Frequently Asked Questions¶

Is it possible to connect multiple modems to a RapidSMS instance?¶

Yes. Let’s suppose you want to connect to three different GSM networks. In your local.ini file, under the [rapidsms] section, list the backends:

backends=gsmnet1,gsmnet2,gsmnet3

Then in the same file, add a corresponding section for each network:

[gsmnet1]
device=/dev/ttyUSB0
type=gsm
[gsmnet2]
device=/dev/ttyUSB1
type=gsm
[gsmnet3]
device=/dev/ttyUSB2
type=gsm

Note: you should use the pygsm backend for this to work.

What if RapidSMS is not installed on the same system as the GSM device?¶

One possible solution to this use case it to use the Kannel gateway on the machine which hosts the modem(s) and use the Kannel backend on the RapidSMS server.

Which modem is known to be compatible with RapidSMS?¶

You can browse a list of modems known to work with RapidSMS on the pygsm Wiki.

Is it possible to install RapidSMS on Windows?¶

Some people reported having successfully installed RapidSMS on Windows. However it is not as much tested as on Linux, therefore the advice is to preferably run it on a Linux system.