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axmail

Mail reader that packet callers reach through a node

What it does

Presents a mail interface to a caller who has connected to your machine over AX.25, reading and writing from the system's own mail spool. It is started from a node front end rather than run directly.

Why you would want it

It lets a packet station carry mail for people without running a full BBS. A caller connects, reads what is waiting for them, leaves a message, and disconnects -- which for a small local network is often all that is actually wanted.

Before it will work

A working AX.25 stack, a node front end such as uronode configured to launch it, and a local mail system for it to read from.

How it installs

  • apt: axmail

Known problems

Needs the kernel AX.25 stack, which Linux 7.1 removed (merge 64edfa65, 2026-04-24); on a 7.1 or newer kernel -- Kali rolling and Pop!_OS 24.04 on 7.1.5, measured 2026-09-04 -- the plan refuses or defers this unit by name. See ax25-tools and docs/reference/kernel-ax25.md. It is a front end onto local mail, so anything wrong with mail delivery on the machine appears as a packet problem to the caller. Messages carried on behalf of others over amateur radio are subject to content rules in most jurisdictions, and running the service means accepting that.

Keeping it current

  • probe: apt policy
  • strategy: apt_upgrade

Where to get help with the software itself

SourceForge project page at the URL above.

Source: catalog/packages/axmail.yaml