AIOWPS blocking sitemap_index.xms generated by Yoast

Hi, can you carry out a test. Can you disable all Firewall Rules then carry out a test. Let me know what happens.

Thank you

Do you not have a test site? If not, you should have… ??

If so, just install yoast (free) and activate – think the default settings will create the sitemap page

set-up google search console (takes 10 mins)
submit sitemap URL (takes 5 mins)

If you need help, I′m willing to help but I′d rather not use a production environment for testing and I′d rather leave you with a test environment you can use to test future releases quickly and easily. Add me to your test site as a WP user if you need help or pass me the URL and I will set-up Search Console for it and in time add your google account as a user so you can test.

I′ve contacted you via https://mbrsolution.com/contact-mbrsolution so you have my email etc..

Hi, thank you for contacting me by my site.

I also use yoast plugin and AIONWPS. I have never run into this issue myself. That is why I suggested above that you first disable all Firewall rules then carry out a test.

In regards to the following comment. Can you provide more information as to how is AIOWPS plugin killing your sites organice search placement?

Please urgently resolve this issue – you are killing sites organic search placement.

Thank you

I have never run into this issue myself.

So, you have a site with AIOWPS and Yoast and you are using Google Search Console and you have submitted the yoast generated sitemap URL sitemap_index.xml via Google Search Console and when you test that URL no errors are generated – please confirm.

I have tested, and the error is happening with the firewall rules off in AIOWPS

In regards to the following comment. Can you provide more information as to how is AIOWPS plugin killing your sites organice search placement?

The supposition is that when AIOWPS blocks sitemap_index.xml for googlebot – Google penalises the site for having a submitted sitemap which is inaccessible. This is the same supposition as Catalysts made on the other thread, I have asked him to confirm that the Search rankings recovered after Search Console could read the sitemap – our have not yet – in any case – submitting a sitemap to google and then blocking access for the googlebot to it would not seem to be wise SEO practice!

Hi, I have no problems with both plugins as I stated above.

The sitemap is submitted correctly to Google via Yoast plugin without any issues. I do have 1 or 2 links that sometimes come up as an error but that is normal since I am constantly adding, deleting links and or updating links.

I cannot reproduce the issue that you are experiencing. There might be a plugin or your theme conflicting in your site and causing this issue between Yoast and AIOWPS.

Kind regards

The error message in search console is “Your Sitemap does not contain any URLs. Please validate and resubmit your Sitemap.” turning off AIOWPS yields “No errors found.”

The theme in question in my case is Avada. There are various plugins of course!

Are you using the free Yoast plugin or the premium/paid version? We are using the free version.

Hi, I am using the free version.

Thank you

And are you using all AIOWPS features?
We are using version 4.3.1 and score 225/500 – I have exported our settings.
Do you want me to send you our settings so you can compare? If so, contact me by email please.

Hi, in regards to your question.

And are you using all AIOWPS features? No.

I don’t think enabling all features is a great idea. The reason being is because different sites have different plugins and or theme and the server might have different configurations that might clash with some of the plugins settings. However in saying this some people have enabled almost all the options in the plugin without a problem.

I am running version 4.3.2, which is the latest version with some bug fixes and improvements. The score in my dashboard is 280/505.

I have replied to your message sent via my contact form. You can submit your backup settings. I will look at them. However I am sure that the issue you are experiencing is related to a plugin conflict or server setting.

The developers and I have checked Yoast plugin with our plugin and many users are also running both plugins without any issues.

Kind regards

Hi @timwoolfson, I have replied to your e-mail.

Kind regards

Hi!

I encountered the same issue with my sitemaps not being seen by Google without anything special happening.
The problem is the Internet Bot Settings that you find under Firewall section AIOWPS. After I unchecked Block Fake Googlebots, my sitemaps where again available.

Please see what you are doing with this setting.

All the best!

• This reply was modified 6 years, 9 months ago by apblog.

Hi @apblog, can you create a new support thread. It is much easier for us to manage one issue per user. You can make a reference to this thread in your support thread if you like.

Thank you

I am also marking this support thread as resolved because @timwoolfson has decided to go with another security plugin.

Kind regards

I also unchecked ‘Block Fake Googlebots’ and suddenly my Yoast XML sitemap was accessible by real Googlebot too and the problem was solved. It’s seeing the real googlebot as fake too…

Hi @faracademy, please start a new support thread because this one is already marked as resolved. You can add a referenced link to this thread if you like.

Kind regards