IP - Firewall Protection / Deactivation

[bestt]

Other than the previous Rookie neglects, lol using port 456 < 465, there seems to be a problem with the recipient actually receiving email although the log and que captures and saves the info/data. If the IP is blocked what are the criteria for such limitation or if it is a coding thing with the DNS records why does not the control panels automatically import such data with the built in Smarthost and the built-in link to round cube? Is it better to simply install the roundcube from Softaculous; however, would not that increase unnecessary storage?

How to solve this debacle?

[KazVee]

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking for in your post, could you please provide more details about the issue?

Since all staff are unpaid volunteers who donate our free time to help users, I've numbered the items we'll need more details on to investigate this. The numbering will make it easier for all staff to address any outstanding bits of information, and pick up any subsequent rounds of troubleshooting this issue.

1. Your post title mentions firewall protection/deactivation. Can you provide more detail about what you are asking to be done with the server firewall?
2. What log and queue do you refer to when you say these capture and save the info/data? Can you provide a screenshot or exerpt of the log that contains the info/data that, from your post, I am guessing suggests the email was sent?
3. You speculated the IP is blocked. Which IP address do you refer to? Yours? The server IP address? Can you provide more details around why you suspect there is a blocked IP?
4. Your post mentioned DNS records. Both your domains are using the free helioho.st domains, load fine, and show the correct DNS records, so there doesn't seem to be a DNS issue. Can you provide more information (error messages, screenshots) around why you suspect there may be a DNS issue, so this can be investigated?
5. You mentioned Smarthost, however I find no such service inside Plesk or Softaculous and it's not something we've seen other posts about. Can you please give us more details on what Smarthost is, and if you found this inside Plesk or inside Softaculous, and how it relates to what seems to be an issue with a recipient not receiving your email?
6. You can install Roundcube from inside Softaculous, however we usually recommend activating it inside Plesk's email settings instead. Please find the steps here on how to activate Roundcube webmail inside Plesk: https://wiki.helionet.org/Unlimited_Email_Accounts#Webmail_is_Disabled_by_Default 
7. You asked about account storage. Your account currently has 1000 MB storage, however if this is not enough, we do offer the option to add additional storage for one-time donations. You can find more information here on how the storage is calculated, what files are included, and how you can increase your storage if you want to: https://wiki.helionet.org/Storage 

When asking support questions, the more information you can provide up front, the easier (and quicker!) it is for the volunteer staff to assist. Here are some basic troubleshooting list items that are useful to include when asking for help:

• What is happening?
• What did you expect to happen?
• What actually happened?
• Is there an error?
• What does the error say?
• When did this start happening?
• Can you reproduce the issue?
• How can we reproduce it?
• Who is affected?
• What have you already tried?
• Did anything change before the issue started?

[bestt]

Sure, the issue is regarding sending and receiving email from the subdomain. The problem is that the recipient does not receive emails sent unless manual flushed within the mail log section.

1. The firewall option was mentioned as a troubleshooting fix presuming the server was blocking http or any other none default privilege. So the firewall section was found and set to the moderate level. That did not fix the problem and turning the firewall completely off might cause security risk.

2. It’s actually titled, “Track Email Delivery,” and can be found on the Plesk control panel,  “Website and Domains” and near the bottom of each domain block there are additional menus: Dashboard; Hosting and DNS. The tiny three dots on the far right contains the menus: Mail; Customer Service; and Get Started. The “Mail” menu contains the link for, “Track Email Delivery,” the log of reference not the general domain logs. This is where undeliverable mail seems to be stored awaiting further action or system auto resend action if any. This is where undeliverable mail can be deleted, evaluated for errors, or flushed/forced delivery. The problem is why are the messages deferred, delayed, or marked with code errors? The few that read “sent” were more or likely forced. This problem has occurred with each email attempt created with The built in RoundCube.

3. This was in reference to port 25. However port 465 is preferable for further use of sending email from the domain or full service access for both domains mostly. Not to avoid other restrictions of course the Smarthost still provide such spam protection etc.

4. Both Domains should be using the Morty server. The problem is suspected because checking the DNS, DKIM .. etc for consistency is also a maintenance evaluation when finding a resolution. Due to the fact that the subdomain is the current development focus, child to the main domain had considered that maybe the sever e’s rejecting the full handshake because both DNS records are not propagating together in one block command or something.

 

5. See, number “2.” above. The “Mail” menu also contains the “Smarthost” link. Is this service not needed or required to send mail from the built in RoundCube, because once the mail accounts are created, the three-dot-tab above that information block also links to Smarthost settings or menu.

6. The steps were tracked, which one was over stepped is the missing link ironically. Also if Webmail is disabled by default could that be a serve end detection checker because the email account blocks it there have webclient setup and the famous “RoundCube” webmail link. Again these domains should be seen on the “Morty” server not the free account. Maybe that’s causing the problem.

