Flarum not sending confirmation email

vicrg33

Hi!

I'm having an issue after configuring the mail in SMTP mode. I'm using the SMTP server of mi domain provider (IONOS) configured in port 587 with TLS encryption.

I have configured, it, and the Test Email is properly sent and received. Nonetheless, when the users register they do not receive any confirmation email.

Of note, I have tried the same SMTP configuration in the same server (but other application) using FlaskMail, and the emails are properly sent.

Any ideas of what can be happening?

Thank you in advance.

luceos

vicrg33 please provide the output of php flarum info, can you also confirm the email isn't treated as junk by the email client or provider?

vicrg33

luceos

Thank you for your fast answer!

The mails aren't received in the spam folder. I have tried with Gmail and Hotmail and none of them are able to receive them.

Find the image with the output below

Gatsu

Update flarum core, the last versione is 1.3.1.
Post a screenshot of email settings in admin panel.

If you host can, update php cli and php webserver to php 8.1

vicrg33

Gatsu Thank you!

I have updated Flarum via composer and now I have 1.3.1 version, but the issue still persists.

This is my SMTP config:

luceos

vicrg33 try encryption starttls, make sure to test again after changing. If you still can't send, make sure to check storage/logs/ directory, there might be some errors logged.

Gatsu

vicrg33 In my opinion you are wrong to enter the username. In this field you do not have to put the email you use but the primary system username of your email box, you can find it in the cpanel or in the initial email when you purchased the hosting.

After this, use 465 ssl

vicrg33

luceos

I have tried several combinations of port + encription:

587+SSL and 465+TLS -> "Oops! Something went wrong. Please reload the page and try again."
587+TLS and 465+SSL -> The Test Mail is received, but the confirmation mails are not received

Should I try other combinations?

Regarding the logs, I have found two types repeated several times (not sure if one of them is associated with the wrong combination of Port+Encryption):
First error:

Second:

luceos

vicrg33 can you see if the working combination adds any errors?

~~We also still need the output of php flarum info.~~

vicrg33

luceos

No, I have tried with the working combinations and no errors have been added to the log :-(

Is it possible that IONOS is blocking some of the mails? Should I ask them for something specific?

luceos

vicrg33 yeah that would be a wise next step, they probably have more insight into what is happening than we do.

vicrg33

luceos Thank you! I will contact them and post their reply, in case it help to someone in the future!

vicrg33

luceos
I have contacted them, and apparently the server is ok, and they are not blocking any outgoing nor incoming mails.

Any further idea? I don't know what else to try 😥

luceos

vicrg33 the mail address you configured on the mail page needs to be the same one for the smtp account. Also try sending to a different email provider, so Gmail and something else.

Are the SPF records set up?

vicrg33

luceos Yes! In both fields "Addresses" and "Username" I'm using the same string "noreply@mydomain.com". That's the only email adress I have associated with my domain.
I have no SPF records set up.

Gatsu I also thought that, but in the IONOS webpage they indicate that the username is the email address (https://www.ionos.ca/help/hosting/enabling-smtp-authentication-to-send-emails-through-web-applications/). Furthermore, if the authentication is not correct the test email would not have worked either, right?

luceos

vicrg33 Furthermore, if the authentication is not correct the test email would not have worked either, right?

Correct, it would error.

vicrg33 I have no SPF records set up.

Many providers demand SPF or just blatantly decline delivery of email. If I knew the domain I could do a SPF check, but you can certainly do this yourself: https://mxtoolbox.com/spf.aspx

vicrg33

luceos I have checked it and it says "No SPF Record found". Thus, I think I should configure it. Do you have any idea of what should I put in the next boxes?

Host name: forum.mydomain.com (the URL to my Flarum, I guess)
Value: I have no idea of what to put here
TTL: 1 hour (is this enough?)

SKevo

vicrg33

Type: TXT
Hostname: the domain where you're sending E-mails from, usually the part after @ in E-mail address
Value: v=spf1 mx -all - this is very general and should suffice, however you may need to still tweak it to something like v=spf1 a mx ip4:xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx -all to be more specific
TTL: Auto

https://mxtoolbox.com/dmarc/spf/setup/how-to-setup-or-modify-spf

vicrg33

SKevo
Thank you very much!

We have made some advances! Now, in the Gmail account I receive the confirmation emails (in the spam folder), but not in the Hotmail account. I feel that we are close... Any other idea?

PD: I used the following SPF record in softfail mode, as the one you suggested didn't work: https://www.ionos.com/help/domains/configuring-mail-servers-and-other-related-records/using-an-spf-record-to-prevent-spam/?utm_source=search&utm_medium=global&utm_term=SPF&utm_campaign=CONTACT_FLOW&utm_content=contact.

SKevo

vicrg33 I think that Microsoft might have blacklisted your IP, or is simply refusing your E-mail. Can you check for any bounced-back E-mails that might contain information as of why the E-mail is not delivered? I am pretty confident that Hotmail just refuses your E-mails altogether. If you have root access, you can also run the mailq command on Linux to see the mail queue (not sure if that's available to you or how you are utilizing your mail host).

FYI Microsoft uses their own internal blacklist, and Spamhaus.org, so you can check that (along with other online IP E-mail blacklists). FreeFlarum had actually experienced blacklist from Microsoft after we've migrated to a new IP. They're currently mitigating it. If that's the case for you too, you might need to contact their support here. Here are Outlook's policies for E-mail sending/receiving, you should have a look at that too before contacting them (it might be that your E-mail simply doesn't comply with that)

vicrg33

SKevo After checking it... That is the problem...

Now, its time to deal with Microsoft to try to solve it.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. You have helped me a lot