SMS from MoodleThis page provides you a step-by-step configuration guide
to help you configure SMS functionality for Moodle. This solution allows site
users to send SMS messages to the mobile phones of individuals or groups
attended on courses. Please follow the steps below and watch the video tutorials
to realize this solution effectively.
Prerequisites
In order to setup this solution you need to find a way
to connect your system to the mobile network. You can do this
by using an Internet connection or you can
setup a wireless connection by attaching a GSM phone/GSM modem to your
computer. To help you make a decision, we have prepared a webpage for you:
Internet based SMS connections vs. GSM modem based (wireless) SMS connections.
Depending
on what you select, you need the following prerequisites.
Prerequisites for Internet based connection to the
Mobile network
If you wish to connect your system to an SMS service
provider over the Internet you need the following components:
Figure 1/a - Prerequisites for Ozeki NG SMS
Gateway IP SMS connection
In this case you need to find an SMS service
provider who can reach the mobile phones in your area. This SMS
service provider should be able to provide SMS service through
the Internet. To find such a provider, you can check our
website where we list some of them:
SMPP SMS Service providers.
Once you have found such a provider, you need to sign up for
their service to get the connection parameters. You can use these parameters
to configure your Ozeki NG SMS Gateway software.
Prerequisites for wireless (GSM modem) connection
to the Mobile network
If you wish to connect your system to the mobile
network wirelessly, you need a GSM modem or GSM phone, that you
can attach to your computer with a data cable. In this case your Ozeki
NG SMS Gateway software will operate this phone and will send and receive
SMS messages wirelessly. To setup this connection method, you need the following
components:
Figure 1/b - Prerequisites for Ozeki NG SMS
Gateway GSM modem connection
Your checklist (for GSM modem connection):
*The SIM card will come with a plan, that will
determine how much money you will spend on each SMS.
System architecture
If your system meets the requirements of Ozeki NG SMS Gateway
software you can start to build your own SMS system. If you follow the guide
below this page you can configure your system to let users of Moodle (e.g.
teachers) to send SMS messages to the mobile phones of individuals or groups.
The system will work as follows:
After the installation, Ozeki NG SMS Gateway client for Moodle appears
on the website that allows to send SMS messages to mobile phones. After the site
user logged into Moodle, he can select the courses of which participants he
wants to notify via SMS. For example, he wants to send SMS to three participants
of Course 1. Then he can enable the checkboxes after the participants, compose
the text of the message and click on Send SMS button. The SMS messages
will be sent out to the mobile phones of the three participants by the Ozeki
NG SMS Gateway software (Figure 2).
Figure 2 - System architecture
Configuration guide
Please follow this guide to be able to add SMS functionality
to Moodle. Please also watch the video tutorials on how to configure your GSM
modem (in case you use GSM modem for SMS sending) and on how to configure SMS
functionality for Moodle:
It is assumed that you have already downloaded and extracted
the Ozeki SMS module to your desktop
(Figure 3).
Figure 3 - Extracted Ozeki SMS module
Copy the Ozeki SMS module, right click on the module and select
Copy (Figure 4).
Figure 4 - Copy Ozeki SMS module
Paste the Ozeki SMS module into the blocks folder of
Moodle moodle\blocks
(Figure 5).
Figure 5 - Paste the Ozeki SMS module
Start your browser and go to the Moodle site (Figure 6).
Figure 6 - Go to Moodle site
For configuration you need to log into Moodle as Administrator
(Figure 7).
Figure 7 - Log into Moodle
Click on Notifications at Site Administration
menu (Figure 8).
Figure 8 - Notifications
After the automatic setup is complete, click on Continue
(Figure 9).
Figure 9 - Continue
Select Ozeki NG SMS Gateway client for Moodle option at
Blocks/Modules (Figure 10). Then Ozeki NG SMS Gateway client for
Moodle module appears and you can configure the following settings:
Ozeki NG Host: IP address of the computer on which you have installed
Ozeki NG SMS Gateway
Ozeki NG Port: Port number of the built-in HTTP server of Ozeki NG SMS
Gateway
Ozeki NG User: Username you use in Ozeki NG SMS Gateway
Ozeki NG Password: Password for the user you use in Ozeki NG SMS Gateway
If you provide all the parameters, click on Save changes and return to
the home page.
Figure 10 - Ozeki NG SMS Gateway client for Moodle
Now you can configure the Ozeki SMS block to be appeared on the
website. To do so, click on Turn editing on (Figure 11).
Figure 11 - Turn editing on
A drop down menu appears (Figure 12).
Figure 12 - Drop down menu for blocks
Select Ozeki NG SMS Gateway client for Moodle from the
list (Figure 13).
Figure 13 - Select Ozeki NG SMS Gateway client for Moodle
To send SMS messages click on Send SMS button under the
Ozeki NG SMS Gateway client for Moodle block (Figure 14).
Figure 14 - Send SMS button
On the appeared module you can specify details for sending SMS
(Figure 15).
Figure 15 - Ozeki SMS module appears
On the module select one of the courses of which participants
you wish to notify via SMS. Then enable the checkboxes of the participants to
whom you wish to send SMS. After you have selected the recipients, compose the
text of the SMS and click on Send SMS (Figure 16).
Figure 16 - Send SMS from Ozeki SMS module
After you sent the messages you receive a notification on the
site if the messages have been sent (Figure 17).
Figure 17 - Messages have been sent
In the Sent folder of admin user in Ozeki NG SMS Gateway
you can see the sent messages (Figure 18).
Figure 18 - Sent messages in Ozeki NG SMS Gateway
Try the free
trial of Ozeki NG SMS Gateway right now to test its effectiveness.
Related sources:
Send SMS from Moodle as Administrator
Ozeki NG SMS Gateway software overview
GSM modem vs IP SMS connectivity
SMS services for Businesses
Other SMS solutions with Ozeki NG SMS Gateway
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