7. Right, considering storage is trash bin emptied, had searched how to recover storage space. Hoping to quickly resolve this so to maybe delete an unused database or whatever that is taking up a lot of space. 

8. Also are .htaccess file allowed? For some reason each domain shows the directory and not a blank page:frame having no .index, was concerned about moving the entire renamed wp file avoiding other errors.

 The account receives mail through the built in RoundCube which is accessed within the “Mail Account” tab, then clicking “Webmail” within the info block. There are three dot above the mail accounts info block where there is a Smarthost link. The expectation is to retrieve emails sent from this built in “RoundCube-webclient-webmail link”. And the other link next to it-left side links to an option for “Mozilla-ThunderBird” which is still in development stage not fully a product of the Apple Store - that mail client for iPhone is available only thru the Apple developer beta store-“TestFlight.”

“Thanks!” - Heliohost Team! - For your time and consideration with this support-ticket. 😊 Let’s have coffee soon!

Edited August 16 by bestt

[KazVee]

I'll escalate this thread to the root admins who have more account access than I do, so they can look into this more thoroughly for you.

2. I cannot access these logs, which is why I'd asked for a screenshot or excerpt. The root admins may able to view the logs showing any messages deferred, delayed, or marked with code errors.

5. Thanks for confirming the location of the Smarthosts link (Mail > Smarthosts tab)! It's not really something I use, so I never noticed it before.

7. A root admin can give you a detailed storage space usage report to see if deleting trash might regain you some space.

8. Yes, .htaccess files are allowed. Each domain has directory indexing turned on by default. It's something that was activated in 2024 since many users requested it. If you don't want it on, you can add a blank index.html file into any folder you don't want directory indexing/listing on for. We have a little blurb about it in the wiki here: https://wiki.helionet.org/Create_Website#Directory_Index

Bonus Info:
You mentioned WP so we strongly recommend you review this page: https://wiki.helionet.org/WordPress

WordPress is one of the main reasons users get their accounts suspended, since it's bloated software which causes high account load. 

Wordpress is also a popular target for malicious bots that will hammer sites trying to hack them. Last Friday, every single one of the 5740 domains ending in helioho.st were flagged by Google as being malicious. This happened because 1 user's WordPress site was hacked with malware uploaded to it. Unfortunately Google doesn't understand that 'something.helioho.st' is a different site than 'somethingelse.helioho.st', so ALL the helioho.st domains got flagged. Visitors to those sites got a big scary red screen in their browser saying the domains were malicious for about 12 hours.

[wolstech]

You're severely overthinking this. 99% of mail delivery issues are because our accounts do not come with the required DNS records (notably SPF and DKIM) by default.  You have to request those if you want to send email. If you don't, email will not deliver to most providers simply because they think it is spam.

DKIM, SPF, and DMARC have been set up for the domain talt.helioho.st and talt-ccc.helioho.st. We recommend sending a real email (not just the word "test" or a blank email) to https://www.mail-tester.com/ to make sure that everything is set up correctly. If you get less than a 10/10 score please post a link to the full report so we can help you fix any other issues that there may be. 

For number 7, disk space recalculation is not instant. It only happens once a day, so you won't see a difference immediately if you delete things.

For number 8, yes, but Options -Indexes is not supported in domain roots. This behavior is by design. If you really want to hide it, create a blank index.html file instead.

[bestt]

35 minutes ago, KazVee said:

I'll escalate this thread to the root admins who have more account access than I do, so they can look into this more thoroughly for you.

2. I cannot access these logs, which is why I'd asked for a screenshot or excerpt. The root admins may able to view the logs showing any messages deferred, delayed, or marked with code errors.

5. Thanks for confirming the location of the Smarthosts link (Mail > Smarthosts tab)! It's not really something I use, so I never noticed it before.

7. A root admin can give you a detailed storage space usage report to see if deleting trash might regain you some space.

8. Yes, .htaccess files are allowed. Each domain has directory indexing turned on by default. It's something that was activated in 2024 since many users requested it. If you don't want it on, you can add a blank index.html file into any folder you don't want directing indexing/listing on for. We have a little blurb about it in the wiki here: https://wiki.helionet.org/Create_Website#Directory_Index

Bonus Info:
You mentioned WP so we strongly recommend you review this page: https://wiki.helionet.org/WordPress

WordPress is one of the main reasons users get their accounts suspended, since it's bloated software which causes high account load. 

Wordpress is also a popular target for malicious bots that will hammer sites trying to hack them. Last Friday, every single one of the 5740 domains ending in helioho.st were flagged by Google as being malicious. This happened because 1 user's WordPress site was hacked with malware uploaded to it. Unfortunately Google doesn't understand that 'something.helioho.st' is a different site than 'somethingelse.helioho.st', so ALL the  helioho.st domains got flagged. Visitors to those sites got a big scary red screen in their browser saying the domains were malicious for about 12 hours.

