MM1 - timeout waiting for response

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Bobby
New member
Username: Bobbynryn

Post Number: 2
Registered: 03-2013
Posted on Tuesday, April 02, 2013 - 11:09 am:   

Hi there,

I am sending out MMS very frequently (60 messages per minute) and I am keep getting error saying "MM1 - timeout waiting for response".

What could be the reason for the mentioned error and how to resolve it? At an average I could just send 2 messages as all the other are getting failed.

Attached are two other error types i am receiving.

Thanks,

Regards,

Bobby

Des - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Desosms

Post Number: 4358
Registered: 08-2008
Posted on Tuesday, April 02, 2013 - 03:28 pm:   

Hi Bobby,

Can you please tell me more about your configuration?

For example, what mobile operator and what settings are being used for sending MMS through that operator?

Also, what modem are you using? And how many? What technology does the modem support (3G, HSPA, EDGE, GPRS)?

How large are typical MMS message sizes?

Are you consistently seeing particular errors on particular modems or across all modems?

The MM1 timeout errors have me wondering about MMS message sizes, modem speeds and connection settings (specifically WSP or HTTP proxy in the gateway/proxy setting).

403 errors suggest the service provider is actively rejecting the MMS message submission. Do the modems where you are seeing this error ever send messages successfully? If not, try moving the SIM from the modem to a phone and verify that it can actually send MMS. (The SIM might not be provisioned for MMS?)

The RAS error is an error activating a data connection. That could be signal strength ... network congestion ... this type of error tends to be more difficult to troubleshoot.

--
Des
NowSMS Support
Bobby
New member
Username: Bobbynryn

Post Number: 3
Registered: 03-2013
Posted on Wednesday, April 03, 2013 - 03:47 am:   

Hi,

I am using Malaysia Celcom and the settings used are

Server Address: http://mms.celcom.net.my/
WAP Gateway IP Address: 10.128.1.242
GPRS APN: mms.celcom.net.my

If I use http:// for WAP Gateway IP I couldn't even connect when I test connection.

I am using Fastrack Supreme Wavecom modem(EDGE) and I'm using 3 modems per pc.

The MMS size i'm sending out is 280KB.

I am seeing paricular errrs on particular modems and the modems which are coming out with error did send out messages but frequently coming out with error.

Thanks,

Regards,

Bobby
Des - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Desosms

Post Number: 4359
Registered: 08-2008
Posted on Wednesday, April 03, 2013 - 04:57 pm:   

Hi Bobby,

Try using a WAP gateway address of http://10.128.1.242:8080

EDGE is going to be somewhat of a limiting factor in your configuration. 3G would give a significant speed boost in sending.

And if possible, using SIM cards from different operators in different modems connected to the same server will offer a significant performance boost.

--
Des
NowSMS Support
Bobby
New member
Username: Bobbynryn

Post Number: 4
Registered: 03-2013
Posted on Friday, April 05, 2013 - 05:50 am:   

Hi,

Thanks for you suggestion.

I have to send 5000 MMS and I have my own program to post to NowSMS gateway. Can I post all my 5000 one shot or as I am using 60 messages per second license I need to send 60 and wait for that to finish before sending another 60?

Thanks,

Regards,

Bobby
Des - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Desosms

Post Number: 4362
Registered: 08-2008
Posted on Friday, April 05, 2013 - 01:01 pm:   

Hi Bobby,

You can post them all in one shot. They will be queued for processing.

If it is the same message to 5000 recipients, it may be beneficial to split it into separate message submissions in smaller groups of recipients.

NowSMS does this automatically, but when NowSMS does the splitting, it will not use different modems at the same time for the same MMS message submission.

--
Des
NowSMS Support
Bobby
New member
Username: Bobbynryn

Post Number: 5
Registered: 03-2013
Posted on Wednesday, April 17, 2013 - 07:54 am:   

Hi,

I am getting "Network Connection failed - RAS Error 618 - The specified port is not open" error message very frequently as it is making me to unplug and replug the modem always. Once I replug the modem it is sending few MMS's and then coming up with the above said error. This is quiet annoying process to stop now sms service and unplug and replug modem.

I am using TP-Link MA-180 HSUPA modem.

Please suggest.

Thank,

Regards,

Bobby
Des - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Desosms

Post Number: 4410
Registered: 08-2008
Posted on Wednesday, April 17, 2013 - 03:49 pm:   

Hi Bobby,

We've never seen that error before.

