On Sat, 17 Jan 2026 13:51:22 -0000 (UTC), Markus Robert Kessler wrote:

When I try to log into Dovecot, it asks for password (based on
/etc/shadow as it looks like), but then Dovecot asks for some imap
password:

[502 root@rpi-inst ~]# cyradm -u cyrus localhost
Password:
IMAP Password:
Login failed: authentication failure at /usr/lib/arm-linux-gnueabihf/perl5/5.32/Cyrus/IMAP/Admin.pm line 134.
cyradm: cannot authenticate to server as cyrus

Seems to be saying it?s trying to authenticate as user ?cyrus?. Is
this valid?

Another thing to check is, is it trying to connect via the imap port
(143) or imaps (993)?

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Sat, 17 Jan 2026 20:43:12 -0000 (UTC) Lawrence D?Oliveiro wrote:

On Sat, 17 Jan 2026 13:51:22 -0000 (UTC), Markus Robert Kessler wrote:

When I try to log into Dovecot, it asks for password (based on
/etc/shadow as it looks like), but then Dovecot asks for some imap
password:

[502 root@rpi-inst ~]# cyradm -u cyrus localhost Password:
IMAP Password:
Login failed: authentication failure at
/usr/lib/arm-linux-gnueabihf/perl5/5.32/Cyrus/IMAP/

Admin.pm

line 134.
cyradm: cannot authenticate to server as cyrus

Seems to be saying it?s trying to authenticate as user ?cyrus?. Is this valid?

Another thing to check is, is it trying to connect via the imap port
(143) or imaps (993)?

Oh sorry, wrong machine...
Just reinstalled dovecot to have a clean start.

There are these ports open now and imaps is also up:

PORT STATE SERVICE
22/tcp open ssh
25/tcp open smtp
80/tcp open http
143/tcp open imap
631/tcp open ipp
993/tcp open imaps

I created a user 'dov' for such purposes, hence I have

dov:x:1010:1010::/home/dov:/bin/bash
dovecot:x:123:131:Dovecot mail server,,,:/usr/lib/dovecot:/usr/sbin/
nologin
dovenull:x:124:130:Dovecot login user,,,:/nonexistent:/usr/sbin/nologin

as dovecot-related users.


At the moment I am stuck because any attempt to log in ends by returning
to commandline instantly:

[592 root@rpi-inst /tmp]# doveadm auth login dov
Password:
passdb: dov auth succeeded
extra fields:
user=dov

userdb extra fields:
dov
system_groups_user=dov
uid=1010
gid=1010
home=/home/dov
auth_mech=PLAIN
[593 root@rpi-inst /tmp]#

No chance to create a mailbox here.
Maybe the definition of who is admin is missing?



Can someone please give a little advice how to log in to create a mailbox
and set the password in the right way?

Thank you!

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Sat, 17 Jan 2026 20:43:12 -0000 (UTC) Lawrence D?Oliveiro wrote:

On Sat, 17 Jan 2026 13:51:22 -0000 (UTC), Markus Robert Kessler wrote:

When I try to log into Dovecot, it asks for password (based on
/etc/shadow as it looks like), but then Dovecot asks for some imap
password:

[502 root@rpi-inst ~]# cyradm -u cyrus localhost Password:
IMAP Password:
Login failed: authentication failure at
/usr/lib/arm-linux-gnueabihf/perl5/5.32/Cyrus/IMAP/

Admin.pm

line 134.
cyradm: cannot authenticate to server as cyrus

Seems to be saying it?s trying to authenticate as user ?cyrus?. Is this valid?

Yes, I typed this to connect to localmachine, wanting to authenticate as
user 'cyrus' with password I've set

Another thing to check is, is it trying to connect via the imap port
(143) or imaps (993)?

I checked this with wireshark on local-loopback. Requests are against port 143/tcp on localhost. In some packets I see auth attempts like
'AUTHENTICATE DIGEST-MD5'

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Sat, 17 Jan 2026 23:21:24 -0000 (UTC), Markus Robert Kessler wrote:

At the moment I am stuck because any attempt to log in ends by returning
to commandline instantly:

[592 root@rpi-inst /tmp]# doveadm auth login dov
Password:
passdb: dov auth succeeded
extra fields:
user=dov

userdb extra fields:
dov
system_groups_user=dov
uid=1010
gid=1010
home=/home/dov
auth_mech=PLAIN
[593 root@rpi-inst /tmp]#

No chance to create a mailbox here.

You?re expecting doveadm to enter some kind of interactive command
mode? Looking at the various man pages, I don?t think it works that
way.

I just tried doveadm as root, and I think it lets me perform admin
actions without having to do a dovecot login.

I?ve never used this command before, because I have my Dovecot (and
Postfix) setup to keep all mail in ~/.maildir in users? home
directories, and this gets created automatically as mail comes in.
Here?s the relevant change to the default configuration that was
installed on my Debian setup:

root@theon:~ # diff -u /etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-mail.conf{-orig,}
--- /etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-mail.conf-orig 2025-10-23 12:40:26.294676269 +1300
+++ /etc/dovecot/conf.d/10-mail.conf 2025-10-23 12:42:46.602025244 +1300
@@ -33,10 +33,14 @@
# against its use in production environments. See further information
# at
# https://doc.dovecot.org/2.4.1/core/config/mailbox/formats/mbox.html -mail_driver = mbox
+# Notes for upgrade to 2.4:
+# <https://doc.dovecot.org/main/core/config/mail_location.html#mail-location-setting>
+# <https://doc.dovecot.org/main/core/config/mailbox_formats/maildir.html> +mail_driver = maildir
mail_home = /home/%{user | username}
-mail_path = %{home}/mail
-mail_inbox_path = /var/mail/%{user}
+mail_path = %{home}/.maildir
+mailbox_list_layout = maildir++
+mail_inbox_path = .

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)