Error trying to use gmail smtp

[Banana Pup]

I just found out my host limits mail to 100 per hour so I am trying to set up smtp to use gmail.

Error I get trying to send. I tested only for admin usergroup and get this error even then.

An exception occurred: Mysqli prepare error: MySQL server has gone away in /home/testxf/public_html/library/Zend/Db/Statement/Mysqli.php on line 77

1. Zend_Db_Statement_Mysqli->_prepare() in Zend/Db/Statement.php at line 115
2. Zend_Db_Statement->__construct() in Zend/Db/Adapter/Mysqli.php at line 381
3. Zend_Db_Adapter_Mysqli->prepare() in Zend/Db/Adapter/Abstract.php at line 478
4. Zend_Db_Adapter_Abstract->query() in Zend/Db/Adapter/Abstract.php at line 825
5. Zend_Db_Adapter_Abstract->fetchOne() in XenForo/Error.php at line 50
6. XenForo_Error::unexpectedException() in XenForo/Application.php at line 295
7. XenForo_Application::handleException()

settings are in mail options:
smtp.gmail.com port 587
myusername@gmail.com my password
Use TSL

 

[Jake Bunce]

That error is caused by one of these MySQL settings being exceeded:

wait_timeout
max_allowed_packet

Your host or server person needs to increase these settings in MySQL. There is more info here:

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/gone-away.html

 

[Banana Pup]

Oddly though it only happens using remote SMTP, PHP mail it is fine but I need a solution past that as I'm limited to 100 e-mail per hour. It also errors rather quickly like under 30 seconds, could that still be a timeout?

 

[Jake Bunce]

It's a server problem. Possible causes are explained at this link:

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/gone-away.html

But it's almost always the result of one of these settings being exceeded:

wait_timeout
max_allowed_packet

 

[Banana Pup]

Thanks Jake, I will point the tech here as he is blaming it on xF and not the server. Recommending I upgrade to a better forum software like myBB or Simple Machines =)

 

[Banana Pup]

Ok, they fixed that and after about a minute wait, it confirms it was sent to 1 user, which is correct as I am testing to admin primary group. Now the new issue is using both gmail and several other SMTP servers, no mail arrives to my inbox.

gmail settings I have

smtp.gmail.com use port 587
username: my-username@gmail.com password
encryption type: TSL

 

[Jake Bunce]

Are there any errors in the log?

Admin CP -> Tools -> Server Error Log

A SMTP connection error should show up here if there is a problem.

You can also try a different port / encryption method:

http://support.google.com/mail/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=13287

 

[Banana Pup]

Yeah I looked there, only thing that is there is from my vB import

_vb.helpfulanswer' doesn't exist

No SMTP errors.

 

[Jake Bunce]

Then I assume the emails are being sent. But the only way to confirm this is to look at the mail logs. I'm not sure if smtp.gmail makes those logs available.

It could also be a spam filter. Check your spam box.

It could also be a problem on the receiving end. An easy way to eliminate that possibility is to send test emails to several different addresses to see if any of them show up.

 

[Jake Bunce]

As an aside, make sure this line does not exist in the library/config.php file:

$config['enableMail'] = 0;

That will disable outgoing mail.

 

[Banana Pup]

Nope only things in config are the db settings and $config['superAdmins'] = '1';

The real stumper here is I have tried other STMP including my ISP, my work's and my friends VPS. All send out but nothing arrives to my ISP mail, my work address, my gmail, my domain mail or mac.com

 

[Jake Bunce]

In that case you will have to track down the mail logs to see what is happening to the emails.

 

[CTXMedia]

Set encryption to None and try it. Any good?

 

[Banana Pup]

Gonna start looking for a new host.. These guys are just really bad. They can't find anything in the logs and insist my forum would perform much better if I "upgraded" to Simple Machine 2.0 forum /facepalm

 

[Kent]

I'd just like to note that if you send many emails from Free GMail SMTP you'll likely get flagged for spam and your account closed.

 

[Johnny Bitcoin]

I was having the same problem. I contact my host, figured it out and hope it starts working any minute. . .

Our problem was the domain was trying to get its emails on hostgators servers when it should have been looking at google's servers for email. Just updated this record and we should start getting emails in about 4-8 hours.

Hope that helps,
JohnnyB