Lets Encrypt Failed to create new account

Support
1

Problem Description

I am running sympl-ssl on a new server from Bytemark. Server Name has been changed to a random one as im not sure if this will effect my security or not. Bytemark are being less than helpful :frowning:

Im unsure of how to change the root email address, from root@is-RANDOMNUM to, lets say my gmail account for example so that its a genuine email address.

Any Error Messages

!! Failed: Error creating new account :: contact email “root@is-RANDOMNUM” has invalid domain : Domain name needs at least one dot

Environment

  • Sympl Version [10]:
  • Sympl Testing Version? [No]
  • Debian Version [Buster]:
  • Hardware Type? [Dedicated]
  • Hosted On? [Bytemark]
2

Welcome @daza110!

Sympl requires a valid public domain name set correctly on the server (ie: so hostname -f gets the fully qualified domain name), and it uses that to determine what the default domain is for the server, which is used for default sites and fallback SSL certificates.

It sounds like the new server doesn’t have that set up, so when trying to retrieve a certificate for is-RANDOMNUM or whatever, it’s not able to create an account with Let’s Encrypt - you can work around this by placing a valid email address in /srv/is-RANDOMNUM/config/ssl/letsencrypt/email for the relevant domain in /srv.

But if the domain itself isn’t valid you still won’t be able to get certificates for the server itself, however creating /srv/is-RANDOMNUM/config/ssl-provider containing the text ‘selfsigned’ will flip it over to retrieving a self-signed certificate for the domain to get you up and running.

Old BigV servers used to have fairly verbose but useful hostnames like server.group.account.uk0.biov.io, but I guess you’re on the new platform, and as far as I can tell that’s not the case, with the hostname just being randomly generated, and I’ve not had the opportunity yet to test Sympl on their ‘new’ platform and make any relevant changes, but initial investigations suggest it’s fairly limited in comparison.

As far as changing the hostname, you may need to check with Bytemark support about that, as from what I can tell on the new platform, some of the system configurations is managed centrally, like root passwords and networking setup.

3

I am a longstanding Bytemark customer. Bytemark was once a great company but since it was consumed by iomart, Bytemark’s service has become sub-optimal.

I trialled the new iomart enterprise cloud platform back in Feb 22 but cancelled my subscription after a problematic week. Even though I had a strong case my request for refund was ignored. Here’s a quick rundown of the issues I encountered:

1 The iomart cloud panel has technical issues and isn’t fit for purpose.

2 Due to platform errors is took the best part of a week to generate a new vm

3 Knowledgebase docs are ambiguous and lack clarity.

4 I had to highlight expiry of the rapid ssl cert here https://support.iomart.io

5 Error messages when adding extra discs

6 Support is hit and miss, some of the staff have no clue how the new panel is supposed to work. Support screwed up and accidentally deleted my vm :blush:

7 The only aspect that works seamlessly is the billing system.

8 iomart does not post service status updates despite running a dysfunctional panel

On the plus side – once you decipher the docs and install sympl on Debian 11 things seem to work ok.

So in response to this topic, once you generate a vm within your enterprise cloud you have to change the name of the server to a fully qualified domain name with a valid LE cert otherwise nothing works as expected. You can change the name of the server within the panel.

Give the new iomart enterprise cloud panel a go if you’re only goofing, but don’t expect a seamless experience. The panel runs on buggy hostbill software - https://hostbillapp.com/

Kind regards Pete

4

Thanks for both of your replies, the server name is “IS-6RandomDigits”, we have been a longstanding customer with Bytemark for a long time and found their support used to be amazing!

Unfortunately not the case this time around :frowning:

We have a Dedicated Server rather than a cloud server. We asked for that server to be a specific server name, and they said yeah thats fine however thats not the case, then they turn around and say its not possible. Our old server was OUR-OWN-NAME.dh.bytemark.co.uk. We asked for a simliar name and to keep .dh.bytemark.co.uk but they didnt. And after confirming they could, said they cant.

They also say they dont support Sympl, but ive installed it anyway as I always liked the simplicitiy of Symbiosis.

I have migrated one of my websites over and changed the hostname to that for now. So at least im not getting these errors anymore.

Im pretty new to working on the server so everything ive done has come from reading tutorials and Stack Exchange. :man_facepalming:

I understand now, that the hostname needs to be a domain we own on that server so thats what ive now done.

5

These docs are useful

https://symbiosis.bytemark.co.uk/docs/symbiosis.html

Sympl Wiki

6

Thanks, I am familier with both of them as we were runnig Symbiosis on our old server. Thats why I chose Sympl as its a fork of it and I love its simplicity.

Ive got it all sorted now :slight_smile:

Sorted by transferring one of my domains over and changing the hostname to that so that I could then get the rest transferred over. What I didnt realise to start with was I could transfer over the SSL certificates from the OG server to the new server and keep them rather than having to create new ones :man_facepalming:

7

It seems that the best thing I did when Bytemark was sold was to move to Mythic Beasts. They are like Bytemark used to be.

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