iCloud + Custom Domain SMTP connection to Wordpress

Hi Folks,

I recently started using the iCloud+ Custom Domain. While the email is fully connected to my GoDaddy domain, my website, handled through WordPress, sends the emails, but these are not arriving at the recipient.

This may be due to the SMTP configurations. I bought WPMailSMTP to handle the SMTP validation with iCloud+ so that my emails are received.

After following the iCloud Mail server settings, as described here by Apple, it is not working. The test email logs are as follows:

Versions:
WordPress: 6.2.2
WordPress MS: No
PHP: 8.1.21
WP Mail SMTP: 3.8.2

Params:
Mailer: smtp
Constants: No
ErrorInfo: SMTP Error: Could not connect to SMTP host. Failed to connect to serverSMTP server error: Failed to connect to server
Host: smtp.mail.me.com
Port: 587
SMTPSecure: 
ssl

SMTPAutoTLS: 
bool(true)

SMTPAuth: 
bool(true)


Server:
OpenSSL: OpenSSL 1.1.1u 30 May 2023

Debug:
Email Source: WP Mail SMTP Pro
Mailer: Other SMTP
SMTP Error: Could not connect to SMTP host. Failed to connect to serverSMTP server error: Failed to connect to server

SMTP Debug:
2023-08-13 10:20:21 Connection: opening to ssl://smtp.mail.me.com:587, timeout=300, options=array()

2023-08-13 10:20:21 Connection failed. Error #2: stream_socket_client(): SSL operation failed with code 1. OpenSSL Error messages:error:1408F10B:SSL routines:ssl3_get_record:wrong version number [/var/www/wp-includes/PHPMailer/SMTP.php line 389]

2023-08-13 10:20:21 Connection failed. Error #2: stream_socket_client(): Failed to enable crypto [/var/www/wp-includes/PHPMailer/SMTP.php line 389]

2023-08-13 10:20:21 Connection failed. Error #2: stream_socket_client(): Unable to connect to ssl://smtp.mail.me.com:587 (Unknown error) [/var/www/wp-includes/PHPMailer/SMTP.php line 389]

2023-08-13 10:20:21 SMTP ERROR: Failed to connect to server: (0)

SMTP Error: Could not connect to SMTP host. Failed to connect to server
 

I have tried everything (as far as I can tell):

• Using TLS instead of SSL
• Using a different port number
• Using my Custom Domain Email & App-Specific Password
• Using my @icloud email with my password and App-Specific Password
• Using the email I use to login into Apple with my password and App-Specific Password

I would like to use my iCloud+ Custom Domain to send notification emails from my Website (when people complete Forms) & to use it for communications regarding my website.

Any help would be highly appreciated.

[Edited by Moderator]