HOW TO: Configure VestaCP/Exim to send email using SendGrid (CentOS 6)

[ShaunWHD]

I've noticed this seems to be a common issue, so I'm sharing the steps I took to get email successfully sending (and receiving) using SendGrid with VestaCP and Exim on CentOS 6.

Make sure that your domain is setup and validated in SendGrid and that your DNS/MX records are properly configured (use mxtoolbox.com to scan your domain. it will tell you if you need to fix anything.). It's also a good idea to make sure your reverse DNS is accurate.

EXIM CONFIGURATION
VestaCP replaces exim.conf with its own version that allows it to properly route emails for VestaCP accounts, so it's important to be careful when editing. Best practice is to backup exim.conf file before editing it

Code: Select all

cp /etc/exim/exim.conf /etc/exim/exim.conf-bkup

1. Open Exim Configuration

Code: Select all

nano /etc/exim/exim.conf

2. You must configure Exim to Authenticate when sending email, or else you'll end up with 550 Authentication errors.
FIND

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host_lookup = *

ADD BELOW

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auth_advertise_hosts = *

3. SendGrid Entries: Add the Credentials, Route and Transport to exim.conf
FIND

Code: Select all

begin authenticators

ADD BELOW

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sendgrid_login:
  driver = plaintext
  public_name = LOGIN
  client_send = : sendgridusername : sendgridpassword

replace sendgridusername and sendgridpassword with your SendGrid login credentials.

FIND

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begin routers

ADD BELOW

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send_via_sendgrid:
  driver = manualroute
  domains = ! +local_domains
  transport = sendgrid_smtp
  route_list = "* smtp.sendgrid.net::587 byname"
  host_find_failed = defer
  no_more

FIND

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 begin transports

ADD BELOW

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sendgrid_smtp:
  driver = smtp
  hosts = smtp.sendgrid.net
  hosts_require_auth = smtp.sendgrid.net
  hosts_require_tls = smtp.sendgrid.net

4. Save exim.conf and exit

5. Restart Exim

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/etc/init.d/exim restart

You should now be able to successful send emails using the SendGrid service.

[amitz]

Hello,

can you tell how to this on centos 7?

I just tried the same steps in centos 7, but doesnt work.

[amitz]

Tried again the same steps and it works also on centos 7 :)
Thanks

[KhaoMaNee]

@ShaunWHD Hey, thanks for the guide!
After I've done the settings, I tested it with mail -s, it was able to send to my email. However, it won't send any notification after doing backups in vestaCP. Is it suppose to send email to my catchall email or admin email?

[Hassan]

Hello thanks for the share, i have implemented the method but now i can send email but not reciving emails

[dkyadav.et]

Hello thanks for the share, i have implemented the method but now i can send email but not reciving emails

thank finally its working for me after so many attempts to modify configs

but I have also same problem now how can i receive mails. sending mail is working on port 2525,
how and where i can receive mail

Please help

thanks in advance.

[ouchdigital]

I've noticed this seems to be a common issue, so I'm sharing the steps I took to get email successfully sending (and receiving) using SendGrid with VestaCP and Exim on CentOS 6.

Make sure that your domain is setup and validated in SendGrid and that your DNS/MX records are properly configured (use mxtoolbox.com to scan your domain. it will tell you if you need to fix anything.). It's also a good idea to make sure your reverse DNS is accurate.

EXIM CONFIGURATION
VestaCP replaces exim.conf with its own version that allows it to properly route emails for VestaCP accounts, so it's important to be careful when editing. Best practice is to backup exim.conf file before editing it

Code: Select all

cp /etc/exim/exim.conf /etc/exim/exim.conf-bkup

1. Open Exim Configuration

Code: Select all

nano /etc/exim/exim.conf

2. You must configure Exim to Authenticate when sending email, or else you'll end up with 550 Authentication errors.
FIND

Code: Select all

host_lookup = *

ADD BELOW

Code: Select all

auth_advertise_hosts = *

3. SendGrid Entries: Add the Credentials, Route and Transport to exim.conf
FIND

Code: Select all

begin authenticators

ADD BELOW

Code: Select all

sendgrid_login:
  driver = plaintext
  public_name = LOGIN
  client_send = : sendgridusername : sendgridpassword

replace sendgridusername and sendgridpassword with your SendGrid login credentials.

