Email Notifications

[gjviii 48]

i'm looking for any suggestions as I believe I have tried everything mentioned here and still cant get it working.   I have a server on this network that can send email messages, so I copied all of those settings and they don't work on mediabrowser.   Could someone take a look at the plugin one more time just to validate its all working as it should?  

If its user error on my part let me know and i'll be happy with that response as well.

Edited May 6, 2014 by gvollero

[moviefan 184]

Plugin definitely works as it should.

 

I just set this up to relay off of my home exchange server.  Had to change some of the exchange relay settings to get it working but after I successfully tested it manually with telnet it started working in mediabrowser.

 

One thing that caught me a little off guard was that the test button doesn't work until AFTER you click save.  It just kept sitting there with the waiting circle until I realized that.

[gjviii 48]

Plugin definitely works as it should.

 

I just set this up to relay off of my home exchange server.  Had to change some of the exchange relay settings to get it working but after I successfully tested it manually with telnet it started working in mediabrowser.

 

One thing that caught me a little off guard was that the test button doesn't work until AFTER you click save.  It just kept sitting there with the waiting circle until I realized that.

Thanks for checking.   sometimes user error is the hardest issues to resolve      i'll keep playing with it

[moviefan 184]

I recommend trying a manual SMTP test to make sure the email server is working.  Once you have that working I think that it should work from MediaBrowser server.  To do a manual test try the following steps replacing items in brackets with actual values you have in your mediabrowser config (don't include the brackets).

 

1) Open a Command Prompt.... Start ->  Run ->  Type "cmd" and hit enter

2) Type "telnet <smtp_hostname> <smtp_port>"

3) Type "HELO"  or if that doesn't work "EHLO"

4) Type "mail from: <email_from_address>"

5) Type "rcpt to: <email_to_address>"

6) Type "data"

7) Type "subject: test email"

8) Type "."

 

At this point the message should be accepted and sent.  The only thing you arent checking here is the IP address restrictions, but if you do this from the mediabrowser server itself it should check everything end to end.  If something fails you should get an indication of what it might be.  Post any errors back and I'll try to help you out.

[econ 74]

Question....

Where are the following emails triggered from?  The reason I ask is that I still have been unable to get the email notifications to work.  However, the from email address in this email is one I only use for notifications.

[snazy2000 342]

Them emails use the notifications system. So y he email plugin is working correctly for you

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[gjviii 48]

I recommend trying a manual SMTP test to make sure the email server is working.  Once you have that working I think that it should work from MediaBrowser server.  To do a manual test try the following steps replacing items in brackets with actual values you have in your mediabrowser config (don't include the brackets).

 

1) Open a Command Prompt.... Start ->  Run ->  Type "cmd" and hit enter

2) Type "telnet <smtp_hostname> <smtp_port>"

3) Type "HELO"  or if that doesn't work "EHLO"

4) Type "mail from: <email_from_address>"

5) Type "rcpt to: <email_to_address>"

6) Type "data"

7) Type "subject: test email"

8) Type "."

 

At this point the message should be accepted and sent.  The only thing you arent checking here is the IP address restrictions, but if you do this from the mediabrowser server itself it should check everything end to end.  If something fails you should get an indication of what it might be.  Post any errors back and I'll try to help you out.

Thanks for the response,  I have been traveling, but will test Monday when I return.   I appear to have the same issue as @@econ, where I get the same email that he received(picture he posted), I get the dashboard notifications showing what is being watched, but I don't receive emails showing what is watched 

[moviefan 184]

Thanks for the response,  I have been traveling, but will test Monday when I return.   I appear to have the same issue as @@econ, where I get the same email that he received(picture he posted), I get the dashboard notifications showing what is being watched, but I don't receive emails showing what is watched 

 

Then your email server works but you likely don't have notifications enabled that you want.  Notifications for people watching stuff aren't enabled by default.

 

Click Advanced -> Notifications

 

Change these settings to enabled per your preference to be notified..

 

[econ 74]

I definitely have the correct notifications set.  The dashboard notification works as expected when other users play videos, just the email is never received.

 

Without changing any settings in the email plugin, if I click test I still recieve the message "There was an error processing the request."  If the "latest news" email is triggered from within the email notifications then why would I still be receiving this error assuming it is working as expected?

[CBers 6771]

Just realised I'm not getting VIDEO PLAYBACK notifications either.

 

No errors etc. in the log around the time of playback starting.

 

Other notifications are working OK.

Edited May 10, 2014 by CBers

[moviefan 184]

I definitely have the correct notifications set.  The dashboard notification works as expected when other users play videos, just the email is never received.

 

Without changing any settings in the email plugin, if I click test I still recieve the message "There was an error processing the request."  If the "latest news" email is triggered from within the email notifications then why would I still be receiving this error assuming it is working as expected?

 

 

Hmm well I haven't tested the video playback notifications....

 

But I definitely don't get an error when testing the Email configuration.  This should work fine.

 

Can you try the manual telnet test I posted?

[snazy2000 342]

Video playback only works for other accounts to the one setup with the email. For example if admin has it setup and admin watches a video then no video notifications but if Bob plays a video then admin should get a notifixation

 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[CBers 6771]

Video playback only works for other accounts to the one setup with the email. For example if admin has it setup and admin watches a video then no video notifications but if Bob plays a video then admin should get a notifixation

Just tested that scenario and concur with @@snazy2000's findings.

