WhatsApp Connecting...

[Gongalong]

Hi folks,

 

Any WhatsApp gurus out there?

 

I haven't used it until today, but I've had reports from a couple of teachers that the last few days/weeks they are getting "Connecting..." at the top of the app. They are connected to our staff wi-fi, which goes through a Smoothwall, but traffic is not inspected, nor is WhatsApp blocked. (I have logged a ticket with Smoothwall anyway)

 

I've just installed the app and am getting the same behaviour, a "Connecting..." at the top. I have specifically turned off the Mobile Data option (this is an iPhone, so in Settings > WhatsApp) although I get very poor/no data signal here anyway.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks

[Opendium_Steve]

Firewall logs?

 

Whatsapp connects to a bunch of Facebook's IP addresses on TCP port 5222. I think everything except voice/video should work with just that. Voice/video calls are direct peer to peer connections on arbitrary UDP ports - we use deep packet inspection to control that traffic.

[Gongalong]

Good point. I've been using Smoothwall's web filter report, but I think I need to dig deeper!

 

I've followed this, and it hasn't worked. We aren't using decrypt and inspect on this particular VLAN and wireless SSID anyway, but I wondered if the firewall bit might help https://kb.smoothwall.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002134304-Configuring-the-Smoothwall-Filter-and-Firewall-to-Allow-Access-to-WhatsApp

 

Oddly if I turn airplane mode on and off it connects straightaway, suggesting that the app does some sort of fallback, or is just odd full stop in the way it connects.

[bknaggs]

I had to update our firewall with the ports listed in that Smoothwall article for WhatsApp to work properly.

[Opendium_Steve]

Good point. I've been using Smoothwall's web filter report, but I think I need to dig deeper!

 

Oh, forgot about web traffic - yes I think it relies on (undecrypted) HTTPS access to a few hostnames too. So you'll probably need to check both web logs and firewall logs. I'd probably try turning off *all* filtering/firewalling for a test user to see if it works like that to start with.

I've followed this, and it hasn't worked. We aren't using decrypt and inspect on this particular VLAN and wireless SSID anyway, but I wondered if the firewall bit might help

 

The firewall bit looks about right to me (although not sure it will allow voice or video calling to work), although our standard firewall bundle doesn't have port 5223 in it. Beware that opening ports out to the whole internet makes it easy for VPNs to connect, but that probably isn't too big a deal if this is just for your staff.

[Gongalong]

I had to update our firewall with the ports listed in that Smoothwall article for WhatsApp to work properly.

 

Not for us unfortunately.

 

I'd probably try turning off *all* filtering/firewalling for a test user to see if it works like that to start with.

 

We have a second connection with no filtering and it's fine on that, so definitely something the Smoothwall is doing, whether firewall or filtering.