Using RCS with Google Messages on GrapheneOS

aaravchen

Twlight-Princess
To clarify, you mean build number 262371063 that they listed in their instructions as needing upgrade after you connect, but you didn't upgrade?
And you have Etouffe: true with that (start a conversation with *xyzzy* to unlock Debug menu, then open Debug -> RCS -> Report RCS Connection State)?

Twlight-Princess

aaravchen Yes that is the build number, I saved the downloaded .apk file I got on my phone.
Correct, I did not upgrade the app. But that was after the first time I did and then after 2 days it broke. After that I uninstalled it and reinstalled the that 262371063 build number one again and never upgraded. Been working fine for me since. I don't even fiddle with any settings now on it, it works I leave it alone.
I have no idea about etouffe: true or where to even find that.
Like I said it works and my friends have noticed that texting with me is much better especially the iPhone users.
So for now It ain't broke so I ain't fixing. not messing with any settings, nothing I will leave it be. Hopefully there will be a fix in the future.

aaravchen

Twlight-Princess

I'm not able to make that work for me. Possibly because I'm using exclusively Aurora Store and not the APK Mirror download.

I uninstalled completely, then installed that specific version. I made sure to set it as the default SMS client before ever opening. The RCS status said connected (which is half the status necessary to actually have working RCS, and matches what immediately shows up for almost all older versions). I wasn't able to send or receive RCS though, and enabling the debug menu to took at the Etouffe provisioning status (the other, hidden, half of what's needed for working RCS) shows false.
I tried wiping all data then reopening the app, and it now says RCS isnt supported on the device at all.

Caveat to this: I tried making this work a few times, and now I seem to be rate limited on the Etouffe provisioning. Even the old working method of installing the even older version then jumping forward to the latest is no longer provisioning immediately.

tebriel

aaravchen Yeah as of this morning I can't get RCS provisioned for my number with the "install old version" method I've been using every 36 hours for quite a while now. Real bummer.

aaravchen

tebriel
I was able to make the old method work again, but I had to clear all data, install the old version wait for all messages to populate, update to the current version, wait a few minutes, then reboot.

I did notice before I tried the other suggested method that I had lost RCS connection less than 24 hours after I last set it up, which was part of the reason I tried the alternate method. And I had to go thru the full old-to-new process completely to get it back, rather than the truncated method that didn't require clearing data or rebooting.

tebriel

aaravchen :\ hmm still didn't work for me:

Delete data on app
Uninstall App
Reboot phone
Install app (Don't launch)
Enable Alarm Permission
Enable it to be default sms app
Launch app
RCS tries to register my phone number, never succeeds (well, for an hour so far)

cb474

tebriel Sometimes after step 8 I still have to reboot to get RCS to show as connected.

tebriel

cb474 Still didn't help, I'll leave it uninstalled and clean until tomorrow and try again. fingers crossed for then.

aaravchen

tebriel
Does it give you an error code 3000 or 3200 when you click on the details for the "connecting" message?

A couple things that seem to make a big difference when doing the initialization:

You must be on Mobile data. Try turning off WiFi.
Any VPN seems to be detected, even the most compatible. Disable it for at least the Messages app.
Filters on any traffic from Messages seems to break it (I had to set it to Exclude in RethinkDNS)

cb474

FlareHeart I downgraded to the 20240708_03_RC04 and everything connected and Ettouffee provisioned.

I tried this version today, with the .apkm package. It connected to RCS, but Etouffee never provisioned to "true," so RCS chats didn't work. I still had to update the the Play Store version to get Etouffee to "true." So this is the same as what I've been experiencing with 20241120_00_RC07 (262371063).

aaravchen You must be on Mobile data. Try turning off WiFi.
Any VPN seems to be detected, even the most compatible.

I've had no trouble connecting to RCS with wifi on and my VPN on.

tebriel

cb474 Tried again this morning after the GOS update, old process works again. Could've just been letting it sit overnight, can't know for sure I guess.

Old APK
Grant perms
Start
Update

gta3

What's the benefit of using RCS instead of Molly-Foss?

Turtacular

gta3 Mostly that the other party has likely already been using RCS with or without knowing so, and a significant number of them with e2ee. At any rate, though, the more relevant comparison is between RCS and SMS since that's what it aims to replace.

tebriel

gta3 agreeing with Turtacular here and adding a little extra. RCS for many people in the USA is a transparent upgrade to SMS. So any Android <-> Android or Android <-> iOS communication can be (if the phones + carriers support it) RCS. Comparatively low % of people in the USA use alternative messaging apps vs the rest of the world so RCS (or sms/mms) are the default. Convincing my friends to use a different app+protocol just to include me in their group chats isn't going to work very well so having RCS supported on GOS is pretty critical to keeping myself included in my social circles.

awfulevil

I installed this older version 291322063, gave it the default SMS app permissions, and it showed as connected but didn't let me use RCS.

After about a full day of using that older version and NOT updating the app, I got a pop up in the app saying "we upgraded your chats" or something similar. I then got a flood of older RCS chats that had failed to send to me from others.

Now everything works, RCS groups and individual chats. Hopefully it stays this way! Mint Mobile Pixel 9.

gta3

Is everything sent via RCS visible to the network operator and law enforcement?

Whereas molly isnt accessible outside of the handset and has no centralized point of contact?

sabhain

If you want fully decentralized messaging, you might need to look into SimpleX or White Noise

Rumil

Vuraze This method solves it for me, but only for around 24-48hrs. At which point I will lose RCS again and am obliged to re-run the steps. Anyone have insight into making the fix stick? (Mint Mobile on Pixel 8a)

alwarnecke

I am in the same boat. I tried an experiment, in the debug menu under RCS -> Self-service messages, I tried "send keep-alive" when I was getting close to the 36 hour mark and RCS was still connected. A few hours later it still quit on me though.

aaravchen

alwarnecke
RCS seems to be comprised of an authentication and a provisioning step. The RCS toggle button seemingly only shows the authentication status, and the Etouffe status the provisioning.

The authentication is what I'm guessing isn't working in newer app versions, including the authentication renewal. The expiratiin on the authentication for T-Mibile was probably 36 hours originally, and recently reduced to 24 hours, and since the current latest version of the app can't renew before expiration we have to reinstall the old version that can, then upgrade to the newer version where the provisioning works.

I suspect the keep-alive is just an indication to the server that your device is still available to receive RCS, so if they have an incoming message for you they know they should be able to send it to your device.

SnappingWaffle

Is this still a priority of the GOS team? I haven't seen anything from them on this topic in a few weeks unless I missed something.

I'd assume it is since it's impacting a large portion of their users but it'd be nice to have some reassurance. I actually had to switch back to my Samsung phone due to RCS and a few other issues (mostly user induced) but would like to have the option to go back.

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