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Home How to install a Raspberry Pi SMS Server

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On this page
How to
install a Before we start
Raspbian
Raspberry Pi PlaySMS
Gateway - SMS Server Tools 3
SMS Server Login and configure smstools in playsms webpanel
Send an SMS

Before we start

This tutorial will show you how you can set up an SMS server on a Raspberry Pi 2
Model B, running Raspbian.

We will use playsms and smstools. In my example, I have used a Huawei E3131
3G modem.

Raspbian

First we need to download raspbian, you can grab the latest version
at https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/

Direct url: http://downloads.raspberrypi.org/raspbian_latest

Now we need unzip the file: 2015-05-05-raspbian-wheezy.zip:

unzip 2015-05-05-raspbian-wheezy.zip
You will get a file named 2015-05-05-raspbian-wheezy.img, this file must
be written to your micro-sd card.

If you need to know some basics on how to work with raspberry pi, and writing the
image to micro-sd, you could start with reading this tutorial:

https://www.howtoforge.com/tutorial/howto-install-raspbian-on-raspberry-pi/

Write image file to micro-sd card,

on my PC the micro-sd card is seen as /dev/mmcblk0 on Linux you can use dd:

dd bs=4M if=2015-05-05-raspbian-wheezy.img of=/dev/mmcblk0

Please note that block size set to 4M will work most of the time; if not, please try
1M, although this will take considerably longer.
Also, note that if you are not logged in as root you will need to prefix this with
sudo.

When the image is written, insert the micro-sd card into your Raspberry Pi, and
turn it on.

When the Raspberry Pi is booted, you should see a screen like this, on first startup.

Now I select following options:

1 Expand Filesystem
3 Enable Boot To Desktop/Scratch -> Select Console Text Console, requiring login
(default)
8 Advanced Options -> A4 SSH -> Enable
8 Advanced Options -> A0 Update
Finish -> Reboot
Now you can login with following username: pi and password: raspberry.

First we setup the network configuration for our server by editing

sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces

My /etc/network/interfaces file looks like this (change the setup of your
needs):

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

auto eth0
allow-hotplug eth0
iface eth0 inet static
address 10.255.50.30
netmask 255.255.255.0
gateway 10.255.50.1
dns-nameservers 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4

Now we restart the network service on the Pi:

sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart

Then we disable DHCP on startup with this command:

sudo update-rc.d -f dhcpcd remove

If you somehow would like to enable it again later, just run following command:
sudo update-rc.d dhcpcd defaults
Now we can use an SSH client such as PuTTY to connect from our PC to the
Raspberry Pi.

Now we update raspbian with following command:

sudo apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y && apt-get dist-upgrade -y

PlaySMS

Download and install playsms 1.1:

sudo -s
apt-get install apache2 libapache2-mod-php5 mysql-server php5 php5-cli php5-my
sql php5-mcrypt php5-gd php5-imap php5-curl
php5enmod mcrypt
service apache2 restart
When asked for the new password for the MySQL "root" user, use a strong
password, in this example I have used MyP@$$w0rd
Now we can go to http://your-ip, in my case http://10.255.50.30 ,and we will see a
page showing: "It Works!".

cd /tmp/
wget http://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/playsms/playsms/Version%201.1/p
laysms-1.1.tar.gz
tar -zxf playsms-1.1.tar.gz -C /usr/local/src
ls -l /usr/local/src/
cd /usr/local/src/playsms-1.1/
cp install.conf.dist install.conf
nano install.conf
Copy install.conf.dist to install.conf and edit install.conf

Read install.conf and make changes to suit your system configuration.