And I thought we had seem them all...

As best as I can determine RAS Error 618 is considered an internal Windows RAS (Remote Access Services) error. (NowSMS uses Windows RAS to establish a data connection using the modem.) The best information I could find on the error was here:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc773153%28v=ws.10%29.aspx#BKMK_618

Reading between the lines, it suggests the device may be malfunctioning.

Here are a few ideas.

1.) Make sure all the latest Windows updates are installed and check to see if the manufacturer has any updated modem drivers that you could install.

2.) Try a different USB port. This type of problem could be caused by inconsistent power being provided by the USB port.

3.) The modem drivers might be getting confused because NowSMS is not running under a standard user environment, but running as a local service. Configuring the NowSMS service to run under a user account might address this issue. The procedure varies slightly by Windows version, but there is usually an Administrative Tasks area of the Windows Control Panel. Find Services in this area ... locate the NowSMS services, and in the Properties for the service, define a user account for the service to run under.

4.) By default, NowSMS is going to connect and disconnect from the data network with some frequency using Windows RAS. That is not the normal behaviour that the modem product designers expect. The modem is primarily designed to provide internet access, and most modems include network drivers that provide a data connection without using Windows RAS.

It is possible (and offers better performance) to configure NowSMS to use this type of network driver, which can avoid the connect/disconnect overhead, however it is complicated and varies from modem to modem. And some modems may be unable to send or receive SMS while the data connection is active. (Even for MMS-only setups, there is the consideration that if you cannot receive SMS, you also cannot receive MMS. Unfortunately every modem model is different in its implementation, so you don't know if you can do both SMS and MMS in this setup until you try.)

Before I describe that configuration, there is also an easy way to configure the default setup that uses Windows RAS so that the MMS connection is always on (no connect/disconnect). In this setup, you will only be able to send MMS. To do this, remove the modem from the SMSC list. This will remove any reason for NowSMS to disconnect the data connection. NowSMS only disconnects the data connection because it needs to poll the modem for received messages and the RAS setup does not allow SMS access while a data connection is active.

NowSMS will complain because it has no SMSC connection. However, you can ignore these warnings, or define a dummy HTTP SMSC connection. By dummy connection I mean that you define an HTTP SMSC connection and point it to any web server. If NowSMS has an SMS message to send, it performs the HTTP request, but the web server doesn't understand the parameters and ignores the request.

For the alternate configuration that uses network drivers provided by the modem I will post a follow-up with information in a few hours as I need to re-familiarize myself with the setup process.

--
Des
NowSMS Support
Des - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Desosms

Post Number: 4412
Registered: 08-2008
Posted on Wednesday, April 17, 2013 - 05:09 pm:   

Hi Bobby,

I wanted to follow-up with an explanation of how to configure NowSMS to send MMS messages over a modem's network driver instead of using Windows RAS/Dial-up-networking.

As I mentioned in my previous message, this type of setup is confusing because every modem is different and different modems have different ways of configuring the network connection.

The basic premise is this ... the expected use of a 3G USB modem is that it is being used for mobile internet access.

So you setup the modem in the typical way as if you were using it for mobile internet access. If your mobile operator uses a different APN for MMS access than for internet access,you need to configure the modem software to connect to the MMS APN instead. Configure the software to automatically connect to the network so that a manual connection is not required.

If your operator uses a separate MMS APN, you will not have internet connectivity when connected to the MMS APN. This is easily corrected by configuring Windows not to use the modem as a default gateway. To change the default gateway configuration go into the Network Connections area of the Windows Control Panel and locate the network connection for the modem. (In Windows 7 you will find it in the "Network and Sharing Center".) Open the Properties page for the connection, and go to the Networking page. Locate "Internet Protocol Version 4" settings and select Properties. Under the "Advanced" area, UNcheck "Use default gateway on remote network". Press OK until you exit the connection properties. Once that change is made, the modem's network connection will be active but will not be used for general internet access, instead NowSMS will be configured to explicitly use the modem's network connection for sending MMS.

Now to NowSMS part of the configuration .... telling NowSMS how to use this always on connection.

In the "MMSC Routing" definition, change the "Network Connection" setting. Instead of an entry that starts with "Modem:" find the entry that starts with "Network:" which corresponds to the modem's always active network connection. Change "Modem Used" to be blank.

