Operating system name and version: CentOS release 5.4 (Final) - 2.6.18-128
Version of smsd: 3.1.6
Smsd installed from: sources
Name and model of a modem / phone: Nokia N81
Interface: USB

Greetings,

I'm having problems with my Nokia N81 not responding Ok back to smstools when successfully sending a message. Smstools retries 3 times spamming recipients 3 times with the same message. Log attached:

2010-04-06 09:54:19,5, smsd: Moved file /var/spool/sms/outgoing/send_w27754 to /var/spool/sms/checked 2010-04-06 09:54:20,6, GSM1: I have to send 1 short message for /var/spool/sms/checked/send_w27754 2010-04-06 09:54:20,6, GSM1: Sending SMS from to ******** 2010-04-06 09:54:20,6, GSM1: Checking if modem is ready 2010-04-06 09:54:20,7, GSM1: -> AT 2010-04-06 09:54:20,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:54:21,7, GSM1: <- OK 2010-04-06 09:54:21,6, GSM1: Pre-initializing modem 2010-04-06 09:54:21,7, GSM1: -> ATE0+CMEE=1 2010-04-06 09:54:21,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:54:21,7, GSM1: <- OK 2010-04-06 09:54:21,7, GSM1: -> AT+CSQ 2010-04-06 09:54:21,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:54:21,7, GSM1: <- +CSQ: 16,99 OK 2010-04-06 09:54:21,6, GSM1: Checking if Modem is registered to the network 2010-04-06 09:54:22,7, GSM1: -> AT+CREG? 2010-04-06 09:54:22,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:54:22,7, GSM1: <- +CREG: 0,1 OK 2010-04-06 09:54:22,6, GSM1: Modem is registered to the network 2010-04-06 09:54:22,6, GSM1: Selecting PDU mode 2010-04-06 09:54:22,7, GSM1: -> AT+CMGF=0 2010-04-06 09:54:22,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:54:22,7, GSM1: <- OK 2010-04-06 09:54:22,7, GSM1: -> AT+CMGS=22 2010-04-06 09:54:23,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:54:23,7, GSM1: <- > 2010-04-06 09:54:23,7, GSM1: -> 0011000A9174894643430000FF0AD4F29C0E4A83C8E133 2010-04-06 09:54:23,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:55:24,7, GSM1: put_command expected (OK)|(ERROR), timeout occurred. 1. 2010-04-06 09:55:24,7, GSM1: <- 2010-04-06 09:55:24,3, GSM1: The modem did not answer (expected OK). 2010-04-06 09:55:24,5, GSM1: Waiting 10 sec. before retrying 2010-04-06 09:55:34,6, GSM1: Checking if modem is ready 2010-04-06 09:55:34,7, GSM1: -> AT 2010-04-06 09:55:34,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:55:34,7, GSM1: <- OK 2010-04-06 09:55:34,6, GSM1: Pre-initializing modem 2010-04-06 09:55:35,7, GSM1: -> ATE0+CMEE=1 2010-04-06 09:55:35,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:55:35,7, GSM1: <- OK 2010-04-06 09:55:35,7, GSM1: -> AT+CSQ 2010-04-06 09:55:35,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:55:35,7, GSM1: <- +CSQ: 16,99 OK 2010-04-06 09:55:35,6, GSM1: Checking if Modem is registered to the network 2010-04-06 09:55:36,7, GSM1: -> AT+CREG? 2010-04-06 09:55:36,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:55:36,7, GSM1: <- +CREG: 0,1 OK 2010-04-06 09:55:36,6, GSM1: Modem is registered to the network 2010-04-06 09:55:36,6, GSM1: Selecting PDU mode 2010-04-06 09:55:36,7, GSM1: -> AT+CMGF=0 2010-04-06 09:55:36,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:55:36,7, GSM1: <- OK 2010-04-06 09:55:36,7, GSM1: -> AT+CMGS=22 2010-04-06 09:55:36,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:55:37,7, GSM1: <- > 2010-04-06 09:55:37,7, GSM1: -> 0011000A9174894643430000FF0AD4F29C0E4A83C8E133 2010-04-06 09:55:37,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:56:38,7, GSM1: put_command expected (OK)|(ERROR), timeout occurred. 1. 2010-04-06 09:56:38,7, GSM1: <- 2010-04-06 09:56:38,3, GSM1: The modem did not answer (expected OK). 2010-04-06 09:56:38,5, GSM1: Waiting 10 sec. before retrying 2010-04-06 09:56:48,6, GSM1: Checking if modem is ready 2010-04-06 09:56:48,7, GSM1: -> AT 2010-04-06 09:56:48,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:56:48,7, GSM1: <- OK 2010-04-06 09:56:48,6, GSM1: Pre-initializing modem 2010-04-06 09:56:49,7, GSM1: -> ATE0+CMEE=1 2010-04-06 09:56:49,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:56:49,7, GSM1: <- OK 2010-04-06 09:56:49,7, GSM1: -> AT+CSQ 2010-04-06 09:56:49,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:56:49,7, GSM1: <- +CSQ: 16,99 OK 2010-04-06 09:56:49,6, GSM1: Checking if Modem is registered to the network 2010-04-06 09:56:49,7, GSM1: -> AT+CREG? 2010-04-06 09:56:49,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:56:50,7, GSM1: <- +CREG: 0,1 OK 2010-04-06 09:56:50,6, GSM1: Modem is registered to the network 2010-04-06 09:56:50,6, GSM1: Selecting PDU mode 2010-04-06 09:56:50,7, GSM1: -> AT+CMGF=0 2010-04-06 09:56:50,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:56:50,7, GSM1: <- OK 2010-04-06 09:56:50,7, GSM1: -> AT+CMGS=22 2010-04-06 09:56:50,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:56:51,7, GSM1: <- > 2010-04-06 09:56:51,7, GSM1: -> 0011000A9174894643430000FF0AD4F29C0E4A83C8E133 2010-04-06 09:56:51,7, GSM1: Command is sent, waiting for the answer 2010-04-06 09:57:52,7, GSM1: put_command expected (OK)|(ERROR), timeout occurred. 1. 2010-04-06 09:57:52,7, GSM1: <- 2010-04-06 09:57:52,3, GSM1: The modem did not answer (expected OK). 2010-04-06 09:57:52,4, GSM1: Sending SMS to 4798****** failed 2010-04-06 09:57:52,6, GSM1: Deleted file /var/spool/sms/checked/send_w27754

