Akismet?

[soren121]

Before you ask, yes, I have already upgraded to PHP version 2. I'm on the Cossacks server and I have searched on these forums. Everything that had a response was in Spanish. Whenever I try to use the Akismet plugin included with WordPress, it tells me "There was a problem connecting to the Akismet server. Please check your server configuration." :sad: In my previous hosting experiences, I found that all you need for Akismet to work is the PHP fsockopen() function. Can someone please tell me which level this is enabled on, or change the level? I would have assumed this feature is enabled on Intermediate, or Basic. The main use of fsockopen() is to send mail using SMTP. This is a major feature on free hosts because many of them do not offer the mail() function. So, can anyone help me? :happysad:

 

[Jarryd]

I believe this one does offer the mail() feature, but if its main use is for sending mail via smtp it should be enabled in the Version 2, i am unsure of why its not working, in the config, is there anything to point the PHP code to connect to the Akismet server? If so, is that information correct? Maybe look that up first...If its incorrect or non existant then you may have found your problem, let me know how it goes.

 

[soren121]

Yes, Level 2 does offer the mail() function. No, the only part of Akismet that is configurable is the WordPress.com API Key, which it requires you to provide before it will let you use the service.

 

[Jarryd]

Could it be possible that the port that Akismet connects via is blocked on x10's firewall?

 

[soren121]

Possibly. But if it's blocking Akismet then it must be blocking PHP as well, correct?

 

[Jarryd]

Not really, I don't think PHP uses a port, unless it's connecting to something, it's possible that the Akismet port is blocked, just submit a post asking about the port that Akismet runs on (Find out what port it is first) then ask if its blocked in the firewall, and if it is, ask them nicely to allow it and they might.

 

[soren121]

Hmm...OK, I'll go look at the plugin code.

Edit: Oh my god. The port it uses is port 80. Which means that it has to be something else since port 80 has to be open for the server to actually work.

 

[Jarryd]

Yeah, you're right...Hmmm...well, right now it seems that Stoli is down... i'm not sure if you're on stoli or not, maybe its just my site is being connected to via the NS1.x10hosting.com, so yeah...i'll take a look at Akismet when its back up.

 

[Bryon]

Sockets are enabled in PHP v2 and v3.

And.. no, PHP doesn't have a 'port blocked' or anything like that.

If you do not know what you're talking about, please do not try to help. It just leads to confusion and more misunderstanding.

The only thing blocked by our servers' firewalls would be outbound connections to unknown, remote servers by scripts.

What is the socket connection's destination? Is it a URL, an IP address? We would have the allow connections to that host specifically.

 

[soren121]

I'm not quite sure. This code seems to be the connection code; maybe you can figure it out.

function akismet_init() {
    global $wpcom_api_key, $akismet_api_host, $akismet_api_port;

    if ( $wpcom_api_key )
        $akismet_api_host = $wpcom_api_key . '.rest.akismet.com';
    else
        $akismet_api_host = get_option('wordpress_api_key') . '.rest.akismet.com';

    $akismet_api_port = 80;
    add_action('admin_menu', 'akismet_config_page');
}
add_action('init', 'akismet_init');

I do know that $wpcom_api_key is your WordPress.com API key, which is a 12-character string of letters and numbers.

 

[Jarryd]

rest.akismet.com is where it validates an API key, so the URL that could be allowed would be a wildcard similar to *.akismet.com am i correct?

 

[soren121]

Yes, that's what I'm thinking.

 

[Corey]

We can only allow static IPs on the firewall. Get me an IP and I'll add it.