Android SMS - QR code assisted setup

This quick start guide takes you through the steps of installing Ozeki SMS Gateway on Windows and sending SMS messages through an Android Mobile phone. In order for the Android phone to work with Ozeki SMS Gateway, the Ozeki SMS App needs to be installed on it. In this guide you will learn how to pair your Android phone with the Windows Ozeki SMS Gateway system using a QR code scan.

Note:

We recommend you to use a dedicated Android phone for production systems, because in order for the Ozeki Android SMS App to operate well it should be set as the Default SMS handler on the mobile device, and it should always be connected to your Windows SMS Gateway system.

What is a QR code?

QR codes (Quick Response codes) are two-dimensional barcodes that store information, such as website links or text, which can be quickly accessed by scanning them with a smartphone or a QR reader. They are commonly used for easy sharing of digital content, like menus, contact information, or event details, making it simple for users to get instant access to the information by scanning the code with their device's camera.

Quick steps

• Step 1 - Download and Install Ozeki 10 SMS Gateway for Windows
• Step 2 - Create an Android SMS QR connection
• Step 3 - Download and Install Ozeki SMS App for Android
• Step 4 - Scan the QR code with the Ozeki SMS App
• Step 5 - Send a test SMS from Windows

Setup Ozeki SMS Gateway on your Windows PC

To install the Ozeki SMS Gateway on Windows, download the .zip file from the Download page, extract it, run the .exe installer, and follow the on-screen instructions. Open the SMS Gateway within Ozeki 10 following installation.

Download Ozeki SMS Gateway⤵

Setting up Android SMS via QR code (video tutorial)

The following video starts by demonstrating how you can create and configure the SMS QR connection between Ozeki SMS Gateway and Ozeki Android SMS Client, then shows how to initiate the Android service and connect your Android phone by scanning the QR code. It is a terrific watch, because it accomplishes all that in less than 2 minutes. The video wraps up with a practical test, sending a message to ensure the connection is successfully established.

Setting up Android SMS via QR code (in-depth instructions)

Inside Ozeki SMS Gateway, click Add new connection on the left panel of the main page, as illustrated in Figure 1.

Here, click on Install next to Android SMS QR, highlighted in red in Figure 2.

Enter the phone number of the device you wish to use to the corresponding textbox, then hit OK, as seen in Figure 3.

Install the Android SMS Client app on your Android phone

To install the Android SMS gateway app, download the APK from the android-sms-gateway.com, enable 'Unknown sources' in device settings, use a file manager to locate and tap the APK, then follow on-screen instructions to complete installation and grant necessary permissions.

Click on the QR code tab located near the middle in the upper half of the screen. You should see a QR code similar to the one in Figure 4.

Connecting Android SMS Client via QR code (video walkthrough)

This short and sweet 25-second video showcases starting the Ozeki SMS Client service, then connecting to the SMS Gateway by scanning the provided QR code. It has all the necessary information for you to be successful, and it does not even take half a minute of your time.

In order for the Ozeki SMS client app to operate seamlessly it must be set as the default SMS handler (see Figure 5 and 6). This is a very important step. The Android OS puts apps that are not opened by the user regularly into sleep or deep sleep to save battery power. It also often removes the permissions granted to apps when they are put into deep sleep. By setting the Ozeki SMS client as your default SMS handler you can prevent it from being disabled by Android. This is required to be able to provide a reliable SMS gateway service for your PC, that is able to operate for months and years without interruption.

Inside the Android app, tap the Start button, like in Figure 7.

Then, tap on the link that says Scan QR code. It is highlighted in Figure 8.

The camera should open. Point it at the QR code on your screen to scan it, similarly to Figure 9.

If done correctly, the row that previously said 'Link: not connected', should have turned to 'Link: Connected.' in the Android SMS Client (Figure 10).

The Events tab of the freshly created connection should also tell you that the connection was successful, as seen in Figure 11.

Head over to your user (for the sake of this tutorial, we will go with the administrator), to the message composing page, like in Figure 12. Enter a recipient and your message to their respecitve textbox, and hit Ok to send it.

If successful, both the web GUI and the Android app should tell you the message was sent out (Figure 13).

To make sure you have done everything correctly, head to the new connection's Events page, where you should see logs similar to Figure 14.

Are there other ways to connect my Android phone and my PC?

Yes, you may choose to have the two devices on the same local network, and connect via local IP and port. If you wish to find out more about that solution, click here.