Multitech GSM/GPRS Modem - sending MMS

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Adrian Schauer
New member
Username: Adrian_schauer

Post Number: 1
Registered: 07-2006
Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 07:11 pm:   

I've got a MultiTech GSM/GPRS modem that I want to use to send out MMS messages. I do not want to "connect" to the carriers' SMSC nor do I want to use my server as the MMSC. I am basically just looking to use the software to control the modem and send MMS messages as if they were coming from a mobile phone. Has anyone done this before? Can anyone help? - Thanks.
Bryce Norwood - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Bryce

Post Number: 6277
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Monday, July 31, 2006 - 08:12 pm:   

Hi,

In order to do this, you connect to the operator's MMSC over GPRS using the modem. (That is what the MMS client in a mobile phone does when it sends a message.)

There is an overview of how MMS works that describes this at http://www.nowsms.com/howmmsworks.htm.

And, specific information about configuring NowSMS for this type of connection here:

http://www.nowsms.com/documentation/ProductDocumentation/mms_notifications_and_c ontent/Connecting_to_operator_MMSC.htm

NowSMS 2006 has a "Lookup Operator Settings" button that has the MMS configuration settings for a lot of mobile operators ... but we may be missing a few. Generally speaking, you will need to know the GPRS APN, WAP Gateway/Proxy Address, and MMS Server URL for your mobile opreator. (These are the same settings that are configured for the MMS client in an actual mobile phone on your operator's network.)

-bn
Adrian Schauer
New member
Username: Adrian_schauer

Post Number: 2
Registered: 07-2006
Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 07:18 pm:   

Hi Bryce,

Thanks for the clarification above. I have put the setting for my carrier into the NowSMS Gateway,:
MMS Settings:
APN: media.com
Username: media
Password: mda01
Gateway IP: 172.25.0.107
Message Server: http://mms.gprs.rogers.com

But when I test the connection, I get two error messages. First:

Warning: Modem is not responding to GPRS commands. Testing will continue.

And then:

Connection failed
RAS Error 633
The modem (or other connecting device) is already in use or is not configured properly.

Do you have any idea what I might try next? I have re-installed the modem, verified the settings, etc to no avail.

Many thanks
Bryce Norwood - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Bryce

Post Number: 6312
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 05:24 pm:   

Hi Adrian,

Apologies for the delay in response.

It sounds like another program is using the modem.

The first thing to check is to make sure that within NowSMS, you are using the named modem driver in the "SMSC" list instead of a direct COM port reference. (It is not necessarily a problem to use the direct COM port reference in the SMSC list, but if you do, then you need to make sure that you select this same COM port reference in the "Modem Used" section when you define the MMS settings. To avoid this confusing setup, it is best to use the named modem driver in the SMSC list instead of the direct COM port reference.)

If that doesn't resolve the problem, then make sure that you don't have any other software running that might be accessing the modem. For example, the Multitech CD includes something called "Mobile Phone Tools" ... and you should make sure that is not running. In fact, unless you have a specific need for it, I recommend uninstalling it.

Also, on the specific issue of the Multitech GPRS modem ... I dealt with a very strange problem with one on an installation last week. The modem would work initially, but after sending or receiving an MMS, the modem would become inaccessible to NowSMS (and other applications) until the modem was powered off and powered back on.

After considerable troubleshooting, I went into Phone and Modem options in the Windows Control Panel, and manually installed the "Standard 33600 bps Modem" driver instead of the modem driver supplied by Multitech.

Configuring NowSMS to use the standard modem driver, everything worked perfectly.

I have no explanation for why this problem would occur. I have the same modem running on one of my lab machines, and it works perfectly with the Multitech supplied modem driver. But at this other installation last week, I could not get things to work properly until I converted it over to use the "Standard 33600 bps Modem" driver instead.

-bn
Adrian Schauer
New member
Username: Adrian_schauer

Post Number: 3
Registered: 07-2006
Posted on Monday, August 14, 2006 - 08:58 pm:   

Hey Bryce,

Thanks for the tips. Two of your comments here ring true.
1) I kept getting conflicts because other software apps were trying to access the modem. I uninstalled Mobile Phone Tools and this seems to have been resolved.
2) I was also using direct COM port (COM 6) when I defined my SMSC in the NOWSMS Gateway. However, when I try to change this to use the MultiTech Systems GSM_GPRS Wireless Modem configured here, I get the following error message when I hit <Test and Add>: "unable to send initialization command to modem." I am able to access the modem and establish GPRS connections, etc. from HyperTerminal.

Any idea what the issue could be?

Thanks again...
Bryce Norwood - NowSMS Support
Board Administrator
Username: Bryce

Post Number: 6326
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Tuesday, August 15, 2006 - 04:41 pm:   

Hi Adrian,

What if you go into the Windows Control Panel ... Phone and Modem Options ... select your modem, and go into the Diagnostics area ... can you "Query Modem" successfully? Or does that also return an error?

I'm thinking that when you go into HyperTerminal, you are connecting to the COM port directly, instead of going through the Windows modem driver. (Which is what you were doing with NowSMS before.)

Since you can get NowSMS to talk to the COM port directly, and you can talk to the modem via the COM port with HyperTerminal ... I'd suggest going into Phone and Modem Options in the Windows Control Panel, and manually adding (e.g., "select modem from list" instead of automatic detection) the "Standard 33600 bps Modem" driver for the appropriate COM port.

I'm wondering if Multitech has changed something on their installation CDs and the new software drivers are buggy.

In the problem that I dealt with last week, all the problems went away when I switched to the "Standard 33600 bps Modem" driver.

-bn
Aidan Cope
New member
Username: Acope

Post Number: 6
Registered: 09-2006
Posted on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 09:48 am:   

"The modem would work initially, but after sending or receiving an MMS, the modem would become inaccessible to NowSMS (and other applications) until the modem was powered off and powered back on."

I experienced this same problem and your suggestion of using the Standard 33600 modem seems to of fixed it! I'm trying to find out from Multitech if there is a fix for their modem driver. I also have a specific problem with the USB version not working after re-starting my computer; I have to unplug/plug the modem to have it initialize properly. I get a yellow exclamation point on "GSM Device" (on MS Server 2003).