“SMTP connect() failed.” on Bluehost

[Anonymous]

Some of the time I can send a newsletter without a problem but I frequently can’t and it’s driving me nuts. I test the SMTP connection by hitting the “Send a test email to this address” button in the “SMTP” section of the “Settings” tab. Here’s the error message that comes back:

“SMTP connect() failed. https://github.com/PHPMailer/PHPMailer/wiki/Troubleshooting”

I think it’s because Bluehost has some internal security firewall setting that stops the SMTP connection but I’m not sure.

1. Does anyone know how to make this problem go away?
2. TNP team, could you please *please* PLEASE add a more informative error message when the SMTP connection fails so that Bluehost tech support will know what to do? I see lots of posts on this forum asking about the same error message so this would help a lot of people.

Thanks!

[Stefano]

Hi, bluehost is blocking the connection, ask the to unlock it.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Stefano. The problem is that Bluehost wants more specific information. “SMTP connect() failed” is too vague. They insist it’s the fault of my email provider.

In the past (last year), TNP generated an error message like “Peer certificate CN=*.bluehost.com' did not match expected CN=smtp.fastmail.com'” but it doesn’t anymore. I need something so the Bluehost tech support people know *specifically* what to do to fix the problem.

Is there some other test I can run to prove beyond a doubt that Bluehost is blocking the connection and not Fastmail (my email service provider)?

[Author]

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