Can't send email with php using gmail - Authorising error

Question

I'm new to PHP and trying to build a website with registration form. Users should receive an email with a confirmation link (since I have a free hosting server I am trying to use gmail server). The thing is I'm struggling with the email php code. I am trying to use PHPMailer functions as follows:

 <?php /** * This example shows settings to use when sending via Google's Gmail servers. */ //SMTP needs accurate times, and the PHP time zone MUST be set //This should be done in your php.ini, but this is how to do it if you don't have access to that date_default_timezone_set('Etc/UTC'); require 'PHPMailer/PHPMailerAutoload.php'; //Create a new PHPMailer instance $mail = new PHPMailer; //Tell PHPMailer to use SMTP $mail->isSMTP(); //Enable SMTP debugging // 0 = off (for production use) // 1 = client messages // 2 = client and server messages $mail->SMTPDebug = 2; //Ask for HTML-friendly debug output $mail->Debugoutput = 'html'; //Set the hostname of the mail server $mail->Host = 'smtp.gmail.com'; // use // $mail->Host = gethostbyname('smtp.gmail.com'); // if your network does not support SMTP over IPv6 //Set the SMTP port number - 587 for authenticated TLS, aka RFC4409 SMTP submission $mail->Port = 587; //Set the encryption system to use - ssl (deprecated) or tls $mail->SMTPSecure = 'tls'; //Whether to use SMTP authentication $mail->SMTPAuth = true; //Username to use for SMTP authentication - use full email address for gmail $mail->Username = "MYEMAIL@gmail.com"; //Password to use for SMTP authentication $mail->Password = "MYPASSWORD"; //Set who the message is to be sent from $mail->setFrom('example@example.com', 'Name S'); //Set an alternative reply-to address $mail->addReplyTo('example@example.com', 'Name S'); //Set who the message is to be sent to $mail->addAddress('email@gmail.com', 'John Doe'); //Set the subject line $mail->Subject = 'PHPMailer GMail SMTP test'; //Read an HTML message body from an external file, convert referenced images to embedded, //convert HTML into a basic plain-text alternative body $mail->msgHTML("HELLo"); //Replace the plain text body with one created manually //$mail->AltBody = 'This is a plain-text message body'; //send the message, check for errors if (!$mail->send()) { echo "Mailer Error: " . $mail->ErrorInfo; } else { echo "Message sent!"; } ?> 

I tried both ports 587 and 465. Also tried both ssl and tls. Every time I try to run the code I get the following error:

SERVER -> CLIENT: 220 smtp.gmail.com ESMTP gw4sm17090153wjc.45 - gsmtp CLIENT -> SERVER: EHLO spec.dr-manny.co.uk SERVER -> CLIENT: 250-smtp.gmail.com at your service, [185.27.134.36]250-SIZE 35882577250-8BITMIME250-AUTH LOGIN PLAIN XOAUTH2 PLAIN-CLIENTTOKEN OAUTHBEARER XOAUTH250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES250-PIPELINING250-CHUNKING250 SMTPUTF8 CLIENT -> SERVER: AUTH LOGIN SERVER -> CLIENT: 334 VXNlcm5hbWU6 CLIENT -> SERVER: bWFubnlzYWVkaUBnbWFpbC5jb20= SERVER -> CLIENT: 334 UGFzc3dvcmQ6 CLIENT -> SERVER: a2luZ29uZW1vaDk5 SERVER -> CLIENT: 534-5.7.14 Please log in via your web browser and534-5.7.14 then try again.534-5.7.14 Learn more at534 5.7.14 https://support.google.com/mail/answer/78754 gw4sm17090153wjc.45 - gsmtp SMTP ERROR: Password command failed: 534-5.7.14 Please log in via your web browser and534-5.7.14 then try again.534-5.7.14 Learn more at534 5.7.14 https://support.google.com/mail/answer/78754 gw4sm17090153wjc.45 - gsmtp SMTP Error: Could not authenticate. CLIENT -> SERVER: QUIT SERVER -> CLIENT: 221 2.0.0 closing connection gw4sm17090153wjc.45 - gsmtp SMTP connect() failed. Error: SMTP connect() failed.

Also, I got an email from Gmail with the subject "Someone has your password". I opened the email and found this "
Hi Manny, Someone just used your password to try to sign in to your Google Account MYEMAIL@gmail.com, using an application such as an email client or mobile device." I received this email about 15 mins after I ran the php page.

I turned off "2-step verification" and turned off "allow less secure apps". Nothing seems to help. Anyone please could help me?

Answer 1

I had the same issue last year: the code (VB.Net) was OK, so where the credentials. The problem was that gmail didn't like that some app in a web server far away (my hosting) where trying o use your same username.

I fixed it (in two different occasions) by:

• Logging in gmail once from that server (using remote desktop).
• Logging in here https://accounts.google.com/DisplayUnlockCaptcha from my pc to "unlock" remote connections.

After that test your code again.