OpenHAB Android app problem with Apache reverse proxy after update from 2.5.0 to 3.1.0

Notifications are unavailable: Error connecting to remote server: Unknown error: Value <!doctype of type java.lang.String cannot be converted to JSONObject

I haven’t observed any actual problems other than the pesky notification and presumably push notifications of state changes aren’t working. All was fine before updating from 2.5.0 to 3.1.0.

Any ideas?

I am getting that error also.

I don’t use any reverse proxy.

If I remove my remote server settings from the app then the errors are gone.

I connect to my network via openvpn but if I don’t have the remote server settings set in the app then I cannot access the local openhab using the app BUT I CAN if I use the web browser.

I am NOT using the cloud openhab I am using my local openhab.

Also in my overview page I have web urls which don’t show up if I use the phone app with the remote server settings and I am on the vpn but they do show up if I just use the browser. It is like the app is blocking these somehow.

I guess the easiest for me would be remove the https remote server settings and just use a web browser if I need to access via vpn when I am out of the house.

Forgot to to say I am on OH 3.1.0
Also If I have the wifi off on my phone and use the openvp via the data connection on the phone the app wants me to turn the wifi on.
Maybe there is a bug in the app that fails to see what network I am using for the local openhab.

I can confirm this behavior. Running without the remote server set is… not convenient. The URL for “local” and “remote” is the same in my case anyway… I’m not really sure why there are two anyway…

My local address is http and I cannot have that in the remote as it only accepts https so I have to use https and port 8443.

I have removed the remote settings and the app starts faster now as well. I just have to remember to use the browser when I am on the vpn.

I think it used to work before a few upgrades to the app ago?

Confirming this pesky Notifications are unavailable message at the android app startup.
Everything seems to be working fine after (except probably any “notifications” which I don’t use anyway). But the message can also be seen permanently in app’s Settings -> Notifications section.

I started seeing this after I upgraded from v3.0.2 to v3.1.0 - definitely it wasn’t there before.

And it doesn’t matter if I’m connected via the Local or the Remote server - message always pops up.

I guess is a bug which devs haven’t picked up yet. Maybe worth raise a bug report for this… by someone who uses notifications :wink:

Remote is when you’re not on your local LAN (obviously), like when your’re using your mobile Internet on your phone. If you use dynamic dns and have a port forwarding on your internet router, you can still connect to your openhab via your ddns address set into the Remote setting, theoretically from anywhere in the world. The android app tries to connect to the Local first, if it can’t then tries the Remote.

See Openhab Android App: No Openhab 3 UI and No Notification - #11 by mueller-ma

There is the reason why

Why does the app not work if I use a vpn but using the browser does?

Great thanks! Do you happen to know if there’s a bug open for the OpenHAB server returning 200 when a resource isn’t found? If not, I’m happy to write one up.