the server is prefixed with a "+" sign and the messages will > > vary depending on the pop server. Example with one of mine: > > > > [root@prophead ~]# telnet pop-01-001.root-mail.com 110 > > Trying 64.7.195.100... > > Connected to pop-01-001.root-mail.com (64.7.195.100). > > Escape character is '^]'. > > +OK POP3 pop-01-001.root-mail.com v2003.83 server ready > > user rps2 > > +OK User name accepted, password please > > pass ************** > > +OK Mailbox open, 3 messages > > quit > > +OK Sayonara > > Connection closed by foreign host. > > > > IMAP isn't that much more difficult to test. > > > I am going to save your advice. I had never before found a real live > use for telnet. It was always just an interesting curiosity. I will > put it to use in the future. It is useful for things like this (testing POP and IMAP servers and some very rudimentary web server testing). NEVER, EVER use it for anything important. BTW, if you want to use it for testing IMAP, try this (you enter stuff at the "->" lines): -> telnet imapserver.domain.tld 143 * OK (capability strings, signon messages and the like -> 1 login username password 1 OK (capability strings and welcome message) -> 2 select inbox * (several lines about the status of your Inbox) 2 OK [READ-WRITE] SELECT COMPLETED -> 3 logout Again, the messages will vary depending on the server implementation. Example from one of my servers (lines wrapped for readability): -> [root@prophead ~]# telnet imap-01-001.root-mail.com 143 Trying 64.7.195.105... Connected to imap-01-001.root-mail.com (64.7.195.105). Escape character is '^]'. * OK [CAPABILITY IMAP4REV1 LOGIN-REFERRALS AUTH=LOGIN] imap-01-001.root-mail.com VitalStream IMAP4 2003.339 at Mon, 21 May 2007 13:36:09 -0700 (PDT) -> 1 login rps2 ************* 1 OK [CAPABILITY IMAP4REV1 IDLE NAMESPACE MAILBOX-REFERRALS BINARY UNSELECT SCAN SORT THREAD=REFERENCES THREAD=ORDEREDSUBJECT MULTIAPPEND] User rps2 authenticated -> 2 select inbox * 3 EXISTS * 0 RECENT * OK [UIDVALIDITY 1136509733] UID validity status * OK [UIDNEXT 4] Predicted next UID * FLAGS (\Answered \Flagged \Deleted \Draft \Seen) * OK [PERMANENTFLAGS (\* \Answered \Flagged \Deleted \Draft \Seen)] Permanent flags * OK [UNSEEN 3] first unseen message in /virtmail/rps2/mbox 2 OK [READ-WRITE] SELECT completed -> 3 logout * BYE imap-01-001.root-mail.com IMAP4rev1 server terminating connection 3 OK LOGOUT completed Connection closed by foreign host. So, it's useful as a testing tool. I don't use it otherwise. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - Rick Stevens, Principal Engineer rstevens@xxxxxxxxxxxx - - VitalStream, Inc. http://www.vitalstream.com - - - - IGNORE that man behind the keyboard! - - - The Wizard of OS - ----------------------------------------------------------------------
