Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

scapegoat24 · 2016-07-21 06:43:10

Hi, I was wondering if there was a package AUR (have looked and couldn't find any popular ones) or a possible way I can send and receive SMS (text messages) through my terminal or a program without using a carrier gateway, or email to SMS. I have looked around online and couldn't find much info on this, but was hoping someone here could help or atleast point me in the right direction. I have an iPhone which I only use for a personal hotspot so I can connect to the internet through data. I would just prefer to never have to touch the iPhone to text because I live in a rural area and barely have service for 3G and have to keep it in one spot without moving to use the internet efficiently. It would be a big relief if I could use something along the lines of IRC but for text messaging other people from my laptop. Preferably libre. Any help at all would be much appreciated.

scapegoat24 · 2016-07-21 06:45:33

Update: The iPhone was not a choice of mine to get, and I don't have to pay the bill for it so its basically free for me, a gift from the family. lol

Docbroke · 2016-07-21 09:57:23

I can only suggest few names if they work, ( I am not sure about iphone support)
gammu(wammu for gui), modemmanager, gnokii

scapegoat24 · 2016-07-21 12:07:55

I believe gammu/wammu and gnokii are for nokia phones.. I had read a little about the modemmanager package but couldn't find much info before posting this topic and I think I can recall it supports SMS, but I believe it has another main function of purpose than using it for SMS, and it requires bluetooth for said SMS messaging.

There isn't something where I wouldn't have to link my laptop to a phone via bluetooth? Like where I could just use a program I install and internet, without a browser and email ect? I didn't install or enable the bluetooth on my laptop during this arch install, and also I have never had a reason to 'use' bluetooth on my laptop before so I don't even know if my laptop supports bluetooth (could find out from a little research) but I would prefer to not use the phone.I am coming from Linux Mint to Arch.

drcouzelis · 2016-07-21 12:12:00

I used to do SMS messages from my computer using Gmail.

Google has (used to have?) a special feature that you could toggle to enable sending SMS. The benefits are that it's free, it's easy to use, and it works. Any missed SMS are treated like a new email.

The drawback is that you can't use it with your exsting phone number (instead, recipients will receive the SMS from a new phone number). BUT, at least the new phone number is consistent, so your friends can add it to their address book in their phone under your name.

Let me know if you'd like more information.

V1del · 2016-07-21 12:17:18

There's kdeconnect which should support sending SMS in the upcoming 1.0 release, not sure if they get a usable iphone port out of the door till then

scapegoat24 · 2016-07-21 12:36:19

Thanks for the replies. I will try kdeconnect when it becomes better developed and if they include iPhone support or I either get an android. However now I guess the only option would be the gmail route. I don't know the whole legality and infrastructure of mobile messaging, ie if you can actually message another persons phone from only using the internet without a provider of the service. Wanted to kinda keep my info anonymous without using something that feeds the NSA with personal information *cough* windows 10, google *cough*. But thanks for the suggestions, I'll just use the gmail messaging thing 'drcouzelis' mentioned.

Would like to keep the topic open for a little bit though so maybe somebody has more information on this though.

cirrus · 2016-07-21 18:54:12

I thought it may be worth mentioning as many smartphone users nowadays use whatsapp, there is a fine package named 'whatsie' in AUR that lets you send and recieve messages from your whatsapp contacts, If SMS is must have here in UK my method was to find one (or more) Orange/EE simcard(s) and set up a few accounts here (30 free SMS pm per acc) and send the SMS using browser. As for recieving SMS im using the Android Desktop Notification browser extension.
https://tinyurl.com/hvkmsm7

Last edited by cirrus (2016-07-21 19:04:39)

TheChickenMan · 2016-07-21 19:26:58

drcouzelis wrote:

I used to do SMS messages from my computer using Gmail.
Google has (used to have?) a special feature that you could toggle to enable sending SMS. The benefits are that it's free, it's easy to use, and it works. Any missed SMS are treated like a new email.
The drawback is that you can't use it with your exsting phone number (instead, recipients will receive the SMS from a new phone number). BUT, at least the new phone number is consistent, so your friends can add it to their address book in their phone under your name.
Let me know if you'd like more information.

Google allows you to port your existing phone number (somewhere) when you sign up. This is the solution I use as well. It works whenever you have internet access and does not require a phone at all after the initial setup. It also allows you to continue to send and receive free SMS when you're traveling internationally. There is an extension for chromium.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/deta … aooo?hl=en

drcouzelis · 2016-07-21 20:53:00

TheChickenMan wrote:

Google allows you to port your existing phone number (somewhere) when you sign up. This is the solution I use as well. It works whenever you have internet access and does not require a phone at all after the initial setup. It also allows you to continue to send and receive free SMS when you're traveling internationally. There is an extension for chromium.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/deta … aooo?hl=en

Dude. Holy crap.

Thanks!

TheChickenMan · 2016-07-21 22:30:00

drcouzelis wrote:

Dude. Holy crap.
Thanks!

No problem.

There's also a hangouts dialer app for android that works with your google voice using data or wifi which is pretty cool.

