GMail/Stunnel Errors

[Pete]

The log looks fine. You are running a newer version of STunnel/open SSL than I am. It only shows the initial setup but nothing being sent out.

Now create a test email event with logging on. You will see the error on HS logs. BTW when you change your email settings in HS; shut down HS and restart it. I haven't used HS 1.7X in a very long time so this is just to make sure your email settings have been configured and enabled. Looking at an OLD (from early 2000's) 1.7 setup I noticed that there was no port designation in Homeseer for SMTP...so try the HS SMTP setting without port 25 (think it just defaults to this port). Also checked the old 1.7 "settings.ini" file and there is no reference to any SMTP port there; just the SMTP server.

You should see the attempt to send an email in the STunnel log (and errors if its not working). Clip and paste that part of the log (or attach it). If you see nothing then HS is not talking to the STunnel proxy.

Also make sure STunnel is running (processes) and you see the service set up.

A couple other settings in stunnel.conf (not sure though if your version has the same settings) - also ping your own loopback address of 127.0.0.1. (make sure it responds to ping)

; Some performance tunings
socket = l:TCP_NODELAY=1
socket = r:TCP_NODELAY=1
; Some debugging stuff useful for troubleshooting
debug = 7
output = stunnel.log
; Use it for client mode
client = yes

BTW leave your STunnel email config at: (this is the right setting)

[ssmtp]
accept = 127.0.0.1:25
connect = smtphm.sympatico.ca:465

Adding to the list of "stuff" to do ; get a gmail email address (its free) so you have another one to test. I basically mostly use it for HS because its "up" time is better than Verizon's and Comcast's SMTP servers.

[Jimboat]

Now create a test email event with logging on. You will see the error on HS logs. BTW when you change your email settings in HS; shut down HS and restart it. I haven't used HS 1.7X in a very long time so this is just to make sure your email settings have been configured and enabled. Looking at an OLD (from early 2000's) 1.7 setup I noticed that there was no port designation in Homeseer for SMTP...so try the HS SMTP setting without port 25 (think it just defaults to this port). Also checked the old 1.7 "settings.ini" file and there is no reference to any SMTP port there; just the SMTP server.

You should see the attempt to send an email in the STunnel log (and errors if its not working). Clip and paste that part of the log (or attach it). If you see nothing then HS is not talking to the STunnel proxy.

Also make sure STunnel is running (processes) and you see the service set up.

A couple other settings in stunnel.conf (not sure though if your version has the same settings) - also ping your own loopback address of 127.0.0.1. (make sure it responds to ping)

Adding to the list of "stuff" to do ; get a gmail email address (its free) so you have another one to test. I basically mostly use it for HS because its "up" time is better than Verizon's and Comcast's SMTP servers.

Thanks pete. I restarted, STunnel.exe is running in Processes. Ping goes through no problems. Have attached STunnel log. still see only the startup, no email sending evidence. HS still gives same error message on sending email.

if i had a gmail address, would my ISP still do some checking of the send anyway?

[Pete]

if i had a gmail address, would my ISP still do some checking of the send anyway?

I don't believe its an issue with your ISP. If the MS Outlook config works on the HS server then HS should also work. Check the SMTP settings in the "settings.ini" file in your homeseer directory. Make sure they match what you have configured in your HS Email GUI settings. Go ahead and get a Gmail address; its free anyways.

Must issue a STARTTLS command first

Typically this is seen when the email address/login is incorrect. TLS is endpoing authentication.

Did you remove any reference to an SMTP port in HS settings?

Looks like HS is never trying to send an email because it can't log on to the SMTP server. (by looking at STunnel log and seeing no entries and getting above entry in HS log ). This would be right if the log in is incorrect. Also create another email address with your ISP. Make it simple (no hypens ; just alpanumeric) like myhouse222 at sympatico.ca and see if this works. Ignore that I used an underscore in my example above - make it simple with your new email address. Typically ISP's allow the creation of more than one email box.

[Jimboat]

I don't believe its an issue with your ISP. If the MS Outlook config works on the HS server then HS should also work.

Thing is, HS emailing was working fine with same ISP and same email address up until 2 weeks ago; i made no changes, that's why i suspect that ISP changed something.

Check the SMTP settings in the "settings.ini" file in your homeseer directory. Make sure they match what you have configured in your HS Email GUI settings.

OK. settings.ini file shows same info as GUI EMAIL settings

Go ahead and get a Gmail address; its free anyways.

I have a gmail address now....guess i could try that setup?

"Must issue a STARTTLS command first" - Typically this is seen when the email address/login is incorrect. TLS is endpoing authentication.

Note that the HS error message that i get now (with STunnnel & 127.0.0.1 addressses in HS) is not the STARTTLS message, but rather is the
"~!~Error~!~Timeout while connecting to SMTP server, message not sent, will retry later". I got the STARTTLS message before i tried using STunnel and the smtphm.sympatico.ca entry in the HS GUI.

Did you remove any reference to an SMTP port in HS settings?

YES. HS GUI - SMTP Server (sending) = 127.0.0.1

Also create another email address with your ISP. Make it simple (no hypens ; just alpanumeric) like myhouse222 at sympatico.ca and see if this works.

OK. I had several other email addresses with same ISP. Tried one of the simplest ones.

NOTE: smtp port 465 DOES NOT work when i try it in Outlook.

