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iPhone: Why don't IM clients work?
January 29, 2011
8:35 pm
mechman600
Surrey, BC
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I have an iPhone 3G in the Vancouver area with the $10 "data plan". Most apps work fine with the 3G service. However, no IM client will connect unless I am connected to WiFi, whether it's Gtalk (safari based), Windows Messenger, Fring, IM+, or Ebuddy. I even purchased "3G unlocker", a Cydia (jailbreak store) app that fools apps into thinking they are getting data from a WiFi source instead of the 3G source they are using, but with no luck.

At this point, my theory is as follows: instant messaging is constantly pulling and pushing data from the network little bits at a time. The Speakout network recognizes this and quickly puts a stop to it, for whatever reason.

Is this a valid theory? Has anyone successfully got an IM client to work? I'd love to be able to chat while I am riding the bus.

January 30, 2011
5:06 am
bridonca
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You would be incorrect. Instant messaging uses ports that Speakout browsing does not support. You can IM, but you need web browser based clients that can use https.

I use ebuddy, which is web based, and it allows me to IM with MSN, gtalk, etc.

January 30, 2011
1:50 pm
mechman600
Surrey, BC
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Cool. Thanks for the reply. Does all instant messaging use these unsupported ports? Can these programs be fooled/configured to use port 80?

I am also trying to get whatsapp to work, but there is no web based version. I don't think I will have much luck there.

I can't stand the eBuddy web based messenger. So I searched for a better one and found Mundu. iphone.mundu.com. It works perfectly on 3G. Messages are instant up and down, as opposed to eBuddy that only auto-refreshes every 10 seconds. The "data transfer symbol" on the top of the screen is constantly there when logged in, just like when you are logged into Gtalk or other apps on WiFi. The interface is excellent and works seamlessly. I encourage everyone to try it for themselves.

January 31, 2011
12:48 pm
springbok
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works ok.
would be nice if there was an app for IM. oh well.

February 1, 2011
4:26 am
andreww
Toronto
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Yahoo messenger works.

February 2, 2011
7:07 pm
kerk72
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mechman600 said:

I am also trying to get whatsapp to work, but there is no web based version. I don't think I will have much luck there.


I use Whatsapp on nokia e71, works okay, but drains battery cause its always connecting. Odd that the iPhone version won't work through port 80 but Symbian does.

February 3, 2011
3:42 am
andreww
Toronto
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Tried ebuddy. Seems to work fine when I actually have the app open, but when I close it I no longer get any notification of new messages. Yahoo Messenger is the only app that I've found thus far that will give a notification when the app itself is backgrounded.