PayPal IPN won't work with your server. Error: Unsupported SSL protocol version

I am running an eCommerce WordPress site using WooCommerce. I just upgraded from Woo version 5.4 to 6.2. PayPal requires an SSL now for Instant Payment Notifications (IPN). I recently moved to the Let’s Encrypt SSL because it is being offered on my cPanel and I wanted to save some money. The WooCommerce system status is saying that the Let’s encrypt SSL is not supported by PayPal.

Please fill out the fields below so we can help you better.

My domain is: https://statefortyeight.com

My hosting provider, if applicable, is: WPMU-Hosting

I can login to a root shell on my machine (yes or no, or I don’t know): No

I’m using a control panel to manage my site (no, or provide the name and version of the control panel): Yes

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WordPress Environment

Home URL: https://statefortyeight.com
Site URL: https://statefortyeight.com
WC Version: 2.6.2
Log Directory Writable: :heavy_check_mark:
WP Version: 4.5.3
WP Multisite: –
WP Memory Limit: 512 MB
WP Debug Mode: –
WP Cron: :heavy_check_mark:
Language: en_US

Server Environment

Server Info: Apache
PHP Version: :x: 5.4.45 - We recommend a minimum PHP version of 5.6. See: How to update your PHP version
PHP Post Max Size: 2 GB
PHP Time Limit: 600
PHP Max Input Vars: 5000
cURL Version: 7.38.0
OpenSSL/1.0.0

SUHOSIN Installed: –
Max Upload Size: 2 GB
Default Timezone is UTC: :heavy_check_mark:
fsockopen/cURL: :heavy_check_mark:
SoapClient: :heavy_check_mark:
DOMDocument: :heavy_check_mark:
GZip: :heavy_check_mark:
Multibyte String: :heavy_check_mark:

Remote Post: :x: wp_remote_post() failed. PayPal IPN won’t work with your server. Contact your hosting provider. Error: Unsupported SSL protocol version

Remote Get: :heavy_check_mark:

Database

WC Database Version: 2.6.2
:
woocommerce_sessions: :heavy_check_mark:
woocommerce_api_keys: :heavy_check_mark:
woocommerce_attribute_taxonomies: :heavy_check_mark:
woocommerce_downloadable_product_permissions: :heavy_check_mark:
woocommerce_order_items: :heavy_check_mark:
woocommerce_order_itemmeta: :heavy_check_mark:
woocommerce_tax_rates: :heavy_check_mark:
woocommerce_tax_rate_locations: :heavy_check_mark:
woocommerce_shipping_zones: :heavy_check_mark:
woocommerce_shipping_zone_locations: :heavy_check_mark:
woocommerce_shipping_zone_methods: :heavy_check_mark:
woocommerce_payment_tokens: :heavy_check_mark:
woocommerce_payment_tokenmeta: :heavy_check_mark:

Active Plugins (43)

ManageWP - Worker: by ManageWP – 4.2.2
Gravity Forms: by rocketgenius – 2.0.2.2
Alpine PhotoTile for Instagram: by the Alpine Press – 1.2.7.7
BackupBuddy: by iThemes – 7.1.2.1
Divi 100 Login Page: by Elegant Themes – 0.0.1
Elegant Tweaks Portfolio Posts: by Brad Crawford – 1.02
Google Analytics +: by WPMU DEV – 3.1.5.1
Import Users from CSV: by Ulrich Sossou – 1.0.0
Monarch Plugin: by Elegant Themes – 1.3.1
WooCommerce Pinterest Pin-it Button: by 61 Extensions – 1.0
Ultimate Branding: by WPMU DEV – 1.8.2
User Role Editor: by Vladimir Garagulya – 4.25.2
WooCommerce Cart Reports: by WPBackOffice – 1.1.9
WooCommerce Dynamic Pricing: by Lucas Stark – 2.11.1
WooCommerce Email Customizer: by WooThemes – 1.1.5
WooCommerce - Facebook Tab: by WooThemes – 1.1.9
WooCommerce PayPal Express Checkout Gateway: by Automattic/WooCommerce – 1.0.4
WooCommerce Google Analytics Pro: by WooThemes / SkyVerge – 1.1.1 – 1.1.2 is available
WooCommerce MailChimp: by Adam Anderly – 1.3.7
WooCommerce Print Invoices/Packing Lists: by WooThemes / SkyVerge – 3.1.2
WooCommerce Points and Rewards: by WooThemes – 1.5.9
WooCommerce Pre-Orders: by WooThemes – 1.4.5
WooCommerce Product Bundles: by WooThemes – 4.14.4
WooCommerce Google Product Feed: by Lee Willis – 5.2.2
WooCommerce Product Reviews Pro: by WooThemes / SkyVerge – 1.6.3
WooCommerce Sequential Order Numbers Pro: by WooThemes / SkyVerge – 1.10.0
WooCommerce Shipment Tracking: by WooThemes – 1.4.3 – 1.4.4 is available
WooCommerce USPS Shipping: by WooThemes – 4.3.3
WooCommerce Smart Coupons: by WooThemes – 3.1.1
WooCommerce Social Login: by WooThemes / SkyVerge – 1.8.0
WooCommerce Subscribe to Newsletter: by WooThemes – 2.3.3
WooCommerce Tab Manager: by WooThemes / SkyVerge – 1.6.1
WooCommerce Table Rate Shipping: by WooThemes – 3.0.1
WooCommerce Warranty Requests: by WooThemes – 1.8
WooCommerce WishLists: by Lucas Stark – 1.11.1
WooCommerce: by WooThemes – 2.6.2
Wordfence Security: by Wordfence – 6.1.10
WordPress Importer: by wordpressdotorg – 0.6.1
WP User Avatar: by flippercode – 2.0.7
wpMandrill: by Mandrill – 1.33
SmartCrawl: by WPMU DEV – 1.7.7
WPMU DEV Dashboard: by WPMU DEV – 4.1.0
WP Remote: by Human Made Limited – 2.7.6

Settings

Force SSL: :heavy_check_mark:
Currency: USD ($)
Currency Position: left
Thousand Separator: ,
Decimal Separator: .
Number of Decimals: 2

API

API Enabled: :heavy_check_mark:

WC Pages

Shop Base: #37 - /shop/
Cart: #38 - /cart/
Checkout: #39 - /checkout/
My Account: #40 - /my-account/

Taxonomies

Product Types: bundle (bundle)
external (external)
grouped (grouped)
simple (simple)
variable (variable)

Theme

Name: SFE Child Theme
Version: – 0 is available
Author URL:
Child Theme: :heavy_check_mark:
Parent Theme Name: Divi
Parent Theme Version: 2.7.8
Parent Theme Author URL: http://www.elegantthemes.com
WooCommerce Support: :heavy_check_mark:

Templates

Overrides: –
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This sounds more like an issue with outgoing connections to PayPal, and not your own SSL/TLS configuration. Judging by the PHP and OpenSSL versions you mentioned, it looks like you don’t have support for TLS 1.2, which PayPal seems to require now according to this: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/35094436/curl-php-sslv3-error-and-cant-get-tls-to-work

There’s probably not much you can do other than ask your hosting provider to upgrade their systems (or switch to one that keeps things more up-to-date).

1 Like

Did you resolve this issue?

If so, can you please share the solution. I have been working on this for a couple of weeks, updated and tested just about everything but no luck so far.

Hi

I had the same in Oxidshop, a new PayPal-Module solved it.
So ask the author of the Module if he has an update.

Regards,
Jan

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