Question

I’m testing an iPhone app with push notifications.

In the last 5 days I got it working few times (and it usually worked for consecutive notifications in a range of time of few minutes).

Instead I almost always get the error message: “Connection failed”.

Since it worked few times, I assume the code to be correct, and the certificates valid as well. So I have no clue how to solve this.

I’ve also tried to connect multiple times with the following code:

$ctx = stream_context_create();
    stream_context_set_option($ctx, 'ssl', 'local_cert', 'ck.pem');

    $fp = stream_socket_client('ssl://gateway.push.apple.com:2195', $err, $errstr, 60, STREAM_CLIENT_CONNECT, $ctx);

    for ( $tries = 5, $interval = 10, $fp = false; !$fp && $tries > 0; $tries-- ) {
      if (!($fp)) {
        print "Failed to connect $err $errstrn"; 
        sleep ( $interval );
      }
    }

    if ($fp) {

            ...

Output:unable to connect to ssl://gateway.sandbox.push.apple.com:2195 (Connection refused)

thanks

Answer 1

The code looks mostly correct. I would suggest that you don’t need the loop (I never have); and it might even cause you trouble if you are over-sending the same requests. I’m not sure why you would have some successes and some failures, I have found APN servers to be pretty consistent.

One detail to check: the PHP code you’re using does not include a password in the ssl options; this is required if the pem file you are using is password-protected. (See code below for example)

I would recommend re-validating the credentials you authenticate with. The best way to do this is to use openssl (from terminal) as described in Apple’s troubleshooting technote 2265: http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#technotes/tn2265/_index.html. I’ve written up a good walkthrough on the following SO question: Couldn't able to connect to APNS Sandbox server

After validating the pem file, you could try using the following PHP code (stolen from my test page):

// Put your private key's passphrase here:
$passphrase = 'p-a-s-s-p-h-r-a-s-e';

$ctx = stream_context_create();
stream_context_set_option($ctx, 'ssl', 'local_cert', 'CertificateAndPrivateKey.pem');
stream_context_set_option($ctx, 'ssl', 'passphrase', $passphrase);

// Open a connection to the APNS server
$fp = stream_socket_client('ssl://gateway.push.apple.com:2195',
    $err, $errstr, 60, STREAM_CLIENT_CONNECT|STREAM_CLIENT_PERSISTENT, $ctx);

if (!$fp)
    exit("Failed to connect: $err $errstr" . PHP_EOL);

echo 'Connected to APNS' . PHP_EOL;

Hope that helps.