Can't get dedicated mail server to work with vB

[deltahawk5]

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.

Warning: fsockopen() [function.fsockopen]: unable to connect to tcp://199.188.72.9:25 (Connection refused) in [path]/includes/class_mail.php on line 747

Warning: Unable to connect to SMTP server in [path]/includes/class_mail.php on line 713

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.

[kh99]

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?

[deltahawk5]

Originally Posted by kh99

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. :\

root@dc02r01ds24:~# netstat -anltp | grep "LISTEN"
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:22              0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      439/sshd
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:25            0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      659/sendmail: MTA:
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:587           0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      659/sendmail: MTA:
tcp6       0      0 :::22                   :::*                    LISTEN      439/sshd
tcp6       0      0 :::80                   :::*                    LISTEN      692/apache2

[nhawk]

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.

[deltahawk5]

Originally Posted by nhawk

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 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

[nhawk]

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

[deltahawk5]

Originally Posted by nhawk

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,

250-PIPELINING
250-SIZE 10240000
250-VRFY
250-ETRN
250-STARTTLS
250-AUTH PLAIN LOGIN
250-AUTH=PLAIN LOGIN
250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES
250-8BITMIME
250 DSN

tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:22              0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      610/sshd
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:25              0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      5781/master
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:587             0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      5781/master
tcp6       0      0 :::80                   :::*                    LISTEN      869/apache2
tcp6       0      0 :::22                   :::*                    LISTEN      610/sshd
tcp6       0      0 :::25                   :::*                    LISTEN      5781/master
tcp6       0      0 :::587                  :::*                    LISTEN      5781/master

But I'm still getting the error with vBulletin.

Warning: fsockopen() [function.fsockopen]: unable to connect to tcp://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:25 (Connection refused) in [path]/includes/class_mail.php on line 747

Warning: Unable to connect to SMTP server in [path]/includes/class_mail.php on line 713

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

running more test

OK	SMTP TLS	OK - Supports TLS.	
OK	SMTP Connection Time	1.903 seconds - Good on Connection time	
OK	SMTP Open Relay	OK - Not an open relay.	
OK	SMTP Transaction Time	2.278 seconds - Good on Transaction Time

--------------- 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.

NOQUEUE: reject: RCPT from mxtb-pws3.mxtoolbox.com[64.20.227.133]: 554 5.7.1 <test@example.com>: Relay access denied; from=<supertool@mxtoolbox.com> to=<test@example.com> proto=ESMTP helo=<please-read-policy.mxtoolbox.com>

disconnect from mxtb-pws3.mxtoolbox.com[64.20.227.133]

--------------- 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...

[nhawk]

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

If you have this type of error in the server mail log...

Mar 3 17:52:41 servername postfix/smtpd[914]: warning: unknown[xx.xx.xxx.xxx]: SASL LOGIN authentication failed: authentication failure

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.

[deltahawk5]

Originally Posted by nhawk

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.

NOQUEUE: reject: RCPT from mxtb-pws3.mxtoolbox.com[64.20.227.133]: 554 5.7.1 <test@example.com>: Relay access denied; from=<supertool@mxtoolbox.com> to=<test@example.com> proto=ESMTP helo=<please-read-policy.mxtoolbox.com>

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...

[nhawk]

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'