NowSMS will now send MMS messages out over the modem's network driver connection instead of initiating data connections using Windows RAS/Dial-up-Networking.

Depending on the modem, you may or may not be able to simultaneously use the regular modem interface for sending/receiving SMS while the always on network connection is active. It depends on how the modem drivers for that modem are designed.

--
Des
NowSMS Support
Bobby
New member
Username: Bobbynryn

Post Number: 6
Registered: 03-2013
Posted on Friday, April 19, 2013 - 07:53 am:   

Hi,

Thanks for your info.

I did follow the way to configure NowSMS to send MMS using modem network drivers as you have suggested. But, it seems the same and modem is getting unresponsive until I unplug and replug. NowSMS is coming out with the error "Unable to connect to WAP Gateway" and there is nothing done until I replug modem.

Is there any time where NowSMS holding the connection while sending message and become unresponsive? Because once the error message comes out, if I stop NowSMS service and test modem using modem software is also coming out with error as port is in use.

Please suggest.

Thanks,

Regards,

Bobby
Des - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Desosms

Post Number: 4419
Registered: 08-2008
Posted on Friday, April 19, 2013 - 02:28 pm:   

Hi Bobby,

If you are using the modem network driver ("Network Connection" setting starts with "Network:"), then NowSMS never talks to the modem directly. It simply communicates over TCP/IP, unaware if it is a modem or an ethernet connection.

Even if NowSMS is communicating directly with the modem, stopping the services would release all modem resources.

If the modem requires being unplugged and replugged, this is an indication that either the modem driver software on the PC or the firmware on the modem itself is crashing.

Check with the manufacturer for updated drivers and/or firmware.

It could also be a USB port or power issue (you may get better results on a different USB port or different computer, in particular some devices seem to be having more problems on newer computers with USB 3.0 ports).

--
Des
NowSMS Support
Bobby
New member
Username: Bobbynryn

Post Number: 7
Registered: 03-2013
Posted on Monday, April 22, 2013 - 09:57 am:   

Hi,

I am still having the same problem and the all the modem's are having same issue of unplug & replug it.

I am using around 20 modems and all are with the same issue. I did change to different USB ports and different PC's as well but still the same.

If I use the modem for browsing it works well but when I configure that in NowSMS for sending MMS the problem occurs. I have replaced with brand new modems as well.

Please suggest as it is really getting worst. Every 10mins after I need to unplug and replug the modem for all 20 computers.
Des - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Desosms

Post Number: 4429
Registered: 08-2008
Posted on Monday, April 22, 2013 - 10:50 pm:   

Hi Bobby,

Assuming that you are using the modem network driver (in "MMSC Routing" definition "Network Connection" setting starts with "Network:"), let's do the following troubleshooting.

When the "Unable to connect to WAP Gateway" error starts to occur, we need to determine the status of that connection and determine why.

Do not unplug and replug the modem.

Does restarting the NowSMS services resolve the problem? (I know it did not in the other configuration, but is it different now?)

Open a command prompt window. I'd like you to capture IP route table information from the PC when everything is working ok and then again after it fails. From a command prompt window use the route print command. Use route print > route.txt to save output to a text file named route.txt. Let's see before problem and after problem to see how things compare.

Do similar with the ipconfig /all parameter. I am wondering if your IP address on the operator network is extremely short-lived and changing. That could present a problem that we need to work-around.

I am also wondering if you can ping the WAP gateway. It would be interesting to open a command prompt window where you run ping -t 10.128.1.242 ... this will run continuously trying to ping the WAP gateway until you CTRL-C to stop it. Initially it will fail, but once the first MMS is sent it should start working ... if it starts to fail, is there a pattern of how long it takes before failing? Does it match with when the WAP gateway timeout error starts?

I realise I'm asking a lot of questions and not proposing any solutions, but we need a better picture of what's happening on the system first. If we can get answers to my troubleshooting questions, that should guide us what to do next.

One possible solution. Earlier in this thread, I suggested you UNcheck "Use default gateway on remote network". If you instead CHECK/enable that setting, it may provide a work-around. The PC will otherwise lose internet connectivity (lose access to all but your local subnet), but the MMSC connectivity should not drop unless the modem network driver is failing.

--
Des
NowSMS Support