# Cannot run Chatmail relay **URL:** \ **Category:** Chatmail Relays\ **Created:** [June 10, 2025, 4:26am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831 "2025-06-10T04:26:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![timursagdenov](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/timursagdenov/32/2571_2.png) [@timursagdenov](https://support.delta.chat/u/timursagdenov)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 4:26am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/1 "2025-06-10T04:26:34Z")
**Chatmail relay version** : 1.6.0 **Expected behavior** Running chatmail relay. **Actual behavior** An error: ```auto debian@29756:~/relay$ scripts/cmdeploy run [ssh] login to deltachat.kz root@deltachat.kz's password: Collecting initial DNS settings.............. [$ pyinfra --ssh-user root deltachat.kz /home/debian/relay/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deploy.py -y] --> Loading config... --> Loading inventory... --> Connecting to hosts... [deltachat.kz] SSH error (No authentication methods available) --> Disconnecting from hosts... --> pyinfra error: No hosts remaining! Deploy failed debian@29756:~/relay$ ``` SSH root works correctly, I can login via `$ ssh root@deltachat.kz`. What do I do wrong and how to fix the issue? ---
**Author:** ![timursagdenov](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/timursagdenov/32/2571_2.png) [@timursagdenov](https://support.delta.chat/u/timursagdenov)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 6:54am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/2 "2025-06-10T06:54:02Z")
Well, I needed to do these to deploy the relay: ```auto $ ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "deploy" $ ssh-copy-id root@deltachat.kz $ hostnamectl set-hostname deltachat.kz ``` Then add to /etc/hosts `127.0.1.1 deltachat.kz` ```auto nano /etc/postfix/main.cf ``` Replace `myhostname = 29756` to `myhostname = deltachat.kz`. ```auto dpkg --configure postfix ``` Then I needed to delete added OpenSUSE-mirror from `/etc/apt/source.list` and install `dovecat-core`, because for some reason the package from OpenSUSE-mirror was incorrect. And now my relay works, but I cannot text anyone. I launched `~/relay$ scripts/cmdeploy dns` Output: ```auto debian@29756:~/relay$ scripts/cmdeploy dns [ssh] login to deltachat.kz Collecting initial DNS settings.............. Check expected zone file entries.............................................. Please set required DNS entries at your DNS provider: deltachat.kz. MX 10 deltachat.kz. _mta-sts.deltachat.kz. TXT "v=STSv1; id=202506100614\" opendkim._domainkey.deltachat.kz. TXT "v=DKIM1;k=rsa;p=MIIBIjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ8AMIIBCgKCAQEAzp/EkIBqaMfE/E5qNKPtSSsE0TtFi1+HI0HbJukku7/nSGaF5JleBTC9c0KAWCr+pzWsrX44RBDzoB2STf9FuncI9TV8TrVS/mpE/A4LO+rDIV8MCIoeT0LCHnZhgjTgBfpE7a9zbTYKl+/WjXWxEnDP7rcX7rTzpijSnePXbTXEFON8yg1/gcA7ViYt62zGiHA" "02cpYn3iUn5sgxwFdsnjVD76vse11ut2b6ufvYyd8HF7ZZgFQlrCTiSloYOKMbPRcLz24mqcBY1UbgnTihczIQC0KawO0XgzV8pwWIQh45n6tMx2Jwfyy0JRFT1c+U0a26hRCC4YCtj9IlTZbEwIDAQAB;s=email;t=s" If the DKIM entry above does not work with your DNS provider, you can try this one: opendkim._domainkey.deltachat.kz. TXT "v=DKIM1;k=rsa;p=MIIBIjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ8AMIIBCgKCAQEAzp/EkIBqaMfE/E5qNKPtSSsE0TtFi1+HI0HbJukku7/nSGaF5JleBTC9c0KAWCr+pzWsrX44RBDzoB2STf9FuncI9TV8TrVS/mpE/A4LO+rDIV8MCIoeT0LCHnZhgjTgBfpE7a9zbTYKl+/WjXWxEnDP7rcX7rTzpijSnePXbTXEFON8yg1/gcA7ViYt62zGiHA02cpYn3iUn5sgxwFdsnjVD76vse11ut2b6ufvYyd8HF7ZZgFQlrCTiSloYOKMbPRcLz24mqcBY1UbgnTihczIQC0KawO0XgzV8pwWIQh45n6tMx2Jwfyy0JRFT1c+U0a26hRCC4YCtj9IlTZbEwIDAQAB;s=email;t=s" WARNING: these recommended DNS entries are not set: deltachat.kz. TXT "v=spf1 a ~all" _dmarc.deltachat.kz. TXT "v=DMARC1;p=reject;adkim=s;aspf=s" deltachat.kz. CAA 0 issue "letsencrypt.org;accounturi=https://acme-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/acme/acct/2455227502" _adsp._domainkey.deltachat.kz. TXT "dkim=discardable" _submission._tcp.deltachat.kz. SRV 0 1 587 deltachat.kz. _submissions._tcp.deltachat.kz. SRV 0 1 465 deltachat.kz. _imap._tcp.deltachat.kz. SRV 0 1 143 deltachat.kz. _imaps._tcp.deltachat.kz. SRV 0 1 993 deltachat.kz. debian@29756:~/relay$ ``` ---
**Author:** ![DELTA\_MAFIA](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/delta_mafia/32/2624_2.png) [@DELTA\_MAFIA](https://support.delta.chat/u/DELTA_MAFIA)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2025, 5:20am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/3 "2025-06-11T05:20:10Z")
It’s really great to see people setting up Chat Mail Relays in their own countries — it’s heartwarming. Now there’s [https://deltachat.kz](https://deltachat.kz) in Kazakhstan, and in Russia — my own [https://deltachat.ru](https://deltachat.ru) ---