I've edited the file, so it looks like this:

# INSTALL DATA
# ============

# Please change INSTALL DATA below to suit your system configuration

s

# Please do not change variable name, you may change only the value

# MySQL database username

DBUSER="root"

# MySQL database password

DBPASS="MyP@$$w0rd"
# MySQL database name
DBNAME="playsms"

# MySQL database host

DBHOST="localhost"

# MySQL database port

DBPORT="3306"

# Web server's user, for example apache2 user by default is www-data

# note: please make sure your web server user
WEBSERVERUSER="www-data"

# Web server's group, for example apache2 group by default is www-da

ta
# note: please make sure your web server group
WEBSERVERGROUP="www-data"

# Path to playSMS extracted source files

PATHSRC="$(pwd)"

# Path to playSMS web files

# note: please make sure your web root path, in this example its /va
r/www/html
PATHWEB="/var/www/html/playsms"

# Path to playSMS additional files

PATHLIB="/var/lib/playsms"

# Path to playSMS daemon and other binary files

PATHBIN="/usr/local/bin"

# Path to playSMS log files

PATHLOG="/var/log/playsms"

# END OF INSTALL DATA

# ===================

Now Run:

./install-playsms.sh
Press Y if everything looks OK.

Now we want to make sure playsms starts on boot by adding a line into rc.local
file.

nano /etc/init.d/rc.local
Add following to the file: /usr/local/bin/playsmsd start
on the bottom of the file (before exit if there's an exit command).
This way playsmsd will start automatically on boot.

..
/usr/local/bin/playsmsd start

Edit the apache vhost file:

nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/default

My vhost file looks like this:

ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost

DocumentRoot /var/www/html/playsms

Options FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride None

Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews

AllowOverride None
Order allow,deny
allow from all

ScriptAlias /cgi-bin/ /usr/lib/cgi-bin/

<directory "="" usr="" lib="" cgi-bin"="">
AllowOverride None
Options +ExecCGI -MultiViews +SymLinksIfOwnerMatch
Order allow,deny
Allow from all

ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log

# Possible values include: debug, info, notice, warn, error,

crit,
# alert, emerg.
LogLevel warn

CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined

Now reload the Aapache2 configuration to apply the changes.

service apache2 reload

 Then you should be able to access the playsms website at following url:

Go to http://your-ip etc. http://10.255.50.30

You can login with:

username: admin
password: admin

Gateway - SMS Server Tools 3

First we install build tools to build the latest version. Run:

apt-get install build-essential libusb-1.0 libusb-1.0-0-dev

Now I have plugged in the Huawei E3131 modem, and I can see it listed with
lsusb:

lsusb
lsusb
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0424:9514 Standard Microsystems Corp.
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0424:ec00 Standard Microsystems Corp.
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 12d1:14fe Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

We would like it to be with ID: 12d1:1506, but it's detected with 12d1:14fe right
now.

To change this, we install usb_modeswitch to the system, you can grab the latest
version from here:

http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/#download

cd /tmp
wget http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/usb-modeswitch-2.2.5.tar.bz2
tar jxvf usb-modeswitch-2.2.5.tar.bz2
cd usb-modeswitch-2.2.5
make install
cd /tmp
wget http://www.draisberghof.de/usb_modeswitch/usb-modeswitch-data-2015062
7.tar.bz2
tar xjvf usb-modeswitch-data-20150627.tar.bz2
cd usb-modeswitch-data-20150627
make install
Now unplug the modem, and plug it in again, then run:

lsusb
lsusb
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0424:9514 Standard Microsystems Corp.
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0424:ec00 Standard Microsystems Corp.
Bus 001 Device 006: ID 12d1:1506 Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. E398
LTE/UMTS/GSM Modem/Networkcard

Now we got the desired mode: 12d1:1506.

Next we proceed with SMS Server Tools 3.

