Trouble with phpmail()

Using 'phpdev423' and vBulletin

[hondafox400]

Hey,

I run Apache (Actually, its called phpdev423, and I got it from www.firepages.com.au , and it comes bundled with Apache/PHP/MySQL all configured) and vBulletin forums on my site. My server is Windows XP based, and I do have a mail server (which works fine for sending/recieving mail. It's Ipswitch's IMail6).

My problem is I get an error every now and then with vBulletin telling me my SMTP settings are wrong in my php.ini file. An example of this message is when I try to mass-mail users: "Warning: Failed to connect to mailserver, verify your "SMTP" setting in php.ini in f:\phpdev\www\public\forums\admin\functions.php on line 103"

The address to my mail server is "mail.quadstop.com", and I set this is the mail portion of the php.ini file, but I still get the error message. I also tried "quadstop.com" and "localhost" as the mail servers. Should I try doing the local path to my smtp32.exe file (like F:/mail/smtp32.exe)? What about my server IP?

I tried asking for help on the Firepages forums (where I got the bundle) but no one seemed to know over there.

[ergophobe]

If it happens only every now and then, my gut reaction is that the server has a big load on it and sometimes your script times out before it can establish a connection. Is there any chance that might be true?

If the address were wrong it would fail every time.

[hondafox400]

My site really isn't extremely high traffic. I only get the error when posting every once in a while, but I get the error every time I try a mass-email..

[ergophobe]

What happens if you "mass mail" one person using the same method you are currently using?

Are you sure the paths are correct?

Have you read the warning RE using the PHP mail() function when running under Windows? Could that have something to do with it? See
[us3.php.net...]

Tom

[hondafox400]

Here is the only part fo the php.ini file relating to mail..

[mail function]
; For Win32 only.
SMTP = localhost

; For Win32 only.
sendmail_from = [e-mail]

; For Unix only. You may supply arguments as well (default: 'sendmail -t -i').
;sendmail_path =

Those are the settings I currently have, and it's not working. The email address I specified requires a password - should there be a setting for this in the php.ini file? Or could I create a new email adress that doesn't have a password?

It does it regardless of the number of users I try to email - even if I try to email myself.

[hondafox400]

Fixed!

I think.

It appears what happened was I had my Imail6 SMTP Security set to "Relay Mail for Anyone". A spammer got ahold of my server address and was using it to relay tons of mail. This wadded up and crashed my mail server. So, I fixed that (by setting it to relay for set addresses, in which I put my IP).

Next, I did a search for php.ini on the machine and it brought up about 10 matches (most were default files in different folders in the phpdev423 folders). I edited them all to have the correct SMTP settings.

I then rebooted the machine and started up Apache. Opened my forums and tried the bulk email and Voila!, it worked.

I guess I didn't learn too much from it though since I don't know exactly which php.ini file controls it, but I'm happy it works.

[ergophobe]

Good job for both fixing your site and shutting down a spammer.