SMS Alerts Stopped Working [UPDATE: ANSWER FOUND!]

[DroMike]

Is there some common or typical reason why, when they were working fine before, SMS/text alerts of motion on my cameras has suddenly stopped working?

I'm using my Gmail account as my email server (I prefer and tried before with my Yahoo account, but that never worked while Gmail always worked).

Otherwise,

- I'm using BI version 4 (and have been for several years);
- My T-Mobile (carrier) iPhone 11 DOES still get text messages from regular sources (so my phone and text messaging otherwise works as usual);
- Email alerts from BI are being sent to me at my preferred email address (so my BI/Gmail server still works as usual).

It seems fairly obvious then that this is a Blue Iris-initiated problem. Would anybody have any idea what could cause SMS/text alerts to stop working more or less out of the blue; and could anybody recommend some general or specific fix that might correct this? I'd have to believe I'm not the only one this has happened to, so any response from someone in this category would be even more appreciated.

Thank you all.

 

[WideAngle]

Is your system sending SMS alerts often?
I've wondered myself how many alerts (particularly, bursts of alerts) it would take for a service to flag you and deny delivery of the messages...

 

[DroMike]

Yes, they did -- especially when, say, cobwebs were formed on a bullet cam and blew back and forth across the lens, or a number of cars came and went in my cul-de-sac. I'd probably get a dozen alerts an hour (so would then turn off the alerts). However, I AM still getting text messages from standard sources.

Are you otherwise saying that the BI/Gmail-generated motion alerts specifically might be flagged and T-Mobile is not forwarding them to me...? That doesn't sound right either since I otherwise have unlimited text messaging and messages.

 

[WideAngle]

Correct, yes. I would think that T-Mobile (and any other carrier) that exposes a SMS sending service to the web has at least some kind of monitoring logic to prevent spamming and denial-of-service attacks. I'm not sure how many messages have to pass through to cross the "nuisance" threshold though. Just because you have unlimited texting on your plan, doesn't mean that you would actually want "unlimited" texts to arrive at your device! Imagine for example, a fictitious software bug that causes BI to send 20,000 alerts. I can't even imagine dealing with that on the mobile device. And even for lower amounts, T-Mobile doesn't have any way of knowing that both ends are "you" and that you genuinely want those to come through - so any filters designed to protect you could ultimately get in the way.

I'm not at all saying this is your current problem. Just that, while configuring my own system and getting barrages of alerts while tuning motion detection, I've wondered out loud how many it would take before the service gets blocked...

 

[DroMike]

Thank you WA, given the way you've logically explained it, that certainly is something to consider. I'll Google that to see if it's even "a thing," because yes, if I were a carrier, I'd suppose I wouldn't allow a virtual avalanche of similar messages to bottleneck my system either.

I read elsewhere here that somebody removed their device (in this case, an iPad) from their "Mobile Devices" section, and then put it back in; and deleted/reinstalled the BI app on their device. They mentioned that worked. HOWEVER, I've yet to figure out how to ADD a mobile device (i.e., my iPhone) there and am worried that should I remove it I won't be able to get it back. I don't actually remember putting it there in BI, I THINK it just populated by finding it (and my iPad) automatically through WiFi. I'm dying to try that though.

 

[fenderman]

I read elsewhere here that somebody removed their device (in this case, an iPad) from their "Mobile Devices" section, and then put it back in; and deleted/reinstalled the BI app on their device. They mentioned that worked. HOWEVER, I've yet to figure out how to ADD a mobile device (i.e., my iPhone) there and am worried that should I remove it I won't be able to get it back. I don't actually remember putting it there in BI, I THINK it just populated by finding it (and my iPad) automatically through WiFi. I'm dying to try that though.

I replied to your other thread. This would have no effect on your sms messages. It is added when you log back in with the mobile app.

 

[DroMike]

And thanks fenderman, I saw that reply. I sure am flummoxed as to why I'm not receiving those SMS/text alerts anymore, unless WA's thoughts are actually not unfounded.

 

[fenderman]

And thanks fenderman, I saw that reply. I sure am flummoxed as to why I'm not receiving those SMS/text alerts anymore, unless WA's thoughts are actually not unfounded.

It would not be BI related as there were no updates to your version 4 anymore. It could be the email server you are using to send the texts. Try using something else.

