Configure access to mailboxes from internet (mail2web)

[Ronnay]

I'm evaluating WinGate 6.0.4

WinGate has an e-mail server, but offers no possibility to access WinGate mailboxes from the internet because there is no WebMail stuff available.

How should I configure WinGate to access the WinGate mailboxes from the internet using POP3 port 110 via websites like mail2web.com?
I've added a Port Security in Extended Networking allowing "Computers from the internet" to connect with TCP port 110.
But that doesn't work.

I've also added a Port Security in Extended Networking allowing "Computers from the internet" to connect with TCP port 80 to browse my webpages on the same machine WinGate is running on. This works fine.

So why doesn't POP3 works the same?

Greetings,
Ronnay

[Ronnay]

I've removed the Port Security in Extended Networking allowing "Computers from the internet" to connect with TCP port 110.
Then I've added a binding in POP3 server properties on Any Adapter, Any Address for TCP port 110.
This resulted in an automatically added Port Security in Extended Networking named "Hole for POP3 Server (Auto)".

With this setting I can reach the WinGate mailboxes from the internet via websites like mail2web.com.

So this problem seems solved, but is this the correct way?
And why is adding only a Port Security for TCP port 80 in Extended Networking sufficient to access my WAMP5 webserver from the internet, while it is not ok for POP3?

Greetings,
Ronnay

[MattP]

Hi Ronnay,

Opening a port in the firewall doesn't automatically bind a service to the external adapter. So even though the port is open the service won't be listening for incoming connections from the external adapter.

By binding to any adapter you have told the POP3 server to listen for any incoming connection on any adapter. Because the service needs to listen to the external adapter now it automatically opens a port on the firewall (which you're seeing in Extended Networking) and you can now connect to it from the internet.

[Ronnay]

Thanks for your answer.
So you're saying that the WinGate mail server only responds on pop3 requests if the pop3 server has bindings to the external NIC.
That also makes clear why my WAMP5 webserver works fine with only a Port Security added. Requests from the external NIC on port 80 are then not handled by WinGate, because there is no binding for port 80 on the external NIC.
And furthermore: If I ran a mail server from a third party that includes webmail facilities, I could shutdown the mail services in WinGate, remove the bindings for pop3 on the external NIC and add a Port Security on port 110 in Extended Networking.

Is that right?

Greetings,
Ronnay

[MattP]

Yep, sounds about right.