XF 1.4 Using Mandrill as an SMTP solution - Need help

[MarkMark]

I have previously used Mandrill to send emails. It has worked flawlessly for months.

My host seemingly did something to their settings last week, and suddenly any attempt to send via mandrill times out and creates an entry in the error log.

Initially I was told by my host this is because they had blocked all ports, except ones requested to be opened by customers. However, I have since been told that the standard ports (25, 587) are wide open and the fact I can still send emails via PHP Sendmail demonstrates this.

They are telling me Xenforo must be trying to connect via a non-standard port.

Can anyone advise whether this is the case?

 

[Mike]

XenForo uses the port you specify in your SMTP configuration. If it was working before, you're definitely using the port as specified by your mail provider otherwise it wouldn't work for them. You can confirm the port used in the SMTP option.

 

[MarkMark]

XenForo uses the port you specify in your SMTP configuration. If it was working before, you're definitely using the port as specified by your mail provider otherwise it wouldn't work for them. You can confirm the port used in the SMTP option.

Thanks, this is what I thought. I am using Mandrill, and they instruct that I use port 587 - which my host claims is wide open.

What I wasn't sure about was - if I put 587 in the options, do I connect via my host's port 587, or am I connecting to Mandrill's port 587 - or do they always have to be the same?

Sorry, I'm not very familiar with SMTP and ports etc.

 

[MarkMark]

XenForo uses the port you specify in your SMTP configuration. If it was working before, you're definitely using the port as specified by your mail provider otherwise it wouldn't work for them. You can confirm the port used in the SMTP option.

Equally, is there any script I can use to test port 587 from outside of xenforo?

 

[HWS]

Equally, is there any script I can use to test port 587 from outside of xenforo?

There is no need of 587 ingoing to be open. You are using the port in the outgoing direction if you transfer mail to Mandrill.

Your host should not block any outgoing ports. I don't know of any reasons why this would make any sense.

Usually a firewall only blocks ingoing ports (traffic to the server).

This is a problem only your host is able to solve.

 

[MarkMark]

There is no need of 587 ingoing to be open. You are using the port in the outgoing direction if you transfer mail to Mandrill.

Your host should not block any outgoing ports. I don't know of any reasons why this would make any sense.

Usually a firewall only blocks ingoing ports (traffic to the server).

This is a problem only your host is able to solve.

I wonder whether they have prevented relaying of emails via external providers? So frustrating!