XF 2.2 Mandrill SMTP not sending emails out

[Tonny Kluften]

I am using mandrill as my SMTP server, but Xenforo doesn't send out emails. I tested tried to set the port to 25, 587, and 2525 in all combinations with
None, TLS and SSL.

It's not a server error because I run Wordpress in another folder on the domain and Mandrill sends out emails fine from Wordpress.

The error message I get when testing sending an email is:
++ Starting XF\Mail\SmtpTransport
!! Connection could not be established with host smtp.mandrillapp.com :stream_socket_client(): Unable to connect to smtp.mandrillapp.com:587 (Connection refused) (code: 0)

Please help me with this.

 

[duderuud]

You should ask Mandrill really.
Also check their docs: https://mailchimp.com/developer/transactional/docs/fundamentals

 

[Tonny Kluften]

Thanks. I am asking them. But when it works in Wordpress, but not in Xenforo, what is the difference between Xenforo and Wordpress regarding sending emails?

 

[TPerry]

Does Mandrill have domain restrictions of any type? Does both the WP install and XF install use the same IP address? If not, does Mandrill restrict to a certain IP for the log in account?

 

[Tonny Kluften]

Thanks Tracy.
There are no restrictions from Mandrill. This WP install and XF install is on the same IP.
Also, I use the same Mandrill account on numerous Wordpress sites on numerous IP addresses.

 

[TPerry]

I know when I was playing with WP, there was an add-on that allowed you to use different services like Mandrill and such for transactional email.... do you happen to be using one of them on your WP sites?
As long as your SMTP credentials are correct, you should be able to connect..
It appears to be a setting mismatch as the connection is being refused on Mandrill's end... it appears that XF is trying to connect to it and being told "Begone you foul orc".

 

[Tonny Kluften]

Yes, with Wordpres you cant use other SMTP servers without using an addon, and its many addons to chose from. In the addon I use I only insert the Mandrill API, nothing else, then it just works.

 

[Onlyme]

Are you trying to use the same details for both sites? From my experience you can have multiple aliases for the same domain, but if each site has a totally different domain you will need a separate account at Mandrill.

 

[Tonny Kluften]

Thanks for your suggestion. The thing is that I use different APIs from the same account on about 200 Wordpress websites on different domains. It always works, also if I have several WP sites on the same domain, but in different folders.

 

[TPerry]

Yes, with Wordpres you cant use other SMTP servers without using an addon, and its many addons to chose from. In the addon I use I only insert the Mandrill API, nothing else, then it just works.

That's what I was wondering.... the WP use an API typically to communicate I thought.
XF does not... it's basically like logging in with a mail application. So that just reinforces it's a setting mismatch that Mandrill does not like.

 

[Tonny Kluften]

Ok, thanks for that info.
I have tried any combinations possible (several times of course) with no luck. So I have no idea what setting mismatch it can be.

Do any of you know if it exists any XF addon that only uses API that I can use instead of the build-in solution?

 

[TPerry]

Not of the top of my head.... for the 1.x line there used to be an add-on that interfaced with it, Amazon SES, SendGrid and such.

Did you read the documentation you were linked to earlier.... you said there were no restrictions, but their documentation shows you have to verify your domain.

Sending via the API or SMTP​

Once you’ve set up your account and verified your domain, there are two routes to start sending: via the Transactional API or with SMTP integration. If you’re already sending transactional emails through SMTP, you can typically change your SMTP credentials to Mailchimp Transactional’s and begin sending immediately. SMTP is a sending-only protocol, but the Transactional API allows you not only to send but also to view and parse reporting data in your own app or system. The API also offers more comprehensive integration, so it reports more specific errors when sending.

There are no discernible differences in terms of deliverability between using the API or SMTP integration—the actual process Mailchimp Transactional uses to send your emails is the same for both, and ISPs will see both your information and Mailchimp’s in your message headers.

Generally, the Transactional API is faster in terms of accepting mail because HTTP is less “chatty” than SMTP, but we’ve taken steps to help reduce the latency when you’re using SMTP, so you may not see as much of a difference between the two. If speed is a consideration, you may want to test both, including any content generation, to see which is faster overall for your particular environment.

Mailchimp Transactional offers many ways to customize how your emails are tracked, tagged, and more. Throughout the documentation, you’ll often see parallel instructions, one using the API, and one using SMTP. To review the full list of Transactional API endpoints and parameters, see the API Reference; for a complete list of custom SMTP headers, check out the SMTP docs.

This part is really what's interesting... and may be your issue

Authentication​

Authentication is a way to prove an email isn’t forged. Mailchimp Transactional automatically authenticates all emails sent through our servers, but by adding DNS records to your domain, we’re able to send on your behalf and digitally “sign” your emails.
Many ISPs use authentication to track sending reputation, and since authentication is handled by your domain, you maintain some control over the emails that affect deliverability for that domain. A positive reputation builds trust and improves deliverability, reducing the chance that your emails are caught by spam filters and improving how quickly the receiving servers will accept mail from your domain.
You’ll need to add SPF and DKIM records and verify ownership of your sending domains before you can send email through your account. Mailchimp Transactional will not send any email from unverified domains or domains without valid SPF and DKIM records.
A message that is rejected as unsigned indicates that the sending domain hasn't been properly set up, and that your account is unable to authenticate and send email from that domain. Verifying a domain prevents other Mailchimp Transactional users from sending from your domain unless they also complete the verification process.
In this section, we’ll walk through the steps required to set up and authenticate your sending domain with Mailchimp Transactional.

 

[Tonny Kluften]

Thank you
Domains need to be verified in the Mandrill account yes, and I have already done that (or else the WP mail wouldn't work either).
I have read everything, but are not wiser. I am waiting for their support answer too.