First we download it, then unpack it and install it.

cd /usr/local/src
wget http://smstools3.kekekasvi.com/packages/smstools3-3.1.15.tar.gz
tar -zxvf smstools3-3.1.15.tar.gz
cd smstools3
make
If you see an error like in my case, when you run make:

make
cd src && make -
make[1]: Entering directory '/usr/local/src/smstools3/src'
Makefile:51: *** recipe commences before first target. Stop.
make[1]: Leaving directory '/usr/local/src/smstools3/src'
Makefile:10: recipe for target 'compile' failed
make: *** [compile] Error 2

Then do following:
nano src/Makefile

The problem is a missing tab, now look for:

ifeq (,$(findstring DISABLE_INET_SOCKET,$(CFLAGS)))

override LFLAGS += -lsocket -lnsl
endif

And move the line override LFLAGS += -lsocket -lnsl with a TAB

ifeq (,$(findstring DISABLE_INET_SOCKET,$(CFLAGS)))

override LFLAGS += -lsocket -lnsl
endif

And try to run make again:

make
make install
Now we create some required folders:

mkdir -p /var/log/sms/stats
mkdir -p /var/spool/sms/{checked,failed,incoming,outgoing,sent}
mkdir /var/spool/sms/modem1
chown www-data:www-data -R /var/spool/sms
chmod 777 -R /var/spool/sms

And then move the original configuration file and download a sample from
PlaySMS:

mv /etc/smsd.conf /etc/smsd.conf.dist
cd /tmp
wget -c https://raw.githubusercontent.com/antonraharja/playSMS/master/contrib/s
mstools/smsd.conf
cp smsd.conf /etc/

To make sure I always will use the correct device, I will use a dynamic device file.

Read more about dynamic device files at following

URL: http://antonraharja.com/2015/05/14/persistent-paths-for-dynamic-device-
file/
nano /etc/udev/rules.d/80-ttyusb-map.rules
ACTION=="add", KERNEL=="ttyUSB[0-9]*", PROGRAM="/etc/udev/rules.d/ttyusb-
map.sh %p", SYMLINK+="gsm%c"

touch /etc/udev/rules.d/ttyusb-map.sh
chmod 755 /etc/udev/rules.d/ttyusb-map.sh
nano /etc/udev/rules.d/ttyusb-map.sh
#!/usr/bin/perl -w

@items = split("/", $ARGV[0]);

for ($i = 0; $i < @items; $i++) {
if ($items[$i] =~ m/^usb[0-9]+$/) {
print $items[$i + 1] . "\n";
last;
}
}

Now unplug, and replug your modem, and it should be located at /dev/gsm*:

ls -l /dev/gsm*
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 7 Jul 24 01:39 /dev/gsm1-1 -> ttyUSB0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 7 Jul 24 01:39 /dev/gsmmodem -> ttyUSB0

I made some changes to the file, so here is my config, my modem is located at

/dev/gsm1-1 replace that with your location.

# Global configuration

#devices = modem1, modem2

devices = modem1

loglevel = 5

# logfiles
stats = /var/log/sms/stats
logfile = /var/log/sms/smsd.log

# Default queue directory = /var/spool/sms

outgoing = /var/spool/sms/outgoing
checked = /var/spool/sms/checked
failed = /var/spool/sms/failed
incoming = /var/spool/sms/incoming
sent = /var/spool/sms/sent

# do not set report folder, let status report files saved in incomin
g
#report = /var/spool/sms/report

delaytime = 2
errorsleeptime = 10
blocktime = 180
autosplit = 3
#receive_before_send = yes
incoming_utf8 = yes

# Queue configurations

[queues]
modem1 = /var/spool/sms/modem1
#modem2 = /var/spool/sms/modem2

# Modem configurations

# Modem name: modem1

# Modem type: Wavecom USB
[modem1]
#init = AT+CNMI=2,2,0,1,0;+CMEE=1
#init = AT+CPMS="ME","ME","ME"
device = /dev/gsm1-1
baudrate = 19200
incoming = yes
pin = 3391
report = yes
queues = modem1
decode_unicode_text = yes
cs_convert = yes

