Help please: non-recoverable error, connection timed out

[Matt2000]

Hello,

I'm a newcomer to Drupal (5.1) & CiviCRM (1.7.9379), trying to set up a
brand new installation.

I'm getting the error below whenever CiviCRM attempts to send an email
(e.g., when clicking "Send an Email", or when CiviEvent attempts to send
a confirmation.). In troubleshooting so far, I've determined that it
makes no difference if I use my webhost's SMTP or a third-party SMTP.
Also, Drupal IS capable of sending emails, so the problem is definitely
specific to CiviCRM.

FYI, my host runs PHP 4.3.11, and I do realize that 4.4.x is the
recommended version. How likely is it that this is the culprit?

I've had no luck searching the wiki and google for help, so any
assistance would be great appreciated. Thanks!

Matt


THE ERROR:

Code: [Select]

     Sorry. A non-recoverable error has occurred.

    Array

    Return to CiviCRM menu.

Error Details:

Array
(
    [callback] => Array
        (
            [0] => CRM_Core_Error
            [1] => handle
        )

    [code] => 110
    [message] => Connection timed out
    [mode] => 16
    [debug_info] =>
    [type] => pear_error
    [user_info] =>
    [to_string] => [pear_error: message="Connection timed out" code=110
mode=callback callback=CRM_Core_Error::handle prefix="" info=""]

[/code]

[Dave Greenberg]

Is your SMTP Server and Port set properly under Admin CiviCRM >> Global Settings >> Outbound Mailing (I would use the same values as the ones the work for Drupal mailings)?

Does your webhost's SMTP server require authentication? If so you'll need to enable this by following the help instructions under Global Settings >> Outbound Mailing.

If this is not the issue...
- your host might not let you send email if the "sender email address" is not a local account. When using "Send an Email", CiviCRM uses the email address of the logged in user's contact record - so check that this contact record's primary email address has an account w/ your SMTP provider.

finally... you can try editing the packages/Net/SMTP.php file and setting the $_debug variable to true (around line 72) and see if you get a more explicit error message AND/OR check w/ your provider as to whether they are seeing / throwing errors when you're trying to connect.

[speleo]

I thought that you needed PHP 5 for the mail functions... or is that just the CiviMail component?

[Piotr Szotkowski]

I thought that you needed PHP 5 for the mail functions... or is that just the CiviMail component?

PHP 5 is required only for CiviMail, the ‘Send email to contacts’ functionality should work in PHP 4.

[Matt2000]

Dave,

Thanks for your suggestions, but I've already confirmed (and also tested alternate) settings for >>Outbound Mailing. My SMTP provider does use authentication, and I have enabled this and entered the password in the civicrm configuration file.

I've confirmed that it is not an issue of 'sender email address,' and setting $_debug true has not provided any other useful information. The same error as above is generated.

Any other ideas?

I really appreciate your help.

Best,

Matt

[Donald Lobo]

Based on the "Connection timed out" message, most likely your host is providing SMTP services on a port other than 25. Can u check and ensure that you have the right port

If thats not the case, we are a bit lost here and u'll have to help us by attempting to debug and isolate the error in the PEAR libraries

lobo

[Matt2000]

Oh boy...

My SMTP provider allows use of port 25 and alternate ports, and I've tested both to the same result. (this feature is actually the main reason we are using  a third party smtp.)

I literally don't know the first thing about PEAR... My PHP experience is very limited. Any guidance about how to get started, e.g., recommended reading? I'm willing to do the leg work and get myself educated, but don't have a clue how to begin.

Thanks,

Matt

[Donald Lobo]

if u r a programmer, php is just another language I would instrument and add debug statement to the smtp.php file in the PEAR packages directory and see if u can get a better error message.


BUT based on the error message, the smtp machine is not responding on the port u specified. so i;d double check that etc. You might want to enlist the help of someone familiar with php

lobo

[Piotr Szotkowski]

My SMTP provider allows use of port 25 and alternate ports, and I've tested both to the same result. (this feature is actually the main reason we are using  a third party smtp.)

Did you try to telnet the-smtp-server 25 from your CiviCRM/CiviMail server to that SMTP server and was able to send email that way?

[Matt2000]

Piotr, shared hosting means I don't have console access to try your suggestion.

HOWEVER, I'm pleased to announce that I have just discovered a working configuration.

Using yet another non-standard port with STARTTLS security enabled, it works.

Don't know why, just glad it does.

-Matt

[jaffaizal]

I've had the same problem. After reinstalling to the latest version of CiviCRM and not using ISPConfig (Shared Hosting Server). I've realised that the error is in the setting of the SMTP. Hope this will help.
In,  CiviCRM  » Administer CiviCRM  » Global Settings  .

Set the SMTP Server Configuration to: localhost
SMTP Port: 25
Authentication: YES
SMTP Username: xxxxx (this must be a valid user in the system)

BTW, I'm runnig:

SLED10, Postfix, JOOMLA 1.5.0, CiviCRM v1.9.beta.11777, PHP 5 v5.1.2, MySQL 5 v5.0.26, APACHE v2.2.3