USPS shipping not working

I upgraded from an ancient version to the latest version. All upgrades seemed to work fine. Upgraded because the shipping wasn't working correctly (USPS option). It stopped working for some reason.

Anyway, I upgraded and when trying to check out this is the message you get:

This is currently the only shipping method available to use on this order.
United States Postal Service United States Postal Service
An error occurred with the USPS shipping calculations.
If you prefer to use USPS as your shipping method, please contact the store owner.

I actually uninstalled the USPS model and only currently have the one other shipping method enabled (store pickup) and still get the same message!!! No other shipping methods are available when checking out.

It is as if my changes in the admin area for shipping are being totally ignored. Any clue what is going on, because I am at a loss .

Do you have any zones defined?

Yes... at least I think I do. Under admin/zone I have the state selected!

Then in the shipping module(s) have you specified any zone?

Under modules/shipping, I have uninstalled all of the modules except store pickup so there is no place for zones yet I still get a message saying USPS is the only option for shipping available.

Deleted the usps model and installed one I downloaded and it fixed the problem that but another arose. Apparently the usps model I had just wasn't compatible with the upgrade. Thanks!

Glad you figured it out

Well I got that straightened out but it just let to another problem. Shipping still doesn't work. It still ONLY shows USPS even if I uninstall USPS.

If you go to the Tools ... Developers Tool Kit ... and in the bottom input box enter:
usps.php

and select Catalog ... then click SEARCH ...

what comes up?

If you look at the settings in Configuration ... Shipping/Packaging ... what are you using on your settings?

If you go to Modules ... Shipping ... and click on USPS ... what do you see in the right panel?

/hermes///**/htdocs/store/includes/languages/english/modules/shipping/usps.php

Line #6 : * @version $Id: usps.php 18348F 2012-01-22 01:22:00Z ajeh $

Line #7 : * @version $Id: usps.php 18348F 2012-10-22 01:22:00Z ajeh $

/hermes///******/htdocs/store/includes/modules/shipping/usps.php

Line #9 : * @version $Id: usps.php 18348F 2012-01-22 01:22:00Z ajeh $

Line #10 : * @version $Id: usps.php 18348F 2012-10-22 01:22:00Z ajeh $

Country of Origin United States
Postal Code 70739 Info
Enter the Maximum Package Weight you will ship 300 Info
Package Tare Small to Medium - added percentage:weight 0:3 Info
Larger packages - added packaging percentage:weight 10:0 Info
Display Number of Boxes and Weight Status 3 Info
Order Free Shipping 0 Weight Status 0 Info
Shipping Estimator Display Settings for Shopping Cart 1 Info
Display Order Comments on Admin Invoice 1 Info
Display Order Comments on Admin Packing Slip 1 Info

United States Postal Service

You will need to have registered a Web Tools account with USPS at their website to use this module.

USPS expects you to use pounds as weight measure for your products.

Enable USPS Shipping
True

Enter the USPS Web Tools User ID
96******575

Which server to use
production

Quote Sort Order
Unsorted

Handling Fee - US
0

Handling Fee - International
0

Handling Per Order or Per Box
Box

Decimal Settings
3

Tax Class
--none--

Tax Basis
Store

Shipping Zone
--none--

Sort Order
0

All Packages are Machinable
False

USPS Options
Display weight, Display transit time

Domestic Shipping Methods
EXPRESS, PRIORITY, FIRST CLASS, PARCEL, MEDIA, LIBRARY

International Shipping Methods
--none--

Debug Mode
Off

This is what I get on the shipping page

We are unable to find a USPS shipping quote suitable for your mailing address and the shipping methods we typically use.
If you prefer to use USPS as your shipping method, please contact us for assistance.
(Please check that your Zip Code is entered correctly.)

And yes zip code is set up in the 'config : shipping/packaging'

Note that USPS cannot do 300lb boxes, they go to 70lb ... set the Maxium to the default 50 or 70 at most ...

The two Tare Rates are adding additional weight to the orders ... if you do not want the additional weight, set the Tare Rates to 0:0 ...

Could you turn on your USPS debug to Logs and then try your checkout and see what is in the usps_ log files in your /logs directory ...

What weight is your order and what is the Ship To on what you are testing?

NOTE: I am assuming that you contacted USPS and asked them to activate your account for the Production Server ... if not, call USPS 1-800-344-7779 (7:00AM to 11:00PM ET) and have them do this ...

Changed max to 70 lbs

I have periodically turned it on and off. I am not getting any errors. Tried screen and email and not messages show. I have seen the debug on screen show messages before but nothing is showing now.

After the above were changed I still get the error.

weight is 4 pounds.

where do you see this tare weight setting? Or where is it set?

The username I am using for my id has been in use for many years.

But I signed up for another id (this is my friends website) under my name and tried it with shipping set to test mode not production and that didn't work.

Username and password was required when shipping was working. Old zen cart. Now it only ask for username. My application came with username and password. I believe that usps password is no longer needed for zen cart.

Troubleshooting note: None of the other shipping methods appear as option when a customer tries to check out even though I have at least one other enabled.

What Sort Orders do you have set on your Shipping modules? If you have 1 set with a Sort Order, set all of them with a unique Sort Order other than 0 ...

Are all of the icons on your Shipping modules that are installed green?

If you have any Shipping modules installed that you do not use, you should uninstall them by clicking on them and clicking REMOVE ...

The Tare Rates and Maxium Weight are all set in the Configuration ... Shipping/Packaging ...

NOTE: Test server is not very reliable for USPS so keep that on Production Server ...

Starting over from scratch
Added a new blank database
Installed zen1.5.1 to a new directory
Works woohoo
added a product to the database and all stand shipping features worked.
added all the products one at a freaking time. Hours later I have them all in.
Backed up database and the current file structure in the working zen cart.

Now. Added USPS model and it will not work. Same message.
Get this in debug mode:

"View Source:
Server: production Weight = 5 Pounds: 5 Ounces: 0 ZipOrigination: 70785 ZipDestination: 70739 Tare Rates - Small/Medium: 0:3 Large: 10:0 RESPONSE FROM USPS: "

So I guess no response from USPS? I used "USPS v15 Ratev3 B" Is this the right modules for USPS in 1.5.1?
Could it be that the username that has been used for over 7+ years is no longer good?
Could someone lend me a username to plug in that I can at least test to see if this is the problem?

Check with your host and see if there is a problem with the ports for communicating with USPS ...

Another quick test is to install the add on plugin for UPS for Zen Cart v1.5 ...

If both fail, then it is your ports having issues ...

I am totally at a loss.

I leave and go to the store. Come back, read your response, install the ups module. Test it out. Bam UPS works.... and the strange part is for the first time the usps module is working as well. Tried product that wasn't working earlier that I was testing with and it worked!!!! I am happy as can be but mad that it just decided to start working out of the blue!!! The problem might come back just as mysteriously as it went away!!!!

There could of been an issue with your server ports that were fixed by your hosting provider ...

Perhaps place a ticket with them and ask if they did any changes on the server that might have affected/fixed this issue ...