I’ve tried Google’s Messages for Web, Microsoft’s Phone Link, and KDE’s Connect. They all seem to have the same problem: they lose connection constantly and have to be unpaired and re-paired. Is this a problem inherent to the way that Android works? Has anyone managed to solve it, or is there a setting to fix it?
Thanks!
I haven’t had the issues with Google messages you cite, it’s always worked reliably. I’ve used Pushbullet and
MightySMSMightyText in the past, withMightySMSMightyText being the best I had used before Messages.So odd that it seems like other people don’t have this issue. Very frustrating.
One other thought is to use Google Voice.
At least in that case, everything runs through a Google server, rather than through some possibly janky connection between your desktop and phone.
The drawback is that, if you have an existing phone number, you’d have to port it over to Google Voice (or maybe Google Fi can port that number to an actual cell phone; not sure if it can).
You can forward your Google voice number to your cell number, but I’m not sure how that applies for texts. I haven’t used Google voice in a long time. In fact, they reclaimed the number recently lol
Definitely not an Android thing. I, and various friends and family, have been using Google Messages for Web for years (as well as MS Phone Link), across a wide range of devices and connections and have never had those issues. Sometimes I stay connected for days at a time on Google. I suspect this is going to keep happening regardless of what service you use until you figure out what the underlying issue is with your phone/service/internet etc. I would think that if this is happening with a wired, MS Phone Link connection, the culprit is most likely your service provider.
It’s not an internet issue because I only have trouble in this one specific area and I’ve used multiple SMS link providers and multiple different phones. I don’t get it.
Well, I use KDE connect and it does not lose pairing. It might be your environment. I had to open certain ports to get pairing at all, so maybe there’s something going on with your firewall?
I use PulseSMS.
Second this. My only complaint is that I couldn’t get it to work on /e/ OS. But if you’re using regular android you’ll be alright. (couldn’t get it to work because it couldn’t verify my subscription, fwiw)
Have you disabled all battery optimizations for that app? This can be problem especially with Samsung, I’ve heard.
Yes. It didn’t make a difference.
Never had issues with Google voice
Sounds like it gives you a new number instead of linking to your phone. Is that right?
With Google voice you can set up a completely new number. Or you can port your old number into Google voice.
It will show up as a VoIP number if anybody does a look up on it. If that’s a problem you can use Google Fi and then use the web messenger to send and receive texts from your Google phi number. Even if the phone is off
I am no fan of Google Messages for Web, but I have no problem with it constantly losing connection and needing to be repaired. This sounds like you have a different issue.
The Phone Link app has improved a lot lately, haven’t had any connectivity issues lately
Okay, I’ll try it again. Thanks.
Pushbullet is pretty solid, but is subscription based. There is also Join, which I haven’t tried yet.
Check out Beeper
Waitlisted.
Been loving beeper! Sms Bridge works great for me
Been using it for over a month. I love it, hopefully it’s something I can self host later.
JMP.chat with Gajim
I second the jmp.chat, but I’d suggest Dino over Gajim.
Doesn’t support SMS but Signal has a desktop app
Yeah, I kinda need SMS.
Whatsapp web is pretty stable for me
How did you use KDE Connect? I used GSConnect on Pop OS and that was unreliable while regular KDE Connect has a solid connection on Linux with Plasma. No idea about Windows.
I tried to use it again and couldn’t figure it out, so I’m not sure what I did the first time. I might have misremembered, as I last used it years ago.