PayPal Instant Payment Notifications (IPN) Failing

[vintagewinegift]

Hi there

Just got this email from paypal which seems to indicate that if the problem isn't resolved soon they will disable paypal!

Please check your server that handles PayPal Instant Payment Notifications (IPN). Instant Payment Notifications sent to the following URL(s) are failing:

https://www.vintagewinegifts.co.uk/c...POSTPROCESS=1&
https://www.vintagewinegifts.co.uk/c...POSTPROCESS=1&

If you do not recognize this URL, you may be using a service provider that is using IPN on your behalf. Please contact your service provider with the above information. If this problem continues, IPNs may be disabled for your account.

Any ideas please?

[Nigelb]

Latest from Paypal...

Thank you for contacting PayPal regarding your payment notifications.

I do apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

It came to our attention that some customers are having troubles with
their Instant Payment Notifications and we are working hard to rectify
this issue as soon as possible.

Thank you for your understanding.



We appreciate your patience and understanding regarding this matter, and
wish you continued success on PayPal.

Yours sincerely,
Karen
Business Support Department
PayPal

[zmagyar]

First reading of the thread did ring a bell. Did a quick search and found http://community.actinic.com/showthread.php?p=292606 from earlier this year. That time paypal just changed their system to not allow callbacks via http only https.

I believe by now everyone is on a script version which uses https for calling back paypal during IPN. So I guess the problem is slightly different this time.

Reading the different findings I think it is something to do with the SSL communication. I think the solution is to install Net::SSL package where it is possible.

Meanwhile we are trying to track down the issue and find some solution.

[Stuart J Sykes]

I refer to JMEDINGER's post;
Just for peoples info... we've had Net::SSL enabled on our server and it has made no difference to the orders being left without an IPN.

[Mike Hughes]

Reading the different findings I think it is something to do with the SSL communication. I think the solution is to install Net::SSL package where it is possible.

Hi Zoltan,

One of the people with the problem has tried this and it doesn't appear to have fixed the problem.

Have Actinic been pro-active in working with a customer to try various configuration to see if there's anything there could solve it? I'm just thinking that we've seen several cases recently where Paypal configurations of apparently innocuous things such as auto-return being on/off have caused problems in this area.

I would also assume that the server error logs should show what 'service' has been called but isn't available. Again this is the kind of area where Actinic could be working with those experiencing the problem to identify and fix it.

Mike

[TraceyHand]

Am I the only one that's getting annoyed by the behaviour of PayPal and Actinic. I don't know which of the forum members that posted in this thread actually work at Actinic or their support department. But there doesn't seem to come any specific answer from either Actinic or Paypal.

I bought the software because I hoped it would be hassle free...

in fairness, I don't think I've EVER bought any software that has been totally "hassle free"!

There'll be no specific answers until someone actually finds out WHAT the problem is/was.
It's actually nothing to do with Actinic itself. Actinic is merely the 'common ground' in this community. The problem is, as has been shown already, far more widespread than that.

Zoltan (from Actinic) has, however, now said that the Net::SSL package should rectify the problem. That's a hosting issue, caused, presumably, by something Paypal have done (even though they, of course, deny all knowledge as ever!)

Overall, Actinic's input (pmsupport) in this thread HAS shown that they are/were taking the problem seriously even though it ultimately turned out not to be 'their' problem.

JMO anyway

[jmedinger]

There was a post earlier that servers running Perl 5.8.5 were failing and those running 5.8.8 were working.

I checked ours yesterday and it is running Perl 5.8.5

We're having it patched to 5.8.8 today to see if that makes any difference

[TraceyHand]

we've had Net::SSL enabled on our server and it has made no difference to the orders being left without an IPN.

what about new orders? Or are you including new orders in the above statement?

[Redbull99]

There was a post earlier that servers running Perl 5.8.5 were failing and those running 5.8.8 were working.

I checked ours yesterday and it is running Perl 5.8.5

We're having it patched to 5.8.8 today to see if that makes any difference

I have Perl 5.8.8 installed, and it isn't working.

[jmedinger]

what about new orders? Or are you including new orders in the above statement?

All orders, new and old are being placed into Pending PSP. No IPN's are being received

[gabrielcrowe]

I have Perl 5.8.8 installed, and it isn't working.

DAMN you coincidence!

[TraceyHand]

All orders, new and old are being placed into Pending PSP. No IPN's are being received

Fair enough. Thanks for the clarification.

so NET::SSL ain't fixing it.
Perl 5.8.8 ain't fixing it.

anyone tried the combination of the two?

How about a raindance?

I do find it very difficult to believe that someone at Paypal doesn't know what THEY'VE obviously done to cause it!
It'd make it a damn sight easier to find out what'll 'fix' it, if they tell!

[fergusw]

DAMN you coincidence!

We can confirm that servers happily running with NET::SSL and Perl 5.8.8 were happily processing IPN's before 17th Sept and are now not.
All fingers point to PayPal........

[Golf Tee Warehouse]

Would it be useful for everyone to details of their set-up so that it may be easier to spot a difference between the working and non-working sites.

We would need a list of variables to list though, perhaps Actinic Support could list information that might help, such as:

Perl Version
Actinic Version
IS NET::SSL installed
Type of Server
PHP version 5.2.13
Any other server modules that might have an effect

[Andy Warner]

well, I think this should have been sorted by now. So i'm pretty dissapointed it hasnt been. How many people out there who run actinic and DONT visit the forums or dont have tech support are missing orders? I bet quite a few!!!

Please keep us updated, actinic.