smsd.conf:
devices = GSM1 logfile = /var/log/smsd.log loglevel = 7 #errorsleeptime = 0 #blocktime = 1 [GSM1] device = /dev/ttyACM0 incoming = no report = no

I've been playing around with additional config settings without success so I thought I'd give this forum a try.

Could anyone give me a hint on config changes or other ways to solve this. I'm gonna use this solution sending Nagios alerts so its not preferred to set smstools retrying to 0 (if possible?) and assume that everything is fine.

Thanks,
Thomas

Nothing can be done to fix this issue .

A device should return OK and a message id. In your case message is sent, but nothing is returned. Most likely this is because N81 is a "smart phone" based on S60 3rd edition platform. These devices cannot be used for receiving messages (thru the AT command interface), and perhaps this is the reason for a missing answer.

You should get a real modem. For example modems based on Wavecom chip are known as well working devices.

With a real modem you can do much more. Instead of assuming that everything is fine, even when OK and message id is returned, you can track if a message is really delivered to the phone. If a phone is off (weak battery...) or out of network coverage, you do not receive a delivery report (status report). In the scripts directory of a package, there is a sample script regular_run which can be used to check if a message is not delivered within a given time. In the case of a failure, the script can send message to another number.

Thanks for your quick reply and input.

I abandoned the N81 and went for a SE W810i which is working fine for sending messages.

Cheers,
Thomas

Reopening this with a quick question:

Are there any cellphones which support reading messages with smstools ?
If not, I'm already considering a real Wavecom modem, which budget model do you guys recomend for sending and receiving messages ?

Thanks,
Thomas

tomle wrote

Are there any cellphones which support reading messages with smstools ?

Many cellphones support reading of messages, but usually those phones are slightly older models. Very new phones are "smart" phones which do not have support for reading. See also this F.A.Q entry (#16).

tomle wrote

If not, I'm already considering a real Wavecom modem, which budget model do you guys recomend for sending and receiving messages ?

I do not know about budget models, but for example in one system I have iTegno 3000 which has been working very well.

Check also this topic: GSM Modem BenQ M32 from Dealextreme. It's not based on Wavecom chip, but it's very cheap and has only few limitations.