Using external Mail Settings slows down checkout

[ILoveHostasaurus]

Re: Using external Mail Settings slows down checkout

The only purpose of newmailonlydomain.com is for authentication, so the store owners, and customers of the store, should never see it, since the only place it would ever be mentioned is in the username box for mail server authentication. It would not be used in the store admin settings, notification module "From" settings or anywhere else, so messages people receive should make no mention of it, therefore no one would ever accidentally send it an email. You don't need to worry about DNS records for it at all because it would never be used for anything and wouldn't even use DNS to connect; you'd continue using probably servername.hostingprovider.com or primarydomain.com as the mail server name, you'd just be changing the username for authentication.

It's the same as RackSpace in that you're using some other domain for authenticating, that has no relation to the primarydomain.com, but should be faster since the smtp connection would be local instead of across the internet.

[lancermedia]

Re: Using external Mail Settings slows down checkout

The only purpose of newmailonlydomain.com is for authentication, so the store owners, and customers of the store, should never see it, since the only place it would ever be mentioned is in the username box for mail server authentication. It would not be used in the store admin settings, notification module "From" settings or anywhere else, so messages people receive should make no mention of it, therefore no one would ever accidentally send it an email. You don't need to worry about DNS records for it at all because it would never be used for anything and wouldn't even use DNS to connect; you'd continue using probably servername.hostingprovider.com or primarydomain.com as the mail server name, you'd just be changing the username for authentication.

It's the same as RackSpace in that you're using some other domain for authenticating, that has no relation to the primarydomain.com, but should be faster since the smtp connection would be local instead of across the internet.

Gotcha. So if the new domain IS setup with DNS, then technically emails could come into accounts there?

I understand, I wouldn't be using the newdomain email address anywhere except the settings screen for authentication. Just curious on the overall setup.

Thanks again!

-Kevin

[ILoveHostasaurus]

Re: Using external Mail Settings slows down checkout

If the domain was registered, pointed to the correct name servers and had DNS entries, then yes, but otherwise it would not exist outside of the server.

[lancermedia]

Re: Using external Mail Settings slows down checkout

If your server began as a version lower than 12, normally the rule allowing relaying through localhost will still be there unless removed manually.

Guessing then that maybe Ron's server was prior versions of Plesk before and that's why localhost still works?

Is this something that would potentially trigger PCI to fail validation?

-Kevin

[lancermedia]

Re: Using external Mail Settings slows down checkout

If the domain was registered, pointed to the correct name servers and had DNS entries, then yes, but otherwise it would not exist outside of the server.

Awesome....thanks for taking the time David!!

-Kevin

[ILoveHostasaurus]

Re: Using external Mail Settings slows down checkout

Guessing then that maybe Ron's server was prior versions of Plesk before and that's why localhost still works?

Is this something that would potentially trigger PCI to fail validation?

-Kevin

Nope, the prior setting that Plesk began leaving out by default in v12 was simply to consider mail from the IP address 127.0.0.1 (localhost) as allowed to be relayed without authentication. Any external-facing interfaces have always required authentication and still will. It's not something that is visible from outside the server.

[lancermedia]

Re: Using external Mail Settings slows down checkout

David,

Quick question. We made the MX change today and our host turned off all mail for the domain and any ability to send locally unauthenticated.

I tested this via a local bash script and can confirm I can't send mail unauthenticated anymore.

However, all our Miva stores are still setup with the default localhost and no authentication and emails out of Miva still work.

Is Miva doing something else to allow this?

-Kevin

[ILoveHostasaurus]

Re: Using external Mail Settings slows down checkout

If you're sending in bash via a call to mail or sendmail, then that is not the same. Merchant can only send via SMTP, so it sounds like the ability to send unauthenticated via command line processes has been limited but unauthenticated localhost SMTP is still permitted.

[lancermedia]

Re: Using external Mail Settings slows down checkout

David,

So Miva is using SMTP on the server?

By default that always use to be localhost correct? That's what ours has always been.

I'm assuming you also recommend using a SMTP account that can be authenticated moving forward? We did end up setting up another domain on the server to mainly use for that purpose. I was just testing this morning and noticed Miva could still send.

EDIT: also what does the field for Mail Method mean? I can't find any documentation on that whole area.

-Kevin

[ILoveHostasaurus]

Re: Using external Mail Settings slows down checkout

Mail method was put there in case any additional libraries were developed for Empresa to let it send using different methods, so at this point, it is not used for anything. An example would be if someone developed a non-SMTP library to let Empress send using sendmail, etc.