Title: Cannot Authenticate SMTP
Last modified: July 15, 2022

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# Cannot Authenticate SMTP

 *  Resolved [Pictimilitude](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pictimilitude/)
 * (@pictimilitude)
 * [3 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-authenticate-smtp/)
 * I’m not getting emails or notifications (through the WordPress.com notification
   bell) of new sales or blog comments. I installed the WP Mail SMTP plugin and 
   tried to route it through my hosting server (BlueHost). It says that it failed
   to authenticate. I triple-checked everything and it seems to suggest that it’s
   my password that is the problem but I know it’s not: I logged out and into my
   email with the same password and copied that over into the SMTP field (I know…
   they recommend storing it in wp-config.php but I don’t know how to do that). 
   But I cannot get a test email to come through. I tried the test with my domain
   email and my personal email; neither one worked. I also verified that I can login
   via third-party apps via desktop and mobile.
 * Here is the error log I got earlier:
 *     ```
       Versions:
       WordPress: 6.0.1
       WordPress MS: No
       PHP: 8.0.16
       WP Mail SMTP: 3.5.1
   
       Params:
       Mailer: smtp
       Constants: No
       ErrorInfo: SMTP Error: Could not authenticate.
       Host: mail.artfunky.com
       Port: 587
       SMTPSecure: tls
       SMTPAutoTLS: bool(true)
       SMTPAuth: bool(true)
   
       Server:
       OpenSSL: OpenSSL 1.1.1m 14 Dec 2021
       Apache.mod_security: No
   
       Debug:
       Email Source: WP Mail SMTP Mailer: Other SMTP SMTP Error: Could not authenticate.
   
       SMTP Debug:
       2022-07-15 17:31:08 Connection: opening to mail.artfunky.com:587, timeout=300, options=array()
        2022-07-15 17:31:08 Connection: opened
        2022-07-15 17:31:08 SERVER -> CLIENT: 220-box2255.bluehost.com ESMTP Exim 4.95 #2 Fri, 15 Jul 2022 11:31:08 -0600 220-We do not authorize the use of this system to transport unsolicited, 220 and/or bulk e-mail.
        2022-07-15 17:31:08 CLIENT -> SERVER: EHLO artfunky.com
        2022-07-15 17:31:08 SERVER -> CLIENT: 250-box2255.bluehost.com Hello 173-254-35-155.unifiedlayer.com [173.254.35.155]250-SIZE 52428800250-8BITMIME250-PIPELINING250-PIPE_CONNECT250-AUTH PLAIN LOGIN250-STARTTLS250 HELP
        2022-07-15 17:31:08 CLIENT -> SERVER: STARTTLS
        2022-07-15 17:31:08 SERVER -> CLIENT: 220 TLS go ahead
        2022-07-15 17:31:08 CLIENT -> SERVER: EHLO artfunky.com
        2022-07-15 17:31:08 SERVER -> CLIENT: 250-box2255.bluehost.com Hello 173-254-35-155.unifiedlayer.com [173.254.35.155]250-SIZE 52428800250-8BITMIME250-PIPELINING250-PIPE_CONNECT250-AUTH PLAIN LOGIN250 HELP
        2022-07-15 17:31:08 CLIENT -> SERVER: AUTH LOGIN
        2022-07-15 17:31:08 SERVER -> CLIENT: 334 VXNlcm5hbWU6
        2022-07-15 17:31:08 CLIENT -> SERVER: [credentials hidden]
        2022-07-15 17:31:08 SERVER -> CLIENT: 334 UGFzc3dvcmQ6
        2022-07-15 17:31:08 CLIENT -> SERVER: [credentials hidden]
        2022-07-15 17:31:10 SERVER -> CLIENT: 535 Incorrect authentication data
        2022-07-15 17:31:10 SMTP ERROR: Password command failed: 535 Incorrect authentication data
        SMTP Error: Could not authenticate.
        2022-07-15 17:31:10 CLIENT -> SERVER: QUIT
        2022-07-15 17:31:10 SERVER -> CLIENT: 221 box2255.bluehost.com closing connection
        2022-07-15 17:31:10 Connection: closed
        SMTP Error: Could not authenticate.
       ```
   
 * The page I need help with: _[[log in](https://login.wordpress.org/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fwordpress.org%2Fsupport%2Ftopic%2Fcannot-authenticate-smtp%2F%3Foutput_format%3Dmd&locale=en_US)
   to see the link]_

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

 *  Plugin Support [Darshana](https://wordpress.org/support/users/darshanaw/)
 * (@darshanaw)
 * [3 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-authenticate-smtp/#post-15838022)
 * Hi [@pictimilitude](https://wordpress.org/support/users/pictimilitude/),
 * Thanks for reaching out!
 * I see that you’re using Bluehost as your hosting provider. First of all, try 
   following [this guide](https://wpmailsmtp.com/bluehost-wordpress-emails-not-sending/)
   and make sure that you have configured the WP Mail SMTP plugin correctly.
 * Upon inspecting your error log, I see the following line.
 * `We do not authorize the use of this system to transport unsolicited, 220 and/
   or bulk e-mail.`
 * Please get in touch with your hosting support with the full error log and they
   should be able to assist you further.
 * Or else, you can configure an alternative mailer by following [our guide](https://wpmailsmtp.com/docs/a-complete-guide-to-wp-mail-smtp-mailers/).
 * I hope this helps. Thanks!

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

The topic ‘Cannot Authenticate SMTP’ is closed to new replies.

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 * 1 reply
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [Darshana](https://wordpress.org/support/users/darshanaw/)
 * Last activity: [3 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cannot-authenticate-smtp/#post-15838022)
 * Status: resolved