**Author:** ![DELTA\_MAFIA](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/delta_mafia/32/2624_2.png) [@DELTA\_MAFIA](https://support.delta.chat/u/DELTA_MAFIA)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2025, 5:33am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/4 "2025-06-11T05:33:39Z")
Interestingly, the Polish server **@mailchat.pl** somehow allows users to create accounts with a custom name when setting up a profile — just like a classic email address with @mailchat.pl added at the end. I’m really curious how they managed to do that. I’d love to set up something like this too! ---
**Author:** ![timursagdenov](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/timursagdenov/32/2571_2.png) [@timursagdenov](https://support.delta.chat/u/timursagdenov)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 8:32am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/5 "2025-06-14T08:32:57Z")
Well, it works, but I cannot send a message or get a one with [nine.testrun.org](http://nine.testrun.org), but I can communicate with my disroot deltachat account. It’s strange. ---
**Author:** ![DELTA\_MAFIA](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/delta_mafia/32/2624_2.png) [@DELTA\_MAFIA](https://support.delta.chat/u/DELTA_MAFIA)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 9:42am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/6 "2025-06-14T09:42:13Z")
To be honest, the chat mail relay Federation works every other time, but somewhere it doesn’t work at all. No one can answer me, as if they are hiding something. The federation only works for the domain [testrun.org](http://testrun.org) otherwise, everything is closed. I was wrong to say recently that everything was working, but not everything is working. Well, if that’s what the creators of the repeater want, let them. It’s strange that the guys who raise their servers don’t understand why the federation is working or not. I tried to contact the provided mehl cloud contacts, but Secure Join does not work even inside the server. Wrote @r10s, also silence. In general, the guys react strangely. ---
**Author:** ![peppa](https://support.delta.chat/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@peppa](https://support.delta.chat/u/peppa)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 3:54pm UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/7 "2025-06-14T15:54:44Z")
Strange! What happens when federation doesn’t work? Are the messages silently not delivered or does DC report a delivery error? Does the script for testing chatmail deployments which @WofWca suggested report no errors? ---
**Author:** ![WofWca](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/wofwca/32/1702_2.png) [@WofWca](https://support.delta.chat/u/WofWca)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 4:25pm UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/8 "2025-06-14T16:25:19Z")
> [@peppa](#): > > What happens when federation doesn’t work? As I have tested with deltachat.kz, when you try to add a someone by the QR or the `i.delta.chat` link, you’ll get the “Establishing guaranteed end-to-end encryption, please wait…” message, and then, after ~5 seconds, “The contact must be online to proceed. This process will continue automatically in background”. ---
**Author:** ![DELTA\_MAFIA](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/delta_mafia/32/2624_2.png) [@DELTA\_MAFIA](https://support.delta.chat/u/DELTA_MAFIA)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 6:31pm UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/9 "2025-06-14T18:31:16Z")
First comes the key exchange “Establishing guaranteed end-to-end encryption, please wait…” as @WofWca said, after 5 seconds, “The contact must be online to continue. This process will automatically continue in the background.” Naturally, nothing happens on the other side, no incoming requests. It is possible to send an email, but without successfully transferring the key, sending will be without encryption, and such sending is prohibited in chat mail relay. I have performed a cmdeploy test, here is a screenshot. ![screen](https://support.delta.chat/uploads/default/original/2X/4/45fdda3b6124386a5d44b7b5085896d93076d69e.png) ---
**Author:** ![DELTA\_MAFIA](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/delta_mafia/32/2624_2.png) [@DELTA\_MAFIA](https://support.delta.chat/u/DELTA_MAFIA)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 6:37pm UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/10 "2025-06-14T18:37:08Z")
There would be at least some documentation. But alas, we only have this page. [relay/README.md at main · chatmail/relay · GitHub](https://github.com/chatmail/relay/blob/main/README.md) ---
