[RESOLVED] problem sending mail - need authentication

[mottwsc]

I'm using PHP 5.2.4 on WinXP and I use Comcast for my email. I have Outlook Express configured to work on the server (right settings, port, etc.), so I can directly send email. The problem is that when I try to use the mail function, I get the error "Warning: mail() [function.mail]: SMTP server response: 550 5.1.0 Authentication required in C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\get_name.php on line 47"; also, mailsend is blank.

The code section is:

   ...
   $cxn = mysqli_connect($host,$user,$password,$dbname) 
      or die ("Couldn't connect to server.");
   $sql = "SELECT UserName FROM User 
      WHERE email='$email'";
      $result = mysqli_query($cxn,$sql)
         or die("Couldn't execute email search.");
      $num = mysqli_num_rows($result);
      if ($num > 0)  	# email match found in database -
                                # send User Name
      {
         $row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($result);
         extract($row);
         $name = $UserName;
         $subj = "Your User Name";
         $mess = "Your User Name is ".$name."<br>/n/n Customer Support";
         $headers = "bcc:[e-mail]\r\n";
         $mailsend = mail($email,$subj,$mess,$headers);
         echo "mailsend:".$mailsend."<br>";
      }
   ...

I've tried to use additional parameters in the PHP code, such as:

         $name = $UserName;
         $subj = "Your User Name";
         $mess = "Your User Name is ".$name."<br>/n/n Customer Support";
         $headers = "bcc:[e-mail]\r\n";
         $addt = "auth_user=myuser02, auth_password=mypassword02";
         $mailsend = mail($email,$subj,$mess,$headers,$addt);

but that does not work.

I've also tried to modify the INI file in several ways in the mail section, but that doesn't work either. I use port 587 instead of 25 per Comcast's instructions, and my regular email works with that setting. The latest INI mail section (which includes POP3 parameters since I connect through a POP3 server using Comcast) is:

[mail function]
; For Win32 only.
; CHANGE MADE HERE (both lines)
SMTP = smtp.comcast.net
smtp_port = 587

; For Win32 only.
; CHANGE MADE HERE
sendmail_from = [e-mail]

; For Unix only.  You may supply arguments as well (default: "sendmail -t -i").
;sendmail_path =

; Force the addition of the specified parameters to be passed as extra parameters
; to the sendmail binary. These parameters will always replace the value of
; the 5th parameter to mail(), even in safe mode.
mail.force_extra_parameters =
pop3_server=smtp.comcast.net
pop3_username=myuser02
pop3_password=mypassword02

Any suggestions??

[bradgrafelman]

Where did you come up with the auth_user and auth_password syntax for the mail() function? Or the pop3_* directives for the php.ini file?

You can't simply make up directives/parameters and expect PHP to automagically figure it out. As for SMTP authentication, PHP's internal mail() function doesn't support this feature and you'll have to turn to external classes (such as XPertMailer or PHPMailer).

[mottwsc]

I found these directives on http://us.php.net/mail listed in a posting further down the page after the official information on the mail() function. That is why I thought they might work related to authentication.

In any event, it sounds like I can't do this with the standard mail() function, so I'll look into your other suggestions.

Thanks.

[bradgrafelman]

I skimmed through the user comments.. only one I saw that was related talked about installing s specific MTA to use, the other one's talked about using third-party classes (or the PEAR "Mail.php" script).

[mottwsc]

I looked into PHPMailer and it seems to be a good program. I'm going to work with that, so this particular problem is resolved.

Thanks for your advice.