Can't get dedicated mail server to work with vB
 

Hi,

I've setup my dedicated ubuntu server with Postfix, I've gotten it to the point where SMTP-AUTH, SASL and TLS are working and I can send emails externally (Gmail, etc, etc) via SSH.

However, I cannot get my vBulletin forum to work together with it.

No matter what I've tried, I always end up with this error.

I'm hoping maybe someone here has tried doing something similar and knows a way to get this working.

Before anyone ask, I know 100% that my email settings in vBulletin are correct.
and please, if they only thing you have to say is "hur dur, this isn't a vBulletin issue", please don't say anything at all.

I've been trying to get this to work for almost three days now, no luck.

This probably won't help a lot, but I think that error means that the server isn't listening on that port, or else possibly a firewall is blocking it. Are you sure you've got it listening on port 25?

Apparently Ubuntu is listening on port 25, but Postfix isn't. :\

From SSH enter this...

telnet localhost 25

After you have a connection, enter this...

ehlo localhost

To exit the connect type quit.

What is the full output you get from those commands?

EDIT: Also, I see from your output that sendmail is running. Sendmail should have been uninstalled or prevented from starting before installing Postfix.

I just tried re-installing postfix.

250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES
250-PIPELINING
250-EXPN
250-VERB
250-8BITMIME
250-SIZE
250-DSN
250-ETRN
250-DELIVERBY
250 HELP

From the looks of it, postfix isn't properly installed.

You should have the server name in there, amongst other things, 250-STARTTLS and 250-AUTH being the other most important ones.

Stop sendmail and prevent it from starting, then re-install postfix. This guide might help...

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Postfix

[snip]

AUTH, TLS and SASL is all fixed,

But I'm still getting the error with vBulletin.

--------------- Added [DATE]1362803093[/DATE] at [TIME]1362803093[/TIME] ---------------

running more test

--------------- Added [DATE]1362806221[/DATE] at [TIME]1362806221[/TIME] ---------------

interestingly enough, it's rejecting the MX tools I'm using and showing the log of rejecting, but shows no log of rejecting vBulletin at all.

--------------- Added [DATE]1362807320[/DATE] at [TIME]1362807320[/TIME] ---------------

SMTP Reverse Banner Check failing wouldn't have anything to do with not being able to send messages? Right?

--------------- Added [DATE]1362808451[/DATE] at [TIME]1362808451[/TIME] ---------------

Changing the smtp listening port to 587 did absolutely nothing...

Have you set your username and password in the mail server itself?

If you have this type of error in the server mail log...
You don't.

Also, check that your mail port on the mail server is set to accept connections from the vB server's IP address. It looks like the connection is being refused at the firewall level.

And the one you didn't want to hear, is the mail server info set properly in ACP->Settings->Options->Email Options (at the bottom of the page). HINT: the mail server address for Postfix is almost always mail.domain.name.

Yeah.

I've added the forum's IP address to the list of mynetworks under Postfix, the log still shows NO trace at ALL of the forums connecting to it.

As for the name, I just have the IP, which is what the AdminCP apparently recommends for SMTP servers. All the tools I've been using are having no trouble reaching the mail server.

Which makes me wonder where the connection is getting cut...because even though the testing tools are NOT listed in the settings as allowed, they can still connect (and get denied) but vBulletin isn't connecting AT ALL!

GoDaddy...

Wait a second..

that last word 'GoDaddy' explains it all.

GoDaddy blocks outgoing mail ports.

There's a ton of info about workarounds on the internet. Google 'godaddy block port 25'

Yeah, I just talked to them and they confirmed it.

We're switching hosting servers to HostGator....right about now. I was tired of GoDaddy anyways.

You'll be glad you changed. ;)

Now that you got that worked out i wanted to add a question that maybe is similer.?
(i dont have GoDaddy)

But i have been trying to send an email thru the site vB4.2 & it goes thru the list so fast that i know it is not sending to everyone, but i dont get any errors.?
None of my members have got the email, but i got it on my acct email.?

Is there something, or someway to see what the problem is.?
I see the number 1,100 something, but no way did it send to 1000 people. I've used the email system prior to 4.2 & seen it take a few minutes to send it to all, but this went so fast i could barely see the 1000+ number at the end.

I even did it again to make sure the settings were correct (all usergroups except banned, even if they declined emails) still took less than a second to finish & no users claiming they received it still.

Any ideas.?
Thanks

Excellent troubleshooting in this thread nhawk :)