FIND

Code: Select all

begin routers

ADD BELOW

Code: Select all

send_via_sendgrid:
  driver = manualroute
  domains = ! +local_domains
  transport = sendgrid_smtp
  route_list = "* smtp.sendgrid.net::587 byname"
  host_find_failed = defer
  no_more

FIND

Code: Select all

 begin transports

ADD BELOW

Code: Select all

sendgrid_smtp:
  driver = smtp
  hosts = smtp.sendgrid.net
  hosts_require_auth = smtp.sendgrid.net
  hosts_require_tls = smtp.sendgrid.net

4. Save exim.conf and exit

5. Restart Exim

Code: Select all

/etc/init.d/exim restart

You should now be able to successful send emails using the SendGrid service.

Hey Shaun, thank you for this great post. I've worked through it and I've got emails sending through SSH, though I'm not sure if I've got myself stuck with the MX records. (I'm also still getting a 550 error in Roundcube webmail and can't send emails through this).
I'm running on GCE and through mxtoolbox.com it's showing up as DNS records not found. I think I need to update the MX records directly in Google Cloud DNS, but I'm not sure if they should link to Sendgrid or if they should link somewhere else.
Did you have any idea what I should create for the MX records for this Instance? Or if they would be the problem that's causing the 550 error in mailweb?

Thanks in advance,

Bernard

[IsaacNchito]

Hi all

I faced some difficulty after activating my sendgrid account and thought I should share the solution.

after paying for your sendgrid account emails still do not go through until you change the sendgrid username and password on this line as mentioned earlier

client_send = : sendgridusername : sendgridpassword

note that the username should be apikey and the password is the key generated by sengrid that you would have copied.

Hope it helps you all.

[xlegends]

Thanks for the guide. Im not knocking it but for me I wouldnt enable sendgrid globally for the following reasons.

Most 3rd pary software already have smtp relay section where you can over ride php mail to use an smtp relay like shopping carts, forums, etc and make it specifically used for that service. You can easily enter your sendgrid api login at the 3 party software on your sites without the risk of breaking your Exim configuration. Not that this procedure cant be accomplished safely. Exim is very powerful and versatile.

Another reason to enter smtp relay api at 3rd party sofware is so you dont route everything thru sendgrid. For example if you dont have sendgrids rip off 75/mo dedicated IP plan, they will put you on a shared ip in which often times getting blacklisted for a half a day. When it does, u want to quickly flip back to your real servers ip over theirs. You can do it click of a button at 3rd party software over revisiting the Exim configs.

A final reason not to enable sendgrid globally is you route mass emails via sendgrid but shouldnt for critical contact us emails where u can 100 percent rely on your own servers IP for deliverability and continue to build the reputation of your real ip.

Now if Vestacp includes a future option of entering the smtp relay logins in the panel where u can turn on and off, that would be sweet.

Again,
Thanks for the brilliant guide and what would be interesting is to see a guide where you can upload a suppression list to Exim of emails to never send to to preserve ip reputation of bad emails.

[canoodle]

Hi all

I faced some difficulty after activating my sendgrid account and thought I should share the solution.

after paying for your sendgrid account emails still do not go through until you change the sendgrid username and password on this line as mentioned earlier

client_send = : sendgridusername : sendgridpassword

note that the username should be apikey and the password is the key generated by sengrid that you would have copied.

Hope it helps you all.

Server smtp.sendgrid.net
Ports
25, 587 (for unencrypted/TLS connections)
465 (for SSL connections)
Username apikey
Password YOUR_API_KEY

https://app.sendgrid.com/guide/integrate/langs/smtp

will exim automatically use the encrypted ports first?