PHP mail function To: and From: accounts seem reversed causing Relay errors

[dmacman1962]

Hi all,

We have been using the PHP mail function for several years with no issues.

We run Apache, PHP, MySQL, fyi.

We changed IP addresses for our 2 servers at our ISP (one a mail server, and the other the VM hosting our site). We have done this in the past with no issues, and now, it is not letting me send unless the To: address is the one authenticated on the mail server. (which is useless, since then I can only send to myself).

I changed the php.ini as follows:

[mail function]
; For Win32 only.
;SMTP = localhost

; old address before the switch
;SMTP = xxx.xxx.94.34

;new address after the switch
SMTP = xxx.xxx.94.111

smtp_port = 25

; For Win32 only.
;sendmail_from = ; For Win32 only.

;this address did not change and is authenticated on the Exchange server to allow relaying
sendmail_from = [e-mail]

I tried this as a test:

$to      = '[e-mail]';
$subject = 'test email';
$message = 'Did it work?';
$headers = 'From: [e-mail]' . "\r\n" .
    'Reply-To: [e-mail]' . "\r\n" .
    'X-Mailer: PHP/' . phpversion();

mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers);

And I get the standard relay error:

Warning: mail() [function.mail]: SMTP server response: 550 5.7.1 Unable to relay for don....

The only way I can get it to work is to switch the To: and From: and it will successfully send. But it goes to my support account from my support and puts the "From:address" in the body copy?

I am at a loss, and our ISP and techs triple checked all the firewall rules and the SMTP settings on the Exchange server (and the Exchange server only had the IP address changed made).

We have tried email apps, and use one for mailing to our customers, but it is not an option for simple sends, like a password reset (which uses this email function, but will not work any longer).

Anyone have any guidance on this, or seen this before.

I appreciate the assistance,

Don

[dmacman1962]

I located a page that a PHP programmer who helped us with setup of the VM machine last year used. He was using PEAR, which is installed our our machine. I looked thru the PEAR files and could not find one with any of the IP or email address info hard-coded into it.

Here is a snippet of his code:

$mailParams["host"] = "xxx.xxx.94.34";
$mailParams["port"] = "25";
$mailParams["localhost"] = "vm_instance_name_was_here";
include('Mail.php');
$mail = Mail::factory("smtp",$mailParams);

$message = 'blah, blah, blah';

$email_to = $EmailAddress;
$headers = array("From" => "[e-mail]", "Subject" => $subject,
"To" => $email_to, "MIME-Version" => "1.0", "Content-type" => "text/html; charset=iso-8859-1");
$subject = $DisplayDate.' '.$Title;

$mail->send($email_to, $headers, $message);

I changed the email to address to my [e-mail] and tried to send. It processes the page and returns no errors, or an email.

If that sheds more light on it.

[johanafm]

.111 instead?

dmacman1962;10962325 wrote:

$mailParams["host"] = "xxx.xxx.94.34";

[dmacman1962]

Sorry, copied an pasted it here before I actually changed that.

It was set to .111 in my test before posting.

[johanafm]

Have you tried using SMTP authentication by adding this to $mailparams?

'auth' => true, 'username' => "valid name", 'password' => 'pwd for valid name'

And what happens if you telnet to your SMTP server and issue the commands manually? i.e.

command				- expected response
telnet smtp.example.com [port]	- 220
EHLO example.com		- 250
if SMTP auth is needed, this is where you
AUTH LOGIN
[base64 encoded username]
[base64 encoded password]	- 235
if no SMTP auth is needed, jump straight here
MAIL FROM:[e-mail]	- 250
RCPT TO:[e-mail]		- 250 (might get the 550 here)
DATA
Subject: test

This is the email body. For the "Subject: test" line to become subject,
you need the extra CRLF. End email body with
. on its own line.
.				- 250
QUIT

I'm no expert on SMTP servers or possible configurations. But afaik, after authentication, you should not get a "550 unable to relay" when setting RCPT TO, as long as SMTP AUTH went ok, and your FROM address is a valid address on this smtp servers domain. If you still do, then my guess would be that your particular smtp server has additional restrictions in place after all, and I'd go back to the exchange team...