I tried the different sympatico email address; still using STunnel setup as:[SIZE=2]
[ssmtp]
accept = 127.0.0.1:25
connect = smtphm.sympatico.ca:465

I still got the HS error "Timeout while connecting to SMTP server, message not sent, will retry later".

[Pete]

NOTE: smtp port 465 DOES NOT work when i try it in Outlook.

This means that your ISP may not be using SSL SMTP port 465.

Unique; then may they are using port 25 as they have depicted in the help screens (saw this but didn't think it was right).

When I enable SSL in Outlook (for MS Office) the port changes in the setting to 465. Are you changing the SSL port back to 25? And then that's when its working eh?

So then you would leave both settings to port 25.

Also while I am looking try changing the Homeseer GUI email login address to :

emailname at 127.0.0.1:25

There will need to be more config lines in the config file for Stunnel to get this to work.

checking...

[Jimboat]

sympatico says port 587 also works. tried it in outlook, works ok.

what this does STunnel message mean?

2010.06.07 15:23:48 LOG7[2144:4004]: SSL state (connect): before/connect initialization
2010.06.07 15:23:48 LOG7[2144:4004]: SSL state (connect): SSLv3 write client hello A
2010.06.07 15:23:48 LOG7[2144:4004]: SSL alert (write): fatal: handshake failure
2010.06.07 15:23:48 LOG3[2144:4004]: SSL_connect: 1408F10B: error:1408F10B:SSL routines:SSL3_GET_RECORD:wrong version number

[Pete]

Jim,

If you are not using SSL (port 587 basic SMTP - no SSL) then you have to remove the SSL client in the stunnel config.

[ssmtp]
accept = 127.0.0.1:25
connect = smtphm.sympatico.ca:587

Get rid of the line: (rem it)

;client=yes

Do a copy and paste of your stunnel config file (should be short) and snapshot of your GUI config (change the name to login) or create a email address/user name and password for me on your email setup (send it to my email address) and will test here. My HS 1.7 setup isn't connected to anything but I think I could get email to work with STunnel.

[Jimboat]

I can't say that i understand why??? BUT I tried a config with my new gmail.com address & setup in HS and STunnel, and IT WORKED!

I really don't understand how this is all put together, but we seem to be working now!

[Pete]

Good news Jim! So indeed it is a different email configuration that your ISP is providing (very unique according to what I read) compared to a typical ISP email setup.

I switched to GMail more so because its always up versus two different ISPs that I use. (I use POP with personal email server and Gmail mostly and SMTP with Gmail, then Comcast and finally Verizon)

The reason for the error was:

The client piece of STunnel is only used for SSL ("wrong version error").

Found this quick read relating to what Symatico (Canada) did for their email servers. Interesting read.

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?top...5790#msg275790

Just a quick clip from the forum:

There are incredibly few ISPs on the planet that are stupid enough to implement SSL security using port 25 for SMTP as Sympatico has done - I can think of only a couple of others that are doing the same thing ... one is in Portugal. It is a de facto standard of email worldwide that port 25 is used for unsecured email connections. The de facto email standard for sending SMTP with SSL is port 465.

Because of this many Symatico users went to using STunnel with various Email applications.

Found the fix for Symatico users using SSL and STunnel. A little bit unique but really its adding only one line to base config. (protocol = smtp).

Re-enable client=yes.

[smtp]
accept = 127.0.0.1:25
connect = smtphm.sympatico.ca:25
protocol = smtp

Leaving HS gui as before.

[Jimboat]

Thanks a million for ALL of your help, Pete. You GOT ME THERE!

I couldn't have done it without you. HS is BACK IN BUSINESS!

I sure believe that Sympatico would/could take the approach that they did! They are ALWAYS a bear to deal with...almost impossible to find anyone there that really understands what is going on with their systems. Most of their service calls are now handled in India or Philipines with insufficient "training" to do anything but "read from the training book".

Sympatico has a reputation for not really caring about their customers, so their use of port 25 and change to requiring SSL for that port doesn't surprise me.

Thanks for figuring it out, Pete. I will use GMail more now, and try to wean myself away from sympatico as an ISP altogether!

[Pete]

Not a problem Jim; glad to help.

Here we I live we only have CC broadband. I can only use my 3G connection as an alternative (or get RF) ....Verizon FIOS / AT&T U-Verse is coming. My preference though is Verizon FIOS. But the more competition the better the prices for BB.

[Jimboat]

stunnel and gmail - stopped working

Pete - I've been using HS1.7 configured for stunnel and gmail for the past 6 years, and it's been working like a champ (thanks to your enduring help)!

Last week something changed and emails can't be sent by HS with this configuration any more.

Do you know of any changes that gmail has made that might require reconfiguration of my HS or stunnel setups?

/jim

[Jimboat]

STunnel not working with gmail anymore?

...something seems to have changed with gmail. My stunnel setup that has worked fine for years, now doesn't work with gmail account? Anyone having same problems or have a solution?
/jim

[Pete]

Yes here had similiar issues a few weeks back.

I updated STunnel and got a new certificate and all is well now with GMail.

If you download the newest STunnel and use their example for GMAIL then you are good to go.

Note the update in certs while installing the newest STunnel.

[Jimboat]

Yes here had similiar issues a few weeks back.

I updated STunnel and got a new certificate and all is well now with GMail.

If you download the newest STunnel and use their example for GMAIL then you are good to go.

Note the update in certs while installing the newest STunnel.

Pete - you're a genius! I updated STunnel, easy install. All is working fine again! Thanks for solving my problem!