 

To add to that, if the user seeks in a transcoded playback, then another notification is issued.

 

 

.

Edited May 11, 2014 by CBers

[Luke 37064]

Just tested that scenario and concur with @@snazy2000's findings.

 

To add to that, if the user seeks in a transcoded playback, then another notification is issued.

 

 

.

 

which app? that is the client erroneously reporting playback start when doing that.

[CBers 6771]

which app? that is the client erroneously reporting playback start when doing that.

The multiple notifications when seeking was via Android app to Chromecast.

[econ 74]

Hmm well I haven't tested the video playback notifications....

 

But I definitely don't get an error when testing the Email configuration.  This should work fine.

 

Can you try the manual telnet test I posted?

 

I have not been able to complete the telnet test.  Since telnet doesn't support SSL/TLS I have tried using GnuTLS.  However, I am very unfamiliar with the syntax.  I can connect to the smtp server and issue a starttls command but am unsure the next steps to issue the authentication handshake.  

[FrankAZ 4]

I haven't set up multiple users because it would be unlikely that my family would remember or care to switch users. My family barely tolerate my interests in media custody and home networking - they are motivated by the least number of clicks to content. So, everyone uses the same user account. Even so I would like to be notified when users view content. I travel a lot and if my wife and or daughter watch something while I am out of town then that is what I ought to watch next to catch up (TV shows) or to avoid conflicts (Movies).

 

So, the 'Users will not be notified of their own activities' caution (below) is actually contrary to my desire. Any chance of a setting to toggle that? I suppose I could set up a dummy user so that all content qualifies, but I would rather not confuse the user interface with multiple identities which may present to other family members and delay their experience.

 

Thanks,

Frank.

 

[ebr 14913]

I think you could create a notification user and then hide it in its settings...

[FrankAZ 4]

I think you could create a notification user and then hide it in its settings...

Good idea. Hiding it so that it never appears on the common user interface would do the trick.

[moviefan 184]

I have not been able to complete the telnet test.  Since telnet doesn't support SSL/TLS I have tried using GnuTLS.  However, I am very unfamiliar with the syntax.  I can connect to the smtp server and issue a starttls command but am unsure the next steps to issue the authentication handshake.  

 

You require TLS to relay mail from internal hosts?  And then likely sent it out unencrypted to the internet....?

[econ 74]

All the SMTP servers I have tried require ssl. Gmail, yahoo, verizon, and comcast.

[moviefan 184]

All the SMTP servers I have tried require ssl. Gmail, yahoo, verizon, and comcast.

 

Okay then I misunderstood this whole time and apologize.  I thought you were running your own internal mail server.  Yah the majority of those outside services likely dont support relay without authentication and require TLS for authentication.  Comcast I believe allows for regular SMTP relay off if its SMTP servers if you are coming from a comcast IP address.  Not sure about Verizon.  But yahoo and gmail will only allow for relay to gmail/yahoo owned email addresses without authentication to prevent SPAM abuse.

[muehlberger 4]

I recommend trying a manual SMTP test to make sure the email server is working. Once you have that working I think that it should work from MediaBrowser server. To do a manual test try the following steps replacing items in brackets with actual values you have in your mediabrowser config (don't include the brackets).

 

1) Open a Command Prompt.... Start -> Run -> Type "cmd" and hit enter

2) Type "telnet "

3) Type "HELO" or if that doesn't work "EHLO"

4) Type "mail from: "

5) Type "rcpt to: "

6) Type "data"

7) Type "subject: test email"

8) Type "."

 

At this point the message should be accepted and sent. The only thing you arent checking here is the IP address restrictions, but if you do this from the mediabrowser server itself it should check everything end to end. If something fails you should get an indication of what it might be. Post any errors back and I'll try to help you out.

Hi, tried the above recipe with smtp.office365.com, Port 587. The Connection works, the Rest Not (i think because of tls).

Unfortunately MB States an "there was an error processing the request" when testing... Credentials are okay, since they are entered exactly the Same in my WHS notifications.

 

-- muehlberger

 

 

Gesendet von meinem iPad mit Tapatalk

[econ 74]

Okay then I misunderstood this whole time and apologize.  I thought you were running your own internal mail server.  Yah the majority of those outside services likely dont support relay without authentication and require TLS for authentication.  Comcast I believe allows for regular SMTP relay off if its SMTP servers if you are coming from a comcast IP address.  Not sure about Verizon.  But yahoo and gmail will only allow for relay to gmail/yahoo owned email addresses without authentication to prevent SPAM abuse.

 

@@moviefan no need to apologize.  I appreciate the assistance. 

 

I have tried sending to a gmail account when using the gmail smtp server.  Still get the error when I try to test and no test email is ever received.

 

What really baffles me is that I get the "Latest News" email notifications but I don't get any others, and I know I have the notification settings correct (ie Application Update Installed, Server Restart Required, Video Playback).  Therefore that would lead me to believe my smtp settings are correct.

[econ 74]

Yah sorry as I said I misunderstood.  Telnet test will not work for anything that uses TLS since there is no mechanism for it to encrypt the data using the public key of the mail server.  Would have to use a separate mail test client for that which supports TLS to achieve the same goal.

 

I've used SMTP Tester to verify settings

http://smtptest.codeplex.com/