GCM push notifications not coming through proxy

Question

I'm developing a small app for my course project (similar to Snapchat) that allows one to send and receive pictures and videos. I'm using a BaaS called Parse which uses GCM to deliver push notifications. However, the problem is that my campus uses a proxy network due to which numerous apps do not work (WhatsApp, Instagram) while some apps (Snapchat) work but their notifications are not delivered. Same is the case with my app.

Is there any possible way to overcome this problem assuming I do not have any influence over the proxy network and cellular network is out of options.

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That's correct. My app sends a push notifications to the users to whom messages have been sent. To notify them of new messages. — Rafay, Dec 20 '14 at 19:10

ajitksharma · Answer 1 · 2014-12-24T06:55:27.390

It all depends on your campus network access policy. You cant do if your campus proxy firewall doesnt provide access to these sites. However, you can ask them to allow these URL through their proxy firewall.

Or, simply you can use some other external proxy server by adding lines in your code

System.setProperty("https.proxyHost", "<IP>"); System.setProperty("https.proxyPort", "<Port>");

where you are trying to connect the Google APIs. Say if you are using something like this,

URL url = new URL("https://android.googleapis.com/gcm/send");
HttpsURLConnection conn = (HttpsURLConnection) url.openConnection();
conn.setRequestMethod("POST");
conn.setRequestProperty("Content-Type", "application/json");
conn.setRequestProperty("Authorization", "key="+<your api key>);

Before these lines where you attempting to connect to Google API, add the proxy setting lines, the above two lines. Also, try with your campus proxy as well some other external proxy, you will come to know issue is with your campus proxy or not.

Try this, hope this helps with your problem..!!!!!

Assuming my campus network hasn't explicitly blocked access to Google APIs, if I add these two lines, I will be able to use them? — Rafay, Dec 23 '14 at 15:02
I just tried this method out on my campus, it failed to work. — Rafay, Dec 24 '14 at 10:15
What error or response you are getting, response from Google API or Http error? — ajitksharma, Dec 24 '14 at 10:16

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 20 '14 at 22:38

Use Something like this,

import com.google.android.gcm.server.Sender;

public class ProxySender extends Sender {

public ProxySender(String key) {
    super(key);
    // TODO Auto-generated constructor stub
}

@Override
protected HttpURLConnection getConnection(String url) throws IOException {

    Proxy proxy = new Proxy(Proxy.Type.HTTP, new InetSocketAddress("<YOUR SERVER IP>", YOUR PORT));

    HttpURLConnection conn = (HttpURLConnection) new URL(url).openConnection(proxy);

    return conn;

}
}

This seems to the answer to my problem, but I am not able to implement it. What how is it working? Where to put this code, is it outdated? Please provide some writeup... — krozaine, Jan 20 '16 at 21:37

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 26 '14 at 11:35

As per google in order to receive GCM properly we have to open few ports. details below,

"If your organization has a firewall that restricts the traffic to or from the Internet, you need to configure it to allow connectivity with GCM in order for your Android devices to receive messages. The ports to open are: 5228, 5229, and 5230. GCM typically only uses 5228, but it sometimes uses 5229 and 5230. GCM doesn't provide specific IPs, so you should allow your firewall to accept outgoing connections to all IP addresses contained in the IP blocks listed in Google's ASN of 15169."

are you trying to send GCM through parse SDK? are you able to access those URLs?

GCM push notifications not coming through proxy

3 Answers3

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