Thanks!😊 

 

36 minutes ago, wolstech said:

You're severely overthinking this. 99% of mail delivery issues are because our accounts do not come with the required DNS records (notably SPF and DKIM) by default.  You have to request those if you want to send email. If you don't, email will not deliver to most providers simply because they think it is spam.

DKIM, SPF, and DMARC have been set up for the domain talt.helioho.st and talt-ccc.helioho.st. We recommend sending a real email (not just the word "test" or a blank email) to https://www.mail-tester.com/ to make sure that everything is set up correctly. If you get less than a 10/10 score please post a link to the full report so we can help you fix any other issues that there may be. 

For number 7, disk space recalculation is not instant. It only happens once a day, so you won't see a difference immediately if you delete things.

For number 8, yes, but Options -Indexes is not supported in domain roots. This behavior is by design. If you really want to hide it, create a blank index.html file instead.

Thanks!😊 

[bestt]

44 minutes ago, wolstech said:

You're severely overthinking this. 99% of mail delivery issues are because our accounts do not come with the required DNS records (notably SPF and DKIM) by default.  You have to request those if you want to send email. If you don't, email will not deliver to most providers simply because they think it is spam.

DKIM, SPF, and DMARC have been set up for the domain talt.helioho.st and talt-ccc.helioho.st. We recommend sending a real email (not just the word "test" or a blank email) to https://www.mail-tester.com/ to make sure that everything is set up correctly. If you get less than a 10/10 score please post a link to the full report so we can help you fix any other issues that there may be. 

For number 7, disk space recalculation is not instant. It only happens once a day, so you won't see a difference immediately if you delete things.

For number 8, yes, but Options -Indexes is not supported in domain roots. This behavior is by design. If you really want to hide it, create a blank index.html file instead.

ChatGPT 👈🏼👈🏽👈🏾started it👀

[wolstech]

Stuff like this is one of the major reasons that I avoid AI for troubleshooting. It loves to give some of the most ridiculous reasons, while it completely skips over the essentials.

[bestt]

2 hours ago, KazVee said:

……... Last Friday, every single one of the 5740 domains ending in helioho.st were flagged by Google as being malicious. This happened because 1 user's WordPress site was hacked with malware uploaded to it. ………ALL the helioho.st domains got flagged. Visitors to those sites got a big scary red screen in their browser saying the domains were malicious for about 12 hours.

This is very interesting 🤔 🤨🧐 

[bestt]

2 hours ago, wolstech said:

You're severely overthinking this. 99% of mail delivery issues are because our accounts do not come with the required DNS records (notably SPF and DKIM) by default.  You have to request those if you want to send email. If you don't, email will not deliver to most providers simply because they think it is spam.

DKIM, SPF, and DMARC have been set up for the domain talt.helioho.st and talt-ccc.helioho.st. We recommend sending a real email (not just the word "test" or a blank email) to https://www.mail-tester.com/ to make sure that everything is set up correctly. If you get less than a 10/10 score please post a link to the full report so we can help you fix any other issues that there may be. 

For number 7, disk space recalculation is not instant. It only happens once a day, so you won't see a difference immediately if you delete things.

For number 8, yes, but Options -Indexes is not supported in domain roots. This behavior is by design. If you really want to hide it, create a blank index.html file instead.

Here are the results:

 

 

[bestt]

15 minutes ago, bestt said:

Here are the results:

 

 

 

[wolstech]

You managed to configure your account to send email in a loop. The "smart host" tab needs to be turned off. I disabled that and it works now. https://mail-tester.com/test-o9ka59yq5?reloaded=16

The smart host tab is meant to be used for an upstream server to send mail through (e.g. if you wanted mail from Plesk to exit through a third party mail system). If you turn that on and point it to yourself, the server will never send email anywhere because it constantly tries to connect to itself as the upstream, then sees the smart host and connects to itself again. It does that repeatedly until the TTL of the email expires or the message times out. You're the first person in 14 years of working for HH that I've seen manage to break their email config that way.

[bestt]

The Smarthost connection hasn’t cleared either…. Might be slow connection with these tress and all however it should still connect, because the browser search is something kinda fast-slow. Oh and using an iPhone for now - to save data, if that helps at all…Thnaks!

[wolstech]

There were emails you sent a while back still stuck in the queue going around in circles. I just emptied the server mail queue to cancel them and the performance of the mail server seems to have improved. A second mail test completed in seconds and passed: https://mail-tester.com/test-v24uhc3c2

Please do not configure the smarthost tab to point to the local server again, the infinite loop caused by doing so can impact the performance of the mail server for everyone on the server.