# Apex SMTP Relay — SiteGround (NOT Core)

Apex Track Experience emails use a DIFFERENT SMTP relay than Sho'Nuff/Germaine emails.

| Account | SMTP Host | Port | Auth User |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sho'Nuff / Germaine | mail.germainebrown.com | 2525 | shonuff@germainebrown.com |
| **Apex (contact@)** | **c1113726.sgvps.net** | **2525** | **contact@apextrackexperience.com** |
| Apex WordPress (WP Mail SMTP) | c1113726.sgvps.net | 2525 | contact@apextrackexperience.com |

## WordPress WP Mail SMTP Settings

Stored in `wp_options` under `wp_mail_smtp` key. Deserialized:
- host: c1113726.sgvps.net
- port: 2525
- auth: yes
- encryption: tls
- user: contact@apextrackexperience.com

96 total emails sent through this relay (as of Jul 10, 2026).

## WPForms Registration Confirmations

Form 270 = paid track day registration
Form 268 = free safety waiver

Email notifications stopped sending consistently after Jul 8, 2026. PayPal payment notifications still arrive in the inbox. Root cause: intermittent WP Mail SMTP issue — SMTP relay tests pass but WordPress cron/action hooks may not be firing the email send.

## Inbox Access (IMAP)

Same credentials:
- Host: c1113726.sgvps.net:993 (SSL)
- User: contact@apextrackexperience.com
- Password: apex.track!!

## Health Check Pattern

The apex-mail-watchdog.sh script (every 5 min, Core) tests SMTP to this relay — login only, no test email sent. Checks WP Mail SMTP debug_events for recent failures. Silent on success.

## Pitfall

Do NOT use mail.germainebrown.com:2525 for Apex emails — that relay only handles germainebrown.com domain. Apex emails must go through SiteGround's SMTP at c1113726.sgvps.net. The two relays are separate and not interchangeable.