Unable to connect to Clickatell

[Antonio]

Hi, following the instructions on the help page on settings, I set up an account with Clickatell. I received a user name, a Client ID and a password.
I enter user name, password and Client ID (is it the account API?), to create a connection in FLSMS. This connection is then listed but it doesn't connect (it remains always disconnected, even when I try to connect it manually).
On my account page in Clickatell there is a section with "connection, API_ID, Name" with blank values.
What should I do more to have the new Clickatell connection working?

[kiwanja]

Hi Antonio

I'm not at a machine right now which has the settings, but the client ID is different to the API code (mine is 31236xx, for example). Did you set up an account through the following page?

http://www.clickatell.com/developers/api_http.php

If so, you should be given an API code. If you enter this, along with the other details (client ID is only needed for logging into the Clickatell website) into FrontlineSMS then you should be okay and it should show as a connection in "Phones". Clickatell is quite tricky to set up, so if you get stuck you might want to try IntelliSMS which is much easier (although they have problems sending messages in the US, if you're there).

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

Ken

[Antonio]

Hi Ken,
To have an API ID, after registered, I had to go in a page (Manage my products) and add a connection, which created a connection and an API ID.
Now I can connect from FLSMS to Clickatell.
I am comparing Clickatell and IntelliSms, to see which of them is easier and more reliable. I stay in Mozambique, so Clickatell should be a faster gateway being it in South Africa and could be cheaper to send SMS from users' cell phones (if FLSMS had the receive option even with Clickatell - will it be in the next version of FLSM?).

Any comment about the two gateways?

Regards
Antonio

[Antonio]

Hi Ken,
I now have an active Clickatell connection in the "Telephones" tab of FLSM, but I can't send SMS trough it. On the Clickatell site I still have a credit of 10 SMS, but I don't know how to use it.
The message list on FLSMS shows the message as failed to send, but without any error message. I tried to send SMS from the main page of FLSMS, having the Clickatell connection connected, but all them show a Fail status.
Is there anything else to setup to send SMS trough Clickatell?

What I am trying to do, is to setup an environment in which I have a cell phone connected via USB to FLSMS only to receive (I deactivated the send option for it) and a connection with Clickatell (or IntelliSms) only to send messages.
I would like to understand if an SMS arrived trough a cell phone connection (only to receive) can call a program (trough the Keyword mechanism) and the answer to the sender be sent trough another connection (Clickatell or IntelliSms).
Thanks
Antonio

[Alex Anderson]

Hi Antonio,

It's hard to tell why Clickatell isn't working for you. Can you send us your logs - hopefully there is a clue in them.

Cheers,

Alex

[Antonio]

Hi Alex,
in FLSMS I have used the "Send error report" option of the Help menu. It said that a report was sent to the FLSMS support team. I hope that this is what you are asking as log.
Thanks
Antonio

[Alex Anderson]

Yup, that's correct - I I have your logs here.

Clickatell is giving the error "NO_ROUTE". Try writing the phone number +258..., as Clickatell may be fussy about the number format.

[Antonio]

Hi Alex,
I changed the number format, but still the messages don't want to leave my computer. They stay there with the same message status of "failed".
Can you access my Clickatell account and see if you can send SMS trough it with your FLSMS?

Antonio

[Antonio]

Hi Alex,
Clickatell sent me an e-mail to inform that I should only use senders ID registered on their site. Actually I registered my cellphone as Sender ID and now I was using a configuration connection in FLSMS with another sender ID (I am using a different cellphone connected to the computer).
I changed the sender ID in the connection configuration and this solved the problem.
What instead I am facing now is another problem. I configured a cellphone (Sony Ericsson K850i) as a connection only to receive SMS. I then configured another connection with Clickatell that can only send SMS. When I send an SMS to the cellphone, FLSMS reads it and triggers an application (http request) that sends back a response to the sender. FLSMS actually receives this response but it doesn't send it to the original sender. The message remains in the list with a fail status.
It seems as if FLSMS wants to use the same channel trough which it received the SMS, i.e. trough the cellphone connection.
Because of the large number of SMS that I should receive and send, I want to use a solution where SMS will be received trough cellphones and automatic answers (sent by a program) will be sent via Clickatell (or IntelliSms).
Is it possible to configure such a solution?

Thanks

Antonio

[kiwanja]

Hi Antonio

FrontlineSMS will allow you to run with the configuration you want, i.e. a cellphone for receiving and an active Clickatell connection for sending. A number of users have this set up.

You can read about one here:

http://www.kiwanja.net/blog/2009/03/neighbourhood-watch-frontlinesm...

Georgia is in the FrontlineSMS community I believe, so you can search for her and send a message if you like.

The problem you are having I *think* may be related to the fact that Clickatell doesn't like the number for the message. There are solutions to this in the Forum, and it may fix your problem. Search the Forum and also look here:

"Incoming number settings" at http://www.frontlinesms.com/help/settingsmenu.htm

Ken

[Antonio]

Hi Ken,
Actually Clickatell only likes numbers with the plus sign and the country code. I was removing it from the sender's number and that didn't allow Clickatell to send the answer.
Now everything runs smoothly.
Thanks

Antonio