Python smtlib raising error when trying to send e-mail

Question

I copied this code right from the smtplib docs over here

import smtplib

def prompt(prompt):
    return input(prompt).strip()

fromaddr = prompt("From: ")
toaddrs  = prompt("To: ").split()
print("Enter message, end with ^D (Unix) or ^Z (Windows):")

# Add the From: and To: headers at the start!
msg = ("From: %s\r\nTo: %s\r\n\r\n"
       % (fromaddr, ", ".join(toaddrs)))
while True:
    try:
        line = input()
    except EOFError:
        break
    if not line:
        break
    msg = msg + line

print("Message length is", len(msg))

server = smtplib.SMTP('192.168.2.4')
server.set_debuglevel(1)
server.sendmail(fromaddr, toaddrs, msg)
server.quit()

However this error is raised:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python34\geenemail.py", line 24, in <module>
    server = smtplib.SMTP('192.168.2.4')
  File "C:\Python34\lib\smtplib.py", line 242, in __init__
    (code, msg) = self.connect(host, port)
  File "C:\Python34\lib\smtplib.py", line 321, in connect
    self.sock = self._get_socket(host, port, self.timeout)
  File "C:\Python34\lib\smtplib.py", line 292, in _get_socket
    self.source_address)
  File "C:\Python34\lib\socket.py", line 509, in create_connection
    raise err
  File "C:\Python34\lib\socket.py", line 500, in create_connection
    sock.connect(sa)
ConnectionRefusedError: [WinError 10061] Kan geen verbinding maken omdat de doelcomputer de verbinding actief heeft geweigerd

I looked for similar problems but couldn't find a lot, only found someone who said the firewall might be the problem --> I turned Avast/firewall off, got a bluescreen from some reason, restarted my PC, Avast/firewall was still off but still it raised the same error.

I have also tried giving a port value but I still get the same error. What might be the problem?

Answer 1

The most likely reason for this error is that there is no SMTP server running on the computer you are trying to connect to.

server = smtplib.SMTP('192.168.2.4')

'192.168.2.4' should be the address of the SMTP server you are trying to use to send the email.