Connecting to my Email server

[elimcf]

Our email is sent through the Bell South/Yahoo email server. Sending email through PC+ used to work. For some reason, it no longer works. When I click the "test" button on the email setup page it returns with the following error: "Error within the socket connect. DNS lookup failed." I can send email through MS Outlook on the same computer using the same smtp setup information with no problems so the server is up and running. Any suggestions?

Kelvin

[NeilZ]

Our email is sent through the Bell South/Yahoo email server. Sending email through PC+ used to work. For some reason, it no longer works. When I click the "test" button on the email setup page it returns with the following error: "Error within the socket connect. DNS lookup failed." I can send email through MS Outlook on the same computer using the same smtp setup information with no problems so the server is up and running. Any suggestions?

Kelvin

Have you added new firewall software to the system, or upgraded the software? It sound like something is blocking PCPlus from accessing the server. Just because Outlook can access, doesn't mean that the firewall isn't blocking PCPlus from doing the same.

Also, you didn't say which version of PCPlus you were using, I'm going to assume v11.55. There is a file in in the \Powerchurch\PCPLUS115 folder called EmailSession.log it is created when you press the TEST button on the Email setup screen.

Could you cut and paste the text in that file here??

Thanks, it would help with the diagnostics.

[elimcf]

OK, here is the contents of the log file with username info deleted. The desktop at the church is running Windows 7 Home Premium with Service Pack 1. We are using version 11.55 of PCPlus as you indicated:

<SessionLog>
<Begin>2016-01-05T07:25:17</Begin>
<LogEntry>
<EntryTime>2016-01-05T07:25:49</EntryTime>
<Log><numprocessed>0</numprocessed>
<numtoprocess>1</numtoprocess>
<recipients>bryantmom4@gmail.com;</recipients>
<SmtpFailReason>ConnectFailed</SmtpFailReason>
<ChilkatLog>
<OpenSmtpConnection>
<DllDate>Aug 26 2015</DllDate>
<ChilkatVersion>9.5.0.52</ChilkatVersion>
<UnlockPrefix>POWERC.CBX0717</UnlockPrefix>
<Username> deleted </Username>
<Architecture>Little Endian; 32-bit</Architecture>
<Language>ActiveX</Language>
<VerboseLogging>0</VerboseLogging>
<ensureSmtpSession>
<ensureSmtpConnection>
<SmtpHost>smtp.att.yahoo.net</SmtpHost>
<SmtpPort>465</SmtpPort>
<SmtpUsername> deleted </SmtpUsername>
<SmtpSsl>1</SmtpSsl>
<StartTLS>0</StartTLS>
<smtpConnect>
<smtpHostname>smtp.att.yahoo.net</smtpHostname>
<smtpPort>465</smtpPort>
<connectionIsReady>
<info>Need new SMTP connection</info>
</connectionIsReady>
<smtpSocketConnect>
<socket2Connect>
<connect2>
<connectImplicitSsl>
<connectSocket>
<connect_ipv6_or_ipv4>
<resolveHostname6>
<getAddressInfo>
<error>Failed to get host address info. (3)</error>
<SocketError>WSAHOST_NOT_FOUND No such host is known.</SocketError>
<hostOrIpAddr>smtp.att.yahoo.net</hostOrIpAddr>
<port>465</port>
<info>Versions of Windows earlier than Windows XP are limited to handling IPv4 only</info>
<info>On Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP, IPv6 addresses are returned only if IPv6 is installed on the local computer.</info>
</getAddressInfo>
</resolveHostname6>
<error>Domain to IP address resolution failed.</error>
</connect_ipv6_or_ipv4>
</connectSocket>
</connectImplicitSsl>
<ConnectFailReason>DNS lookup failed</ConnectFailReason>
</connect2>
</socket2Connect>
<error>Failed to connect to SMTP server..</error>
</smtpSocketConnect>
</smtpConnect>
</ensureSmtpConnection>
</ensureSmtpSession>
<error>Failed to connect to SMTP server</error>
<error>Failed.</error>
</OpenSmtpConnection>
</ChilkatLog>
</Log>
</LogEntry>
<LogEntry>
<EntryTime>2016-01-05T07:25:50</EntryTime>
<Log><numprocessed>0</numprocessed>
<numtoprocess>1</numtoprocess>
<recipients>bryantmom4@gmail.com;</recipients>
<ChilkatLog>
<CloseSmtpConnection>
<DllDate>Aug 26 2015</DllDate>
<ChilkatVersion>9.5.0.52</ChilkatVersion>
<UnlockPrefix>POWERC.CBX0717</UnlockPrefix>
<Username> deleted </Username>
<Architecture>Little Endian; 32-bit</Architecture>
<Language>ActiveX</Language>
<VerboseLogging>0</VerboseLogging>
</CloseSmtpConnection>
</ChilkatLog>
</Log>
</LogEntry>
<End>2016-01-05T07:26:35</End>
</SessionLog>

[NeilZ]

That confirmed what I thought, the PCPlus SMTP engine does not appear to be able to access a Domain Name Server. Try this, disable your computer's firewall, then try the test to see what happens.

[elimcf]

Running the test with the firewall disabled returns the same error message. I also tried leaving the firewall on but specifying PCPlus as one of the firewall exception applications -- that also failed.

[NeilZ]

Running the test with the firewall disabled returns the same error message. I also tried leaving the firewall on but specifying PCPlus as one of the firewall exception applications -- that also failed.

Well .. I'm out of ideas. Might be a good time to call the help desk.

[elimcf]

Turns out, the problem is really a certificate verification error. I inadvertently changed the ".com" to ".net" on the smtp server address when we first experienced problems. The typo was causing the DNS lookup error. After fixing that error, I get an error message saying "Server certificate validation failed". If I uncheck the "validate certificates" box it will send mail but something tells me that I need to do something else to the installed certificate.

[NeilZ]

Turns out, the problem is really a certificate verification error. I inadvertently changed the ".com" to ".net" on the smtp server address when we first experienced problems. The typo was causing the DNS lookup error. After fixing that error, I get an error message saying "Server certificate validation failed". If I uncheck the "validate certificates" box it will send mail but something tells me that I need to do something else to the installed certificate.

Not really ... you don't have to do anything. If I remember right, the validate certificates is checking to see if you have a copy of the cert on your machine, or the SMTP engine is sending a request to see if the server's certificate is valid; I forget which.

In any case, its not something you have to worry about.

[elimcf]

Thank you my friend.