MMSC Outbound Route config question

MMSC Outbound Route config question SearchSearch
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Robert Barretto
Frequent Contributor
Username: Barretto

Post Number: 61
Registered: 09-2019
Posted on Thursday, April 08, 2021 - 09:16 pm:   

Hi,
In the Windows version of the NowSMS, I have a defined MMSC Outbound Route called terms-emg-smsc. In that route I have Default Sender Address: set to 192.168.69.25:2778 and Route messages using: is set to Direct Delivery (Internal MMSC).

I'm trying to set up the equivalent route on the NextGen server, but when I select Direct Delivery via MMSC the next screen to fill in only has the following fields: Route Name, Description, Outbound Routing Prefix List. I'm setting Route Name to terms-emg-smsc, but there's no longer a place to set the Default Sender Address? When I try to Save I get a pop up that says Outbound Routing Prefix is required. There isn't a Prefix field on the Windows version, but there is a field named Route message to this account for recipient phone number(s), but this field is optional, and it's empty on my production server.

For now, I've put a * in the Outbound Routing Prefix List and that seems to be okay (it's sending a MMS delivery notification SMS via my defined SMSC Connection. I don't know exactly what I should be putting in there to be equivalent to the empty field on the Windows version. Or am I just using the field wrong. Should my routing URL hook just return 'Direct' as opposed to a named MMSC Route that has routing set to Direct Delivery via MMSC?

Thanks,
//Robert
Bryce Norwood - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Bryce

Post Number: 8439
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Thursday, April 08, 2021 - 10:44 pm:   

Hi Robert,

There are so many confusing settings squeezed into those Windows dialogs, along with an occasional awkward phrase that can really challenge one's intellect.

The "Default Sender Address" setting is not used in the context of "Direct Delivery (internal MMSC)" in the Windows version, so I don't think we need to fix anything here. The attribute value might be saved in the configuration, but it is not utilised for any purpose.

For other route types, the "Default Sender Address" value specifies a default sender/from address to apply in the MMS Message, if the sender address is blank (or if "Allow Sender Address Override" is NOT checked, this sender address would apply to all messages sent via the route). An IP address would not be an appropriate value, so I am curious what you are trying to use this value for.

There are a few minor wording changes in some of the settings in this area.

As I think you mentioned in another thread, "Always Use Default Sender Address" in the NextGen configuration screens replaces the confusingly worded "Allow Sender Address Override". Because of the wording change, enabling this setting in NextGen is equivalent to disabling the setting in Windows.

For MMS routes, "Outbound Routing Prefix List" in NextGen replaces "Route messages to this account for recipient phone number(s)" in Windows.

For SMS routes, "Outbound Routing Prefix List" in NextGen replaces the "Preferred SMSC Connection for" list in Windows.

While it is possible to specify individual numbers in a prefix list, the typical use of this setting is to route messages that start with a certain pattern (e.g. +44*) to the route. When there are multiple entries in the list, this is a comma delimited list.

In your configuration, you are using a routing callback to route MMS messages, so these static routing prefix lists are not relevant. The routing callback response will take precedence and override any configured values.

It is an oversight on our part that the "Direct Delivery MMSC" and "Block/Reject Message" forms require the "Outbound Routing Prefix List" to be non-blank. We will be correcting these forms to make this value optional.

As for the routing URL hook, it is ok to return Direct or any of the defined MMS route names.

Regards,

Bryce
NowSMS Support
Robert Barretto
Frequent Contributor
Username: Barretto

Post Number: 62
Registered: 09-2019
Posted on Friday, April 09, 2021 - 02:23 pm:   

Hi Des,

Thanks for the reply. I'm guessing the IP address I'm using on the production route is just some remnant when I was originally trying to integrate the MMSC into production. It probably was never actually doing anything, but at some point I must have put that in there and forgot about it.

Even though I can make my routing callback send back Direct and make it work, I like the idea of at least having a named route that is still just Direct Delivery MMSC. That way, other people will know which endpoint the termination is really going to use to leave the MMSC (specifically, towards our SMSC to get to the subscriber mobile). Right now we only have the one route to get to the mobiles so Direct works, but when we expand the network to other carriers we'll need to provide different routes back to the MMSC depending on carrier interconnect we might want to use.

Putting the * in the Outbound Routing Prefix List satisfied the non-empty requirement during save. I suppose I could put +1* to the route, since really those are the only destination numbers that we'd be receiving right now for MMS terminations anyway.

Thanks!
//Robert
Robert Barretto
Frequent Contributor
Username: Barretto

Post Number: 63
Registered: 09-2019
Posted on Friday, April 09, 2021 - 02:27 pm:   

Bryce,

Sorry about that. I was so used to replying to Des on my other thread, that I automatically addressed my reply to Des. I meant no offense. You both have been provided excellent help for me in the past.

Cheers,
//Robert
Bryce Norwood - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Bryce

Post Number: 8440
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Friday, April 09, 2021 - 03:53 pm:   

Hi Robert,

No worries. We have worked together for so long that we are almost interchangeable.

We're a little hesitant about updating the release download because of the issue earlier this week where we accidentally broke installer functionality in an update. However, in this case, the scope of the change is so minor (removing "field required" checks on 2 HTML forms), I'm going to go ahead and post this update into the release download.

Cheers,

Bryce
Robert Barretto
Frequent Contributor
Username: Barretto

Post Number: 64
Registered: 09-2019
Posted on Friday, April 09, 2021 - 06:32 pm:   

Bryce,

Thanks for the update. I upgraded and the Outbound Routing Prefix List field is now optional when I save. Sweet! It's all looking good now.

Thanks again! Have a great weekend!

//Robert

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