UBB.threads PHP Forum Software Community Forums UBB.threads Version 7/8 Support automatically generated email

Recently my fórums versión 7.5.6p2 has developed a problem with automatic emails. Registration verification email and automated happy birthday email to members for example, does not work. Each time the software tries to send mail I receive the following message.

Mail sent by user nobody being discarded due to sender restrictions in WHM->Tweak Settings

My servers tech support thinks its a software problem and has nothing to do with server settings.

Any help or advise on this issue would be appreciated.

Sorry, No assistance needed, my host is working with me on the issue.

Thank You

Me again
My host has washed their hands of the issue by taking this position. After years of service this just recently became a problem.

The system wont allow mail to be sent from nobody, mail needs to be from a real email address. This is important because spammers exploit systems and they use nobody@ to hide which account they exploited. The end result of not being able to properly track email from the server is it can end up blacklisted.

You will need to adjust your php scripts to send email using a valid email address. Generally most well written scripts will do this, sometimes there is a place in the web management portion to enter a email address to be used.

Another negative of nobody emails is they will generally end up in a spam box if spam filters are being used on the receiving account.

Can someone tell me where I would adjust the php scripts to ensure automated emails generated on registration, birthday congratulations etc are sent from a real address?

Thanks in advance for your help

Jay

The forum email address is set through CP -> Master Settings -> Primary Settings -> General Tab -> "Board EMail Address"

Yes, and it is set correctly. I noticed the Mailer.php also calls up this address for sending mail but I guess its not its not working for some reason. Any other ideas?

It could be your mail server.
The default is localhost but possibly you are using a smtp server such as a windows server does.
Control Panel » Primary Settings
Use specified SMTP Server:
Normally this is controlled by php.ini. However if you need to send mail through another SMTP server and cannot do this by editing php.ini, you can specify it here.

that feild is blank and the mail.php does not indicate a SMTP server. Should I try and list mine?

The field usually is blank because the php.ini file normally has the mail server settings.
You would need to contact your host to find out the smtp server name.
But also you should try testing the email account listed in the board email address as Gizmo stated,Outside of UBB.
All email sent from the board comes from what is entered in that setting.
It could be there is a typo in the address or the email account just does not work.
Or it could be the email address is blacklisted.( happened to me twice)

The email account Works fine. Wouldnt the SMPT server be the same as the one I used to set up my account in Outlook.

Where is the php.ini file located so I can check it?

Thanks
Jay

could be.
You need to contact your host to be sure.
BTW, Since your host says it only happened after years of service. Makes me suspect.
Hosts are constantly upgrading software versions(apache,linux,windows), adding security,etc.
So I am sure it is something they did and now you need to fix it.

Ubb does not send email from nobody it sends it from the email account listed n the UBB control panel.
So something is amiss with the account entered.
Being that the php.ini is using the wrong mail connection. Or you need to manually enter a new SMTP server location.

I agree the host is suspect in this and now its my problem (OLM is the host). I will be looking for another to host my sites. twice in the last month the site has gone down and the host has restored from backups.

If I enter a SMTP server are there negatives associated with this as the default is allways local host.

Where can I Access the php.ini file to ensure its correct or maybe hard code a send from email address into it.

There should not be a negative if you enter a valid mail host.
Especially if email does not work to begin with.
As far as viewing/editing your php.ini file that is up to the host to allow you to see or edit it.

You might be able to see the settings in phpinfo depending on how your host has you setup.
You can try:
UBB Control Panel » PHP Info

I can see that php.info says the SMTP server is local host so that isnt the problem.

I am very frustrated as they continue to say its a script problem with UBB. Im lost for solutions and now afraid a new host could offer the same problems.

My current host says the scripts are old and this is part of the problem. He said, she said.

I will push the harder for solution with the host but fear it usless.

Thank you
Jay

php.info shows the server administrator email address as one not listed on my site. It is the correct domain but that account does not exsit.

Could it be that its trying to mail from this address?

Thanks
Jay

Could be!
It might be a old catchall account that got deleted somehow.
Don't know, looking from this side of the fence.
But it sounds like you need to visit your (CPanel?)
And see if something for email has changed or been deleted.

what you host did was set WHM/cPanel to not allow the USER 'nobody' to send emails.

that is a tweak that they did to stop your software from sending, in the interests of more 'security' for their server. it's their call, although they are really screwing you over by doing that.

what they really should do is run php as either suPHP or fastCGI, so that your php scripts run as the actual cPanel user account for your site.

if they won't budge on it, then move.

Tom @ Express hosting would have a setup that would run your forums much better and i highly recommend him

he'll even move you, since it's cPanel to cPanel and it will be quite painless.

I'll definitely second that recommendation and from personal experience. Express Hosting is A #1.

express= +++++1 in my book.
I just had a self inflicted problem and Tom resolved it faster than I could reply to his questions.