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Common Issues & Solutions

This guide covers the most common issues users encounter and their solutions.

Domain Issues​

Domain Verification Failed​

Symptoms:

  • Domain shows as "Verification Failed"
  • Red X icon next to domain name
  • Cannot proceed with setup

Causes:

  • Incorrect DNS record configuration
  • DNS propagation delays
  • Typographical errors in DNS records
  • Insufficient permissions

Solutions:

  1. Check DNS Record Syntax

    # Verify TXT record
    dig TXT yourdomain.com

    # Look for your verification record in the output

  2. Verify TTL Settings

    TTL: 300 (5 minutes) - Recommended
    TTL: 3600 (1 hour) - Acceptable
    TTL: 86400 (24 hours) - Too long for testing

  3. Wait for Propagation

    • DNS changes can take up to 48 hours
    • Most changes are effective within 1-2 hours
    • Use online DNS checkers to verify

  4. Double-check Domain Ownership

    • Ensure you have admin access to DNS
    • Verify domain spelling is correct
    • Check for typos in the domain name

SPF Record Too Long​

Symptoms:

  • SPF record exceeds 255 characters
  • DNS validation errors
  • "Too many DNS lookups" errors

Solutions:

  1. Use Include Statements

    v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:_spf.microsoft.com ~all

  2. Remove Duplicate Entries

    • Check for duplicate include statements
    • Remove unused providers
    • Consolidate similar entries

  3. Use SPF Flattening Tools

    • Tools like SPF Flattener can help
    • Automatically optimizes SPF records
    • Reduces DNS lookups

DKIM Authentication Fails​

Symptoms:

  • DKIM verification fails
  • Authentication-Results header shows "fail"
  • Emails marked as suspicious

Solutions:

  1. Verify DKIM Key

    # Check with your provider's specific DKIM selector
    dig TXT default._domainkey.yourdomain.com

  2. Check Key Rotation

    • Ensure DKIM keys are current
    • Rotate keys if necessary
    • Update DNS records

  3. Verify Selector

    • Confirm selector matches configuration
    • Check for typos in selector name
    • Ensure consistent usage

Health Monitoring Issues​

Health Score Suddenly Dropped​

Symptoms:

  • Health score decreased significantly
  • Receiving health alerts
  • Deliverability concerns

Common Causes:

  • High bounce rate (>5%)
  • Spam complaints (>0.1%)
  • Sudden volume increase
  • Blacklist appearance
  • DNS configuration changes

Solutions:

  1. Review Bounce Reports

    • Check bounce categories
    • Remove invalid email addresses
    • Clean email lists

  2. Analyze Complaint Patterns

    • Review complaint sources
    • Improve email content
    • Enhance targeting

  3. Check Volume Patterns

    • Avoid sudden volume spikes
    • Maintain consistent sending
    • Gradual volume increases

  4. Monitor Blacklist Status

    • Check major blacklists
    • Request removal if listed
    • Improve sending practices

Health Monitoring Not Working​

Symptoms:

  • No health score updates
  • Missing health data
  • Dashboard shows "No data"

Solutions:

  1. Check Domain Configuration

    • Ensure domain is verified
    • Verify DNS records are correct
    • Check domain is active

  2. Review API Access

    • Confirm API credentials are valid
    • Check rate limiting
    • Verify permissions

  3. Check System Status

Provider Integration Issues​

Microsoft 365 Connection Failed​

Symptoms:

  • "Connection Failed" error
  • Cannot access Microsoft 365 features
  • Authentication errors

Solutions:

  1. Check Tenant Configuration

    • Verify tenant ID is correct
    • Ensure admin consent is granted
    • Check API permissions

  2. Review Credentials

    • Verify client ID and secret
    • Check credential expiration
    • Regenerate if necessary

  3. Check Permissions

    Required permissions:
    - Mail.Read
    - Mail.Send
    - User.Read
    - Application.ReadWrite.All

Google Workspace Authentication Error​

Symptoms:

  • OAuth authentication fails
  • "Invalid credentials" error
  • Cannot connect to Gmail API

Solutions:

  1. Verify OAuth Configuration

    • Check redirect URIs
    • Verify client ID and secret
    • Ensure proper scopes

  2. Check API Access

    • Enable Gmail API in Google Cloud Console
    • Verify API quotas
    • Check billing account

  3. Review Scopes

    Required scopes:
    - https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.readonly
    - https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.send
    - https://www.googleapis.com/auth/userinfo.email

API Issues​

Authentication Errors​

Symptoms:

  • 401 Unauthorized errors
  • "Invalid token" messages
  • Cannot access API endpoints

Solutions:

  1. Check Token Validity

    # Test token
    import requests

    headers = {'Authorization': 'Bearer your_token'}
    response = requests.get('https://app.fireglue.com/api/domains/', headers=headers)
    print(response.status_code)

  2. Refresh Access Token

    # Refresh token
    refresh_response = requests.post('https://app.fireglue.com/api/token/refresh/', {
        'refresh': 'your_refresh_token'
    })
    new_token = refresh_response.json()['access']

