vBouncer: reduce server load by unsubscribing bouncing members from threads

vBouncer is a handy tool for busy forums (or those that do not require email verification) to control the amounts of bogus emails sent from and to your server.

What vBouncer does: vBouncer monitors your mail spool file, and identifies members responsible for large amounts of bounced emails. It then issues a PM warning, and when the unsubscribe threshold is met, it will will unsubscribe them for all threads, and sets them to the "no email" subscription level.

After a couple of runs, this should significantly reduce your server load.

Features:
o Manual or auto processing option
o Collect logs via IMAP/POP or mail spool file
o Custom filters to match patterns in bounced emails
o Uses vB's cron files (Scheduled tasks)
o Uses encrypted header for authentication (suggested by Paul M).
o Stats on members with bouncing emails, and error codes
o Tuning options
o Verbose cron logs for diagnostics
o Option to send PM warning prior to reaching the limit
o Option to send PM notifications after reaching the limit
o Option to change the member's subscription default
o Option to all thread subscriptions to "no email"
o Option to all forum subscriptions to "no email"
o Option to move offenders to a different primary usergroup
o Option to process 5.0.0/550 errors (email unknown) upon a single email, isntead of observing the bounce limit

Installation:
1. Extract the files into the corresponding directories (admincp => admincp, includes => includes)
2. Run the installation script in the admincp
3. Fill out the settings menu in the vBouncer section of the admin panel (see the how-to post below)
4. Import and activate the plugin file through the plugin manager.
5. Once ready, add the cron scripts to your scheduled tasks: vbouncer-collect.php (should be run daily, or more frequently) and vbouncer-clean.php (weekly, equal to Bounce limit period)
6. If you are using vB's SMTP email option, make sure to also enable the "-f" option.

Change log:

- August 12, 2005 v1.3 Update to the cron files to match new changes in vB's cron/tasks. To upgrade, just re-upload the contents of includes/cron.

- July 11, 2005 v1.2 Bug fix for some server/PHP setups; resolve aliases for return keys, otherwise some aliases would be considered forged.

- July 5, 2005 v1.1 Bug fix in standard report pattern matching

- July 4, 2005 v1.0 Added encrypted header for authentication (suggested by Paul M).

- July 3, 2005 v0.9.1 fixed a bug preventing IMAP/POP log collection.

- July 2, 2005 v0.9 added IMAP/POP option and custom filters file vbouncer.ini

- June 27, 2005 v0.5 Added custom header setting option, for re-written headers.

- June 26, 2005 v0.4 Found a way to make it work as a plugin, without code edits (thanks to Paul M)

- June 26, 2005 v0.3 No changes, just removed the plugin

- June 25, 2005 v0.2 Added NDR/Reply code errors to stats, and option to act upon 5.0.0/550 (user unknown)

- June 21, 2005: v 0.1 Initial release. Marked beta, but it's working fine on PostFix and SendMail. Need to hear from those who tried on QMail and Exim

[DannyITR]

I get 50-100 bounced subscription emails per day now that I have entered a correct webmaster email.

I will try and install this hack but I'n only a novice. The instructions look fairly simple (extracting files, running installer, uploading plugin, creating a blank text file (what is a spool file?) because I use qmail. I'm not sure about the task part...hopefully it can be done by the admincp?

Anything I should watch out for?

[GNDI]

Originally Posted by DannyITR

I get 50-100 bounced subscription emails per day now that I have entered a correct webmaster email.

I will try and install this hack but I'n only a novice. The instructions look fairly simple (extracting files, running installer, uploading plugin, creating a blank text file (what is a spool file?) because I use qmail. I'm not sure about the task part...hopefully it can be done by the admincp?

Anything I should watch out for?

This is a simple add-on, I'm a complete idiot at php and I made it run in minuttes on a qmail (Look a few post earlier for a little mod to the default script about pop3 access) And made it connect thrugh pop3 and it's working fine for me.

My hosting provide run on plesk / unix freebsd 4.9 whit qmail. And yes this is simple and easy to setup. Go and enjoy the your forum and not your mailbox after this mod

[wolfyman]

when I try to import the xml file it is telling me it is an invalid file. What am I doing wrong?

[DannyITR]

Its not working. The bounced email keep getting sent to my old address. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I have Qmail and I followed the exact steps outlined in post #2 (remmeber I'm a dummy so if you left out something I didn't do it).

I made an email account and put in the login info into the vbouncer settings (not in the post 1 installation instructions btw).

My forums are on a different server and accessed with a subdomain. Could this be an issue? My server admin wanted to setup an email called subscriber_notify@forums.montrealracing.com but we couldn't get EV1 Servers to give us the correct mx or something so he told me jsut to use subscriber_notify@montrealracing.com and it woudl work.

I'm lost and I might have to punch my comp if I get another bounced email. :disappointed:

[tamarian]

Originally Posted by DannyITR

Its not working. The bounced email keep getting sent to my old address. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I have Qmail and I followed the exact steps outlined in post #2 (remmeber I'm a dummy so if you left out something I didn't do it).

I made an email account and put in the login info into the vbouncer settings (not in the post 1 installation instructions btw).

My forums are on a different server and accessed with a subdomain. Could this be an issue? My server admin wanted to setup an email called subscriber_notify@forums.montrealracing.com but we couldn't get EV1 Servers to give us the correct mx or something so he told me jsut to use subscriber_notify@montrealracing.com and it woudl work.

I'm lost and I might have to punch my comp if I get another bounced email. :disappointed:

if your mail server is located on another server than vBulletin, then you have to use the IMAP method, to retreive the emails through POP.

to make sure it's working, run the diagnostics, and bounce an email from a thread notification email, and check the headers of that email.

[wolfyman]

Originally Posted by wolfyman

when I try to import the xml file it is telling me it is an invalid file. What am I doing wrong?

hi wolfyman! What are you doing in this thread?!

[DannyITR]

Originally Posted by tamarian

if your mail server is located on another server than vBulletin, then you have to use the IMAP method, to retreive the emails through POP.

to make sure it's working, run the diagnostics, and bounce an email from a thread notification email, and check the headers of that email.

ok in the vbouncer settings where it says IMAP/POP connection I entered this:

{mail.montrealracing.com:110/pop3}INBOX

Then just below I entered the normal login info for my email account for the login and pw and it still didn't work. The email gets sent to my old addy.

If this isn't how you setup IMAP/POP then can I have a detailed explanation on how to do it? I logged in as a test user to bounce the email and he didn't recieve a PM either and I have it set to 1 infraction in the settings.

[GlitterKill]

Works with VB 3.54?

[GNDI]

Originally Posted by GlitterKill

Works with VB 3.54?

looks like it to me

[DannyITR]

help