Edit: And also there's this chrome extension which lets you do voice calls out from your computer using google voice.
It's a little finicky. You have to click one of the menus twice or something to get the phone icon to come up but it does work.
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/deta … hapd?hl=en

Last edited by TheChickenMan (2016-07-21 22:36:34)

bulletmark · 2016-07-21 22:31:02

Not sure why you want something specific to Arch? There are stacks of email to sms gateway services out there which can be configured to either reply to your email address, or to your phone number. Cheaper than sms from your phone. Most of them provide an external API which is simple to use from a script/program.

scapegoat24 · 2016-07-22 10:10:15

bulletmark, something specific to arch would allow me to control my privacy concerns. Using something specific to a build by a company over which I have no control over the release of my private information is a concern for me, and I do consider it a legitamate one. I would like to be able to send and receive SMS without having to go through a company which could with or without resonable cause release my private information. Is it a far fetched imagination to propose a program which would allow you to send an SMS "without" using email or a phone number? Like I said before, I am not even sure if this is possible... My knowledge on this is farely limited.

scapegoat24 · 2016-07-22 10:15:55

The dream is a program where I don't even have to use a browser and go through an email service. One I could run through console and input command such as...

(phone number)@vtext.com to (other person's phone number)@vtext.com
Enter SMS...
Hi, this is a text from my imaginary program on my linux terminal!
Sent...

scapegoat24 · 2016-07-22 11:07:21

Was doing some thinking on this. There probably isn't a program or app designed for this purpose I am suggesting. For one, it would allow you to freely text and message anyone anywhere with wifi/internet (considering they also had the program) which would probably cause problems with a lot of phone carriers. For two, if such a thing existed and there was no such archiving or preservation of the in said messages it would cause problems with government surveillance. Somebody said to me when I was talking about this "well, if you don't have anything to hide then you shouldn't worry about it", however I believe this is the very basis of the problem. We all have rights to privacy. I won't post any more here on this thread because I feel I am getting into political philosophy and am beginning to talk more about developing said program/app than about possibly existing programs in the AUR (which is why I started this).
I thank everyone for the replies. This probably should have gone in the "development" topics rather than Newbie Corner...

jsoy9pQbYVNu5nfU · 2016-07-22 12:55:42

scapegoat24 wrote:

The dream is a program where I don't even have to use a browser and go through an email service. One I could run through console and input command such as...
(phone number)@vtext.com to (other person's phone number)@vtext.com
Enter SMS...
Hi, this is a text from my imaginary program on my linux terminal!
Sent...

This is actually pretty straightforward to do.

You can use SMS service via certain SIP trunks (not 100% free, but mostly fairly priced).

Locally, you would set up e.g. Asterisk and configure SMS service. Then, you can glue your email and the PBX together by e.g. wrapping or configuring the sendmail command to intercept outgoing emails to $number@sms and dispatching the text via SMS instead. Asterisk has a command line interface (asterisk -r -x "$commandline") but also supports a simple text-based protocol (AMI) as well as a RESTful (ARI) and a CGI (AGI) interface too so you can pick your preferred interfacing method.

Simpler though is sending and receiving SMS using any SMS-capable VoIP application.

frank604 · 2016-08-14 21:11:52

scapegoat24 wrote:

The dream is a program where I don't even have to use a browser and go through an email service. One I could run through console and input command such as...
(phone number)@vtext.com to (other person's phone number)@vtext.com
Enter SMS...
Hi, this is a text from my imaginary program on my linux terminal!
Sent...

This would definitely be the dream. Add this to a cron and I can text my wife I'm coming home. Then text saying there is a road block. Etc etc. While I am happily intoxicated with my buddies on poker night

Stencon281 · 2016-10-04 22:21:46

scapegoat24 wrote:

The dream is a program where I don't even have to use a browser and go through an email service. One I could run through console and input command such as...
(phone number)@vtext.com to (other person's phone number)@vtext.com
Enter SMS...
Hi, this is a text from my imaginary program on my linux terminal!
Sent...

You don't need a phone number to send an sms, you only need a phone number that will receive the sms + attachment. I have a setup like this for my rpi security camera. I should make a tutorial about this O.o

TheChickenMan · 2016-10-05 00:09:05

Stencon281 wrote:

You don't need a phone number to send an sms, you only need a phone number that will receive the sms + attachment. I have a setup like this for my rpi security camera. I should make a tutorial about this O.o

Why don't you make a page for it in the wiki?

HiImTye · 2016-10-05 05:08:44

some carriers have email addresses that you can send emails to, which get routed to SMS messages to the addressee. some alternatively have web pages that you can use the achieve the same end, such as http://websms.rogers.page.ca/web/

Arch Linux

#1 2016-07-21 06:43:10

Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#2 2016-07-21 06:45:33

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#3 2016-07-21 09:57:23

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#4 2016-07-21 12:07:55

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#5 2016-07-21 12:12:00

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#6 2016-07-21 12:17:18

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#7 2016-07-21 12:36:19

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#8 2016-07-21 18:54:12

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#9 2016-07-21 19:26:58

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#10 2016-07-21 20:53:00

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#11 2016-07-21 22:30:00

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#12 2016-07-21 22:31:02

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#13 2016-07-22 10:10:15

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#14 2016-07-22 10:15:55

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#15 2016-07-22 11:07:21

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#16 2016-07-22 12:55:42

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#17 2016-08-14 21:11:52

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#18 2016-10-04 22:21:46

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#19 2016-10-05 00:09:05

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

#20 2016-10-05 05:08:44

Re: Send and Receive SMS on Arch Linux?

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