The Jetpack server could not communicate with your site's XML-RPC URL.

— Update from host —
Here’s what my host said.

I suggested two solutions. The .htacess file can be removed, but this will allow access to the WordPress XML-RPC API, which is prone to abuse.

The alternative would be to whitelist the XML-RPC client in the .htaccess file.

We whitelisted my IP and doesn’t work. I’m hesitant on the 1st suggestion to remove the .htaccess file.

Is there any other way?

— Update from host #2 —
Here’s what my host said.

You might be able to resolve the issue with changes to another .htaccess file, but I already confirmed that this file is causing the issue by temporarily removing it. When it was removed, xmlrpc.php was accessible.

Jetpack, like other services and apps like the WordPress mobile apps, relies on the XML-RPC file. You will indeed need to make that file accessible to be able to use Jetpack.

If you want to use XML-RPC while protecting yourself against abuse, there are a few things you can do:

1. You can use a plugin like this one to disable XML-RPC’s pingback method. It’s important as it’s a common vector of attack for WordPress: https://blog.sucuri.net/2014/03/more-than-162000-wordpress-sites-used-for-distributed-denial-of-service-attack.html
2. Once you’ve enabled Jetpack, you can enable the Protect module; it will protect the file against Brute Force attacks: https://jetpack.com/2015/10/12/jetpack-protection-from-brute-force-xml-rpc-attacks/
3. You can use a website firewall like Sucuri or CloudFlare to block hackers before they can even reach your site.

I hope this helps.

@stanley, @jeremy,

You can also use WPBruiser (https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/goodbye-captcha/) to Completely Disable XML-RPC service without affecting Jetpack’s functionality at all.

Mihai

@jeremy @mihche
Won’t disabling XML-RPC makes use vulnerable to attacks?
Is there any other way besides disabling XML-RPC?

— Update —
We installed both wpbruiser and disable xml-rpc pingback and still got the same error (xml_rpc-32700).

When we go to the url: https://www.owlguru.com/schools/xmlrpc.php it redirects us back to the homepage of our main site (www.owlguru.com). Is this normal?

Note: https://www.owlguru.com/schools is on a different wp installation than https://www.owlguru.com
Note #2: The site having problem is https://www.owlguru.com/schools

Hi @stanley,
Just open a ticket here on WPBruiser’s Support page and I’ll help you with this.

Mihai

We installed another disable xml-rpc plugin and still doesn’t work. https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/disable-xml-rpc/

Hi @stanley,
I’ve offered my help but if you do not open that ticket as I mentioned earlier, I cannot help you. We can’t continue this discussion here on Jetpack’s forum.

As I said, if you have just WPBruiser installed you can Completely Disable XML-RPC service without affecting Jetpack’s functionality.

Just go to WPBruiser -> WordPress tab and there is an option:
Completely Disable XML-RPC Service. Check that option and save changes. That’s all you have to do.

If you have other plugins activated that will block/disable xml-rpc service for sure that’s not going to work because they will block Jetpack’s requests.

Mihai

Hey Mihai,
We’ve solved the error by adding this in the .htaccess file along with a disable xml-rpc plugin.

<FilesMatch "xmlrpc\.php$">
Satisfy Any
Allow from all
</FilesMatch>

Credit to https://edbinx.com/2015/08/02/solve-jetpack-site-inaccessible-403-error-xmlrpc-php-wordpress/ for the solution.

Probably this is a good solution as well if you want to change your .htaccess file
I read their update

We got the Disable XML-RPC plugin and Protect from Jetpack. Shouldn’t that protect the site?

I would still recommend the firewall solutions I mentioned in the my first place, as well as the XML-RPC Pingback plugin instead of the Disable XML-RPC plugin you use at the moment. Completely disabling XML-RPC will cause issues with plugins and services using that file, like Jetpack or the mobile apps.

Not sure if my solution would help. But I am also running into the same issue due to the child theme that I created. To fix it, I reset it back to any default theme, reactive Jetpack, then reactivate the child theme.