Testing and troubleshooting - Custom SMTP
On this page The test message
The test message
Every configuration purpose has a button that sends a test message to the signed-in person's address, through the exact configured server. It is the first diagnostic step - it confirms the login details and host are correct before looking for the cause elsewhere.
Common problems
The test fails with a connection error
The most common cause is the wrong port, or an encryption method that does not match it - port 465 usually expects encryption from the first byte of the connection (SMTPS), while port 587 negotiates it during the conversation (STARTTLS). Mixing them up ends in a rejected connection or a silent hang before any clear error message appears.
The test passes, but real alerts never go out
Check which purpose is missing a configuration. The test message travels the same resolution chain as a real one - but if you tested the default purpose while alerts has its own, unfinished configuration with a blank host, that is the actual source of the problem, not the default setting.
The configuration is saved, but alerts still don't go out
Check the separate configuration switch - turned off, it makes DockRay fall back to the default configuration of the same scope, even if the password and host are still saved there. It is also worth checking whether the change was made recently: the queue worker, which actually sends the alerts, only picks up a new configuration after a restart.
Mail goes out, but lands in spam
That is usually a domain issue, not a DockRay one - a missing SPF record covering the SMTP server, or a missing DKIM signature for the sender address's domain. Check that on the mail provider and DNS side before blaming the panel configuration.
Reports never arrive, even though alerts work
Those are two separate configurations (alerts and reports) - one working does not guarantee the other does too. Check whether a separate configuration was even set for reports, whether it is meant to fall back to the default, and whether that default actually has a host filled in.
Still not working
Work through the troubleshooting checklist, and if that does not help, write to us. Include the project name, the integration version and roughly when you ran the test: it shortens the way to an answer.