 

[DroMike]

I appreciate your thoughts. I wouldn't think there's a problem with my email server (Gmail) however because I'm using that same server to alternatively send alerts by email, and it's doing that fine. It almost makes me think that WideAngle above is on to something with T-Mobile blocking so many text messages.

 

[Nanookofthenorth]

FWIW, I'm having same issue (similar issue) with T-mobile (Android) also. Started about 6 months ago. I was looking more into the Android security, but yours being an Iphone has me scratching my head. . .

To my specific issue . . . my problem is not text or emails, its BI notifications stopped.

 

[DroMike]

Thanks NoN; and sorry to hear of your similar issue.

Since this mercurial glitch seems obviously Blue Iris-borne, I'm beginning to wonder if I shouldn't finally upgrade my BI V4 to Bi V5 entirely. I'd imagine that would fix the problem. It's just that my V4 has always worked and I don't want to remove one problem but potentially take on others since I've read there are growing pains glitches in the new version. If on the other hand you, NoN, are already on V5, maybe a removal and re-installation of V5 would do the trick for you...? Would anybody else recommend either scenario?

 

[fenderman]

Thanks NoN; and sorry to hear of your similar issue.

Since this mercurial glitch seems obviously Blue Iris-borne, I'm beginning to wonder if I shouldn't finally upgrade my BI V4 to Bi V5 entirely. I'd imagine that would fix the problem. It's just that my V4 has always worked and I don't want to remove one problem but potentially take on others since I've read there are growing pains glitches in the new version. If on the other hand you, NoN, are already on V5, maybe a removal and re-installation of V5 would do the trick for you...? Would anybody else recommend either scenario?

Your issue is in no way similar to his. As I have indicated before it is impossible for blue Iris to be the cause of the issue because you have not received an update to your version of Blue Iris in almost a year. You should upgrade to blue Iris five regardless as there are a bunch of improvements over 4 and they will keep coming.
There are no known issues with Blue Iris 5. Follow the instructions on the proper way to upgrade in the upgrade thread.

 

[TonyR]

@DroMike ,

Assuming your smartphone cell number has not changed, is BI sending (emailing) the SMS/text notification to "your10digitcellnumber@tmomail.net " ?

What happens if you open G-mail's webmail or use a client e-mail program and send an email containing text only to "your10digitcellnumber@tmomail.net " ?

 

[DroMike]

ANSWER FOUND! -- After TonyR's response where he asked what happened if I sent an email containing my tmobile telephone number (from which I saw in my rarely-used Gmail account many messages that had a 550 error/permanently failed code), I nosed around a bit and found the answer:

The culprit was my separate and autonomous AVAST anti-virus software. THEY were the ones that caused my BI alert SMS notifications to stop working. I Googled the 550 error messages in Gmail and found threads that mentioned the anti-virus software. For MY AVAST program I had to go to Settings and turn off the Mail Shield or something like that.

Here's the link from the SmallBusiness website that clued me in to how to fix things.

How to Disable Avast For My Mail

All versions of Avast have a Mail Shield feature that constantly scans your email account -- including Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Exchange -- for any spam or phishing emails that would put your sensitive information at risk. When it detects such an email, it immediately blocks it. Note that...

smallbusiness.chron.com

I'm now getting all my text messatge alert notifications from Blue Iris of motion. So... SUCCESS!!!!

P.S. Thanks Tony (and federman too) for steering me in the right direction. And P.S. I probably will upgrade to Version 5 very soon based on what you (federman) mentioned about no known issues.

 

[fenderman]

P.S. Thanks Tony (and federman too) for steering me in the right direction. And P.S. I probably will upgrade to Version 5 very soon based on what you (federman) mentioned about no known issues.

Remember, backup your settings and have your license key available as you will need it.

Blue Iris 4 to 5 Migration Guide

Blue Iris 5 was released on May 31, 2019. This is a guide for how to upgrade from Blue Iris 4 to Blue Iris 5. When following this procedure, your existing Blue Iris 4 license key will be upgraded to a Blue Iris 5 license and you will not receive a new Blue Iris 5 license key. Step 0) Consider...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[DroMike]

Thank you federman. I certainly will be careful to employ those prescient precautions.

 

[petere10]

Does it cost you extra to get the SMS alerts considering they are incoming and not outgoing??
Thanks
Pete