Network Access to SpamAssassin

Question / Problem

How can I check if SpamAssassin is accessible over the network?

Answer / Solution

SpamAssassin in a Box configures the SpamAssassin daemon to accept only local requests per default (listening port 783). If you want to make it accept requests over the network, you need to change the startup parameters of SpamD using the SpamAssassinServiceController.config under "C:\ProgramData\JAM Software\spamdService\".

To allow a remote host connections to SpamD, please add the address of the host under AllowedIPs, e.g. "192.168.0.1". To allow conncetions from all clients of the subnet 192.168.0.*, please specify "192.168.0.". In addition to the AllowedIPs options, please ensure that the ListenIP is set to "0.0.0.0." so that connections on any network interface of the the machine that is running the SpamAssassin service are allowed. For further information on the parameters please see chapter Configuration or refer to the official SpamAssassin documentation.

When you have applied the changes, please restart the 'SpamAssassin Daemon Control' service over the Service Control Manager (run -> services.msc) so the daemon can use the new configuration settings. Please also ensure that port 783 (default port of the SpamAssassin daemon) is opened in the Windows firewall or any other similar program. During the installation of "SpamAssassin in a Box"  the port is automatically opened in the Windows firewall, if this option hasn't been explicitly disabled in the setup dialogue.

You can now check the network availability of the SpamAssassin daemon by connecting to it from a remote host in your network. You need a program like telnet, putty or the SpamAssassin client 'spamc.exe' that is located in your SpamAssassin in a Box  installation directory to establish a connection. If you use the spamc.exe please proceed as follows:

•  On the remote host open a DOS prompt and locate the directory you have copied the spamc.exe to.
• Create a text file with an arbitrary content which we will used to be checked by SpamAssassin.
• Use spamc.exe to send the request to the SpamAssassin daemon. You need to know the IP address or hostname of the machine on which you have installed SpamAssassin in a Box , for example:
  spamc.exe -d 192.168.0.1 < textfile.txt
• If the request was successful it should contain an according spam report (X-Spam-Status headers, ...), see "How can I check if SpamAssassin in a Box is working?"