Can't send emails

Can't send emails

by James Steerpike -
Number of replies: 3

On my hosted site last semester, email just worked.  I then looked around for a VPS and  registered a new domain on a server. Now I have just found e-mails are not working. Email change requests give an error/moodle/cannotmailconfirm.

The Moodle version is 3.3 running on debian, installed manually. I switched the A host to my new site but the mx host has not been changed in the domain zone. Googling through the internet I think I need to install a mail server on my server. Options are Postfix or possibly exim. The mx must then be pointed to the new server.

Before I charge into this, am I heading in the right direction or is there a simpler solution?



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In reply to James Steerpike

Re: Can't send emails

by Howard Miller -
Picture of Core developers Picture of Documentation writers Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Peer reviewers Picture of Plugin developers

First thing, *don't* install your own mail server. You can get a full time job as a mail server administrator which gives you a clue as to the complexity. Other mail servers will do all they can to block you because they will assume you are spammer. It won't end well. 

Other than that, how was Moodle delivering mail before?

The easiest thing is to find an SMTP server provided by your host or upstream ISP (I use ISP loosely) and point at that - make it somebody else's problem.

BTW... MXs are about receiving mail. They have nothing to do with sending mail.

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In reply to Howard Miller

Re: Can't send emails

by James Steerpike -

That saved me a lot of unnecessary work......

The last site was hosted and I paid in advance so the smtp server is still there. I will do as  you suggest - starting with the site that hosts my VPS.


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In reply to Howard Miller

Re: Can't send emails

by James Steerpike -

Thanks Howard. Created a free account at Sendgrid and sent my first email from Moodle. smile. All you have to do is use the Sendgrid smtp  api and update the Moodle email configuration. Once you know what to do, a 2 minute job.

Set up several hundred students last week so now they can reset their own passwords.

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