  3. Verify Credentials

    • Check username and password
    • Ensure account is active
    • Verify API access is enabled

Rate Limiting Errors​

Symptoms:

  • 429 Too Many Requests
  • Rate limit exceeded messages
  • API requests blocked

Solutions:

  1. Implement Exponential Backoff

    import time
    import random

    def make_request_with_backoff(url, headers, max_retries=3):
        for attempt in range(max_retries):
            response = requests.get(url, headers=headers)
            
            if response.status_code == 429:
                wait_time = (2 ** attempt) + random.uniform(0, 1)
                time.sleep(wait_time)
                continue
                
            return response

  2. Check Rate Limit Headers

    X-RateLimit-Limit: 1000
    X-RateLimit-Remaining: 999
    X-RateLimit-Reset: 1640995200

  3. Optimize Request Patterns

    • Batch requests when possible
    • Use pagination efficiently
    • Cache responses appropriately

API Response Errors​

Symptoms:

  • Unexpected response formats
  • Missing data in responses
  • Inconsistent API behavior

Solutions:

  1. Check API Version

    Accept: application/json; version=1.0

  2. Verify Request Format

    # Ensure proper JSON format
    headers = {
        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
        'Authorization': 'Bearer your_token'
    }

    data = {
        'domain': 'example.com',
        'description': 'Test domain'
    }

    response = requests.post(url, json=data, headers=headers)

  3. Handle Error Responses

    if response.status_code != 200:
        error_data = response.json()
        print(f"Error: {error_data.get('error', 'Unknown error')}")
        print(f"Details: {error_data.get('details', 'No details')}")

Email Delivery Issues​

High Bounce Rates​

Symptoms:

  • Bounce rate > 5%
  • Emails not reaching recipients
  • Deliverability warnings

Solutions:

  1. List Validation

    • Use email validation services
    • Remove invalid addresses
    • Implement double opt-in

  2. Bounce Category Analysis

    Hard bounces: Remove immediately
    Soft bounces: Retry with delay
    Transient bounces: Temporary issues

  3. Improve List Quality

    • Regular list cleaning
    • Remove inactive subscribers
    • Use permission-based lists

Emails Going to Spam​

Symptoms:

  • Low inbox placement rates
  • Emails marked as spam
  • Poor deliverability metrics

Solutions:

  1. Content Optimization

    • Avoid spam trigger words
    • Maintain text-to-image ratio
    • Include clear unsubscribe links

  2. Authentication

    • Ensure SPF, DKIM, DMARC are configured
    • Monitor authentication rates
    • Fix any authentication failures

  3. Sender Reputation

    • Monitor health scores
    • Maintain consistent sending patterns
    • Avoid sudden volume changes

Low Open Rates​

Symptoms:

  • Open rates < 20%
  • Poor engagement metrics
  • Campaign performance issues

Solutions:

  1. Subject Line Optimization

    • Keep under 50 characters
    • Avoid spam trigger words
    • Test different approaches

  2. Timing Optimization

    • Test different send times
    • Consider recipient time zones
    • Avoid weekends/holidays

  3. Content Improvement

    • Personalize messages
    • Use compelling CTAs
    • A/B test content

Performance Issues​

Slow Dashboard Loading​

Symptoms:

  • Dashboard takes long to load
  • Timeout errors
  • Poor user experience

Solutions:

  1. Check Browser Console

    • Look for JavaScript errors
    • Check network requests
    • Verify browser compatibility

  2. Clear Browser Cache

    • Hard refresh (Ctrl+F5)
    • Clear browser data
    • Try incognito mode

  3. Check Network Connection

    • Test internet speed
    • Try different network
    • Check firewall settings

API Timeout Errors​

Symptoms:

  • Request timeouts
  • Slow API responses
  • Connection errors

Solutions:

  1. Implement Retry Logic

    import requests
    from requests.adapters import HTTPAdapter
    from urllib3.util.retry import Retry

    session = requests.Session()
    retry_strategy = Retry(
        total=3,
        backoff_factor=1,
        status_forcelist=[429, 500, 502, 503, 504],
    )
    adapter = HTTPAdapter(max_retries=retry_strategy)
    session.mount("http://", adapter)
    session.mount("https://", adapter)

  2. Optimize Request Size

    • Use pagination for large datasets
    • Request only needed fields
    • Compress request data

  3. Check System Status

Getting Help​

When to Contact Support​

Contact support immediately for:

  • Critical system outages
  • Data loss or corruption
  • Security concerns
  • Billing issues

Before Contacting Support​

  1. Gather Information

    • Screenshots of errors
    • Error messages and codes
    • Steps to reproduce
    • Browser/device information

  2. Check Documentation

    • Search our knowledge base
    • Review troubleshooting guides
    • Check API documentation

  3. Test Basic Functions

    • Try different browsers
    • Test from different devices
    • Check network connectivity

Support Channels​

Providing Effective Support Requests​

Include the following information:

  • Account email address
  • Detailed description of the issue
  • Steps to reproduce
  • Expected vs. actual behavior
  • Screenshots or error messages
  • Browser and device information