**Author:** ![DELTA\_MAFIA](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/delta_mafia/32/2624_2.png) [@DELTA\_MAFIA](https://support.delta.chat/u/DELTA_MAFIA)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2025, 8:12pm UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/11 "2025-06-14T20:12:27Z")
In general, dear colleagues, I have come to the point. Having received no response from anyone, I looked through the log and found that I had no DKIM record on my server. I ran the scripts/cmdeploy dns script, it knocked out several missing DNS records on my domain. Naturally, I entered all the records and the federation started working at full capacity. That is, it turns out that in order for the federation to work with all chat mail relay servers, each administrator needs to enter all DNS records provided by the scripts/cmdeploy dns command. The problem has been found and solved. ---
**Author:** ![peppa](https://support.delta.chat/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@peppa](https://support.delta.chat/u/peppa)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2025, 2:47pm UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/12 "2025-06-19T14:47:11Z")
Glad you solved the problem! It sounds like the documentation and the cmdeploy script can both be made clearer about this. We could bring this to the attention of the developers or I guess you could even submit a PR with improved documentation. ---
**Author:** ![pepa65](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/pepa65/32/2638_2.png) [@pepa65](https://support.delta.chat/u/pepa65)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2025, 10:45am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/13 "2025-06-26T10:45:23Z")
> Then add to /etc/hosts `127.0.1.1 deltachat.kz` I did that too, but found it caused problems, it all started working when I deleted it. ---
**Author:** ![timursagdenov](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/timursagdenov/32/2571_2.png) [@timursagdenov](https://support.delta.chat/u/timursagdenov)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2025, 4:41am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/14 "2025-07-10T04:41:55Z")
Well, I did something and it works now, but I’m not sure what exactly from all the things I did was the solution 🫠 Anyway, thanks everybody for your attention. ---
**Author:** ![timursagdenov](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/timursagdenov/32/2571_2.png) [@timursagdenov](https://support.delta.chat/u/timursagdenov)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2025, 4:43am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/15 "2025-07-10T04:43:11Z")
I already write my own guide in russian which should be more detailed and as understandable for lamers like me as possible. ---
**Author:** ![timursagdenov](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/timursagdenov/32/2571_2.png) [@timursagdenov](https://support.delta.chat/u/timursagdenov)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2025, 4:45am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/16 "2025-07-10T04:45:02Z")
And yes, I haven’t found a way to install custom Dovecot by Delta Chat team, so I installed Dovecot from Debian repositories. Anyway, it works and works fine. ---
**Author:** ![timursagdenov](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/timursagdenov/32/2571_2.png) [@timursagdenov](https://support.delta.chat/u/timursagdenov)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2025, 5:11am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/17 "2025-07-10T05:11:42Z")
Ладно. Пока что пусть будет вот такое руководство. Закинул на свой сайт: > **[Руководство по установке Chatmail relay](https://timursagdenov.neocities.org/deltachatrelayinstallguide)** ---
**Author:** ![adbenitez](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/adbenitez/32/2323_2.png) [@adbenitez](https://support.delta.chat/u/adbenitez)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2025, 1:13pm UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/18 "2025-07-10T13:13:47Z")
> [@DELTA\_MAFIA](#): > > my own [https://deltachat.ru](https://deltachat.ru) hey that is a nice page!!! (I don’t understand Russian tho LOL) ---
**Author:** ![r10s](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/r10s/32/1513_2.png) [@r10s](https://support.delta.chat/u/r10s)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 3:19pm UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/cannot-run-chatmail-relay/3831/19 "2026-10-06T15:19:16Z")