Not recieving verification codes from apps

Thranos

Hello. I am new to the graphene community, and am currently trying to figure out why my phone is not sending verification codes, when i enter my number. All the apps/ system is updated, phone is operated on wi-fi, but its like the phone is somehow blocked from sending out verification code sms. Have anyone encountered this problem, and actually fixed it, or found out what was wrong? I am also using mullvad vpn with the phone, is this maybe the problem? The phone was set-up by my friend, is it maybe the settings that is blocking the sms? I hope anyone can help me fix this, as i really want to use the grapheneOS instead of the commercial OS that the phones come with. Hope you can give me advise and want to help a confused beginner in the grapheneOS universe

de0u

Thranos Which apps are having trouble receiving the codes? Is Google Play installed? Some apps may rely on Google Play receiving and processing the verification code.

Thranos

de0u
Its signal, molly, telegram, whatsapp. And yes i have google play, and because of trying to solve this problem i have ended up with most of the permissions accepted. Its like my phone is blocking these messages from being send. The sim card with the phonenumber that i enter into the apps, is on another normal os phone. So the problem must be with the phone with grapheneos. Could it be because i use wifi, and not normal simcard on the grapheneos?

torparen

Hi! I hwad problems with Threemas verification process (SMS) and their support teached me they cannot do anything for me since the problem is operator related. I accepted this at first buy moved the number to another ooerator lately which i knew had no issues with such processes. Not so funny thing is: the number still wont work although its another operator who never had problems. I think now its the number, either it exist on a blacklist or its a numbercombination thing in Threema, the first digits of that phone number do belong to a newly created network here in Sweden. Long story short, i gave up on Threema. The same number veryfies in other apps without problem.

Thranos

torparen
I think its not the numbers fault, but maybe the OS that is blocking something

de0u

Thranos The sim card with the phonenumber that i enter into the apps, is on another normal os phone.

I'm not sure I understand. Signal is installed on a phone running GrapheneOS, and it asks you to enter your phone number, and you are entering the number of some other phone because the phone running Signal does not have a SIM card?

Thranos

de0u
I installed a eSim on the phone, but use it mostly with Wi-Fi at home, due to limited data on the esim. So yes I installed signal (and molly, to see if that would work), accepted all permissions and entered the phone number. After the app ask me to verify that I am a human, then it ask for the verification code, which I never receive from the phone with the actual number. Like i m saying, I feel like the OS or maybe the VPN is blocking the app from sending out the code (if that is even possible). The phone is setup with grapheme and VPN

de0u

Thranos If a VPN is in use it could be interfering, especially depending on the configuration.

Thranos

de0u
But if I fix it without VPN, wouldn't it attach my IP/imei to the signal-account?

paprikatongue

Have you tried turning off WiFi then requesting the verification code?

Thranos

paprikatongue
Have tried to request it from the data of the esim, yes. That didn't work either

jven27

Have you enabled eSIM support in the GOS settings?

Thranos

jven27
Yea. It could not install the esim to begin with, without me enabling the esim support.

de0u

Thranos But if I fix it without VPN, wouldn't it attach my IP/imei to the signal-account?

It's clear you are trying to use GrapheneOS as a vehicle for improving your privacy, which is a great idea. But effectively increasing privacy requires detailed understanding (and tradeoffs). There is no such thing as "IP/IMEI"; they are very different. A phone's IMEI is a mostly-permanent identifier for the phone itself. A phone's IP address is a non-fixed, very-changeable identifier for the phone's network presence.

Most Android apps can't learn a device's IMEI (I think that for Google Messages to use the RCS protocol on some carriers it is necessary for Google Messages and maybe Google Play to have access to the device's IMEI). Changing a phone's IP address is as easy as going to a public Wi-Fi network (coffee shop, library, etc.).

I don't have WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal on my GrapheneOS phone, so I can't provide advice (hopefully others can). But you might experiment with joining a public Wi-Fi network and turning your VPN off.

Thranos

de0u

Ok, so it wont reveal anything, or ruin the privacy/security if i turn off the vpn, as long as i am using a piblic wi-fi? I am so sorry if i ask stupid obvious questions, but i am not that technical, and i have tried to research as much as possible about graphene, but is hard for me to understand everyrhing.

gray-wolf

Dear friend, I know what the problem is. Neither vpn nor grapheneOS are to blame here. Your receipt of SMS with codes from signal and threema is blocked or delayed for an hour or an hour and a half by the operators of your country. You live in a country with a dictatorial regime, right? ))

Thranos

gray-wolf
I live in europe.

Thranos

I just wanted to update you guys, and tell you that the problem got fixed. I changed the simcard of the number I tried to register, I turned off VPN and granted the apps that I tried to register, all permissons, and I granted play services all permissions, and somehow it worked. I don't know which of the changes made the difference, or if it was a combination of everything. But the problem was fixed. Thanks to everyone trying to help with the problem, and using your time to reply to my questions. I appreciate all your answers