Solve Google WebForm Blocking

Google/Gmail will now block WebForm requests. In order to solve this you will need to use POP retrieval for free Gmail accounts to fetch emails in an external client, or bypass configurations for paid Google Workspace accounts to allow emails through Gmail’s filters.

Solution 1: POP Retrieval for Free Gmail Accounts

Free Gmail accounts can fetch emails from your afternorth email account using Gmail’s "Check mail from other accounts" feature, allowing you to receive webform emails without them being blocked by gmail.

1. POP3 Settings for mail.afternorth.com:
   • POP3 Server: e.g., mail.afternorth.com
   • Port: 995 (SSL/TLS)
   • Username: Your full email address
   • Password: Your email account password
   • Security: SSL/TLS
2. Add mail.afternorth.com to Gmail:
   • Log in to Gmail via a web browser.
   • Click the gear icon (top right) and select See all settings.
   • Go to the Accounts and Import tab.
   • In the Check mail from other accounts section, click Add a mail account.
   • Enter your mail.afternorth.com email address (e.g., user@afternorth.com) and click Next.
   • Select Import emails from my other account (POP3) and click Next.
   • Enter the POP3 settings:
     • Username: Your full email address (e.g., user@afternorth.com)
     • Password: Your mail.afternorth.com password
     • POP Server: e.g., pop.afternorth.com (confirm with provider)
     • Port: Usually 995 for SSL/TLS
     • Check Always use a secure connection (SSL) (recommended).
     • Optionally, check Label incoming messages to tag emails from mail.afternorth.com (e.g., “Afternorth”).
     • Optionally, check Archive incoming messages to skip Gmail’s Inbox.
   • Click Add Account.
3. Test the Setup:
   • Send a test webform request, generally from your profile page to test that it's working.
   • gmail pop retrieval can be slow when gmail servers are under high load, as much as 30 minutes delay at times.

Solution 2: Inbound Gateway for Paid Google Workspace Accounts

Google Workspace administrators can configure an inbound gateway to allow emails from mail.afternorth.com and its IPs, bypassing Gmail’s validation checks for direct delivery to Workspace accounts.

Assumptions

• You have super administrator access to the Google Admin Console with a paid Google Workspace subscription.
• The bypass applies to mail.afternorth.com and IP ranges 208.92.158.20-23 and 208.92.156.80-90.

Steps to Configure Inbound Gateway

1. Sign in to Admin Console: Visit admin.google.com and log in as a super administrator.
2. Set Up an Inbound Gateway:
   • Go to Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail > Spam, Phishing and Malware > Inbound Gateway.
   • Add the IP ranges:
     • 208.92.158.20-208.92.158.23 (or individually: 208.92.158.20, 208.92.158.21, 208.92.158.22, 208.92.158.23)
     • 208.92.156.80-208.92.156.90 (or individually: 208.92.156.80, 208.92.156.81, ..., 208.92.156.90)
   • Add mail.afternorth.com to the Email Whitelist under Gmail > Spam, Phishing and Malware.
   • Uncheck "Automatically detect external IP" and "Reject all mail not from gateway IPs."
   • Check "Require TLS" for secure connections (recommended).
3. Apply to Organizational Unit (OU): Select the OU where the bypass applies (e.g., a department) or the top-level OU for all users.
4. Save and Test: Save settings (may take up to 24 hours to apply). Send a test webform email to a Google Workspace address to confirm delivery.

Additional Support

• Google’s Gmail POP Import, Gmail Gateway Settings, or IP Whitelisting.
• Contact Google Workspace support via the Admin Console (paid accounts only) or your mail.afternorth.com provider for POP3 settings.