[Forum] PayPal Instant Payment Notification Warning

[Fergal]

I received the email below from PayPal. We have been using PayPal for paid subscriptions on our forum, for some time without any issues and we haven't made any changes recently.

Hello....,

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

http://www.businessadviceforum.com/payment_gateway.php?method=paypal

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.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this issue.


Thanks,

PayPal

Is this something I need to fix on my VB site?

Thanks!

[Hartmut]

Here you will find a thread:

https://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php/372450-PayPal-Instant-Payment-Notification-Warning?highlight=check+server+handles+PayPal+Instant+Payment

in which a user has had the same problem you are writing about, I believe that this will help.

[Fergal]

Thanks Hartmut, I've used the dummy URL as suggested in that thread and will see how that works out.

[Fergal]

...I've used the dummy URL as suggested in that thread...

Making that change has caused another error on my forum. Now when members pay for a subscription, they are not "upgraded" to the correct paid subscription usergroup. How can I fix that?

[Fergal]

Making that change has caused another error on my forum. Now when members pay for a subscription, they are not "upgraded" to the correct paid subscription usergroup. How can I fix that?

Anyone?

[Fergal]

I've received another warning email from PayPal today. Can someone from VB please reply to clarify what is going on with VB and PayPal IPN?

[Zachery]

There is no known issue on vBulletin's end at this time. Everytime I've run into a customer facing a problem with a paypal subscription issue, they normally have some weird server security issue causing problems. That or third party addons.

One of the dbtech addons has a bug that was causing a problem. Might want to check.

[Fergal]

...https://www.vbulletin.com/forum/show...nstant+Payment...

Thanks for your reply Zachery, the thread that Hartmut linked to appears to be unresolved and would suggest that there is an issue with this, perhaps I'm reading it wrong?

...One of the dbtech addons has a bug that was causing a problem...

Are you referring to VB Credits?

[Zachery]

I don't know, but I bet if you ask the DBTech guys they'd know. I just remember it being a problem.

I'm the SME on paid subscriptions. To date, there are no known issues with the system. People tend to have problems with third party addons, or server configuration.

[Fergal]

Thanks Zachery.

...I'm the SME on paid subscriptions...

What is "SME"?

What URL should I enter for the IPN in my PayPal account? PayPal requires that I must enter a URL, can you please tell me what that URL should be?

[Zachery]

Subject Matter Expert. You do not need to, but you can, if you want to its http://www.yourdomain.com/forumfolder/payment_gateway.php?method=paypal

[Fergal]

Thanks Zachery.

I've entered http://www.businessadviceforum.com/payment_gateway.php?method=paypal as the IPN URL in PayPal. When I visit that URL I see a "Server error" message. Should I be seeing something different?

[Fergal]

...I've entered http://www.businessadviceforum.com/payment_gateway.php?method=paypal as the IPN URL in PayPal. When I visit that URL I see a "Server error" message. Should I be seeing something different?

Anyone?

[Zachery]

You probably shouldn't.

What error message is it? 301? 500?
Did you get an entry in your AdminCP that failed for your ip at that time?
Do you have any third party addons?

[Fergal]

Thanks Zachery, the message I get at that page is;

Server errorThe webpage at http://www.businessadviceforum.com/p...ethod=paypalis currently unavailable. It may be overloaded or down for maintenance.

Did you get an entry in your AdminCP that failed for your ip at that time?

I'm not sure about that, where do I look in the ACP for that error?

Do you have any third party addons?

Yes, we have;

• DragonByte Tech: vBCredits II Deluxe (Lite)
• GlowHost - Spam-O-Matic
• Post Thank You Hack
• Skimlinks Plugin
• Stop the Registration Bots
• UserCP Referral Link
• vBH - Add new tabs 1.2
• VSa - Advanced Forum Statistics
• VSa - Advanced Permissions Based on Post Count