# Modem name: modem2

# Modem type: Wavecom USB
#[modem2]
#init = AT+CNMI=2,2,0,1,0;+CMEE=1
#device = /dev/ttyUSB1
#baudrate = 115200
#incoming = yes
#report = yes
#queues = modem2

Restart the SMS Server Tools 3:

/etc/init.d/sms3 restart
Verify if SMS Server Tools 3 is running:
 ps ax | grep -v grep | grep smsd
Monitor SMS Server Tools 3 log file:

tail -f /var/log/smsd.log

Login and configure smstools in playsms webpanel

Login to your playsms installation my address is http://10.255.50.30/

Username is admin
Password is admin

Now go to Settings => Manage gateway and SMSC.

You should see a screen like this:

Now click to edit the smstools gateway.

And ensure it's setup like this:

Click Save, and when it's saved click back.

Now you have to setup the SMSC, so please select the + sign at SMSTools.

You should fill in the SMSC Details like this, in receiver number write your modem
phone number.
When you are done click save.

Now go to Settings => Main configuration

And fill following fields:

Default sender ID
Default prefix or country code

And set Default SMSC to smstools, like shown on the image below.
 Click save, we are ready to send first SMS.

Send an SMS

Now go to My account => Compose message

Write your cell phone number in Send To, and a message etc. Hello World! in
message field, and click send.

If the message get's queued, you can follow transaction here:

Go to Reports => All sent messages

Incoming messages that are unhandled is kept in sandbox, you will this in Reports
=> Sandbox
 And log if something doesn't is located in Reports => View log

If you have any trouble with your setup, a good place seek some help is playsms
forum.

https://forum.playsms.org/

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Comments

By: ctomasio Reply

Please I need help, I write tre times ALL instructions but not work.
I Have Raspberry PI 2 with Debian all update and upgrade.
I see modem1 work fine
I send 3 sms to my phone OK
When I try to send TODAY not work.
I have Acces web
I chech playsms check and work fine is running

Please help me.

Thanks

By: ctomasio Reply

This is line in Log

- 2015-12-23 09:48:47 PID567ab44ea5ac1 - L2 sendsmsd # finish processing
queue_code:a801fdffffcc19663ebba8d2ac3d78cd uid:1 sender_id:935511152 queue_count:1
sms_count:1

By: Jc Reply

Can't make it to work. It works fine in a few minutes then it will not sync to the sms server
anymore. Help!

By: waqar Reply

Hi,
First of all I really appreciate your time and effort that you put into creating this guide. Its truly
amazing. I am having an issue. When i try to install php5enmod package. i get error of "E:
Unable to locate package php5enmod". Can you please help in this regards. I did apt-get update
and upgrade but still it wasn't able to find the package. I am using raspbian jessie lite version on
RPi Model B.

By: k7mm Reply

What kind of service plan do you need or would you advise to take from your wireless provider?
Is this sending the SMS via data or just as a regular SMS?

By: hGriff Reply

@k7mm,
This requires a GSM modem, so it's sending regular SMS, just like your phone. I use a pre-
pay SIM card on a similar setup, I just add a few dollars to it every once in a while to keep it
active.

By: steve harriss Reply

Thanks to your set by step guide I now have a fully fnctioning system on a Raspberry PI. Great
job!
 By: Tomas Reply

Hi, where can i found MO/PO files, which can i may translate to czech language?

By: Neo Reply

The same, sent a few sms and now dowsn't work. Can't send but everything is running.

By: Ricardo Navas Reply

Hello, thanks for this master piece!!

I need to connect more than 1 modem, Is it possible to configure up to 8 or 10 modems, like a
cluster?

By: al Reply

Hi,
Can we send ussd commande and catch response ?

Thanks

By: kremil Reply

many, many, many problems, the forum does not help, the author is pouring commands that do
not help. I've found another project and it's simpler.

By: Curtis Reply

kremil... by not linking us to the better solution that you've found, you're the same thing
you're complaining about in this forum.

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Author: ressel
Tags: raspbian, server
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