1. Install PHP IMAP Extension (required)

# Ubuntu / Debian
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y php-imap
# Verify: php -m | grep -i imap
# Then restart PHP-FPM and your web server:
sudo systemctl restart php8.3-fpm nginx
# Or if using Apache:  sudo systemctl restart apache2

2. Configure Environment

# From the webmail directory
cp config/.env.example config/.env
chmod 600 config/.env
# Edit config/.env and set:
#   MAIL_IMAP_HOST=192.168.0.221
#   MAIL_IMAP_PORT=993
#   MAIL_IMAP_SSL=true
#   MAIL_IMAP_VALIDATE_CERT=false  (internal LAN IP, no public cert)
#   MAIL_SMTP_HOST=192.168.0.221
#   MAIL_SMTP_PORT=465
#   MAIL_SMTP_SECURE=ssl
#   MAIL_SMTP_VALIDATE_CERT=false
#   DB_HOST=localhost
#   DB_NAME=webmail
#   DB_USER=root
#   DB_PASS=...

3. Create MySQL Database

CREATE DATABASE webmail CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;
# Optional dedicated user:
CREATE USER 'webmail'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'StrongPassword123!';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON webmail.* TO 'webmail'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

4. Mailcow (mail.yourapps.co.za) Firewall / Ports

From this web server, the internal IP is 192.168.0.221. Ensure this host can reach:

• TCP 993 (IMAPS / Dovecot SSL) – reading mail
• TCP 465 (SMTPS / Postfix SSL) – sending mail
• If using STARTTLS instead: TCP 143 (IMAP) & TCP 587 (Submission)

Mailcow default Docker exposes these on the host LAN. If ufw/Docker ACLs restrict 192.168.0.0/24, add explicit allows from this web server's IP.

5. First Login

Use your full Mailcow email address (e.g. you@yourapps.co.za) and the same mailbox password you use in Mailcow/SOGo. Passwords are encrypted at rest with libsodium and tied to the PHP session.