I can't login to any homeserver at all: "We couldn't reach this homeserver"

[ImMALWARE]

Steps to reproduce

1. I download latest version from GitHub Releases
2. Opened the app, click continue
3. Why not matrix org, continue

Outcome

What did you expect?

Login and password prompt

What happened instead?

We couldn't reach this homeserver. Please check that you have entered the homeserver USL correctly. If the URL is correct, contact your homeserver administrator for further help.

No matter what homeserver I try to login, it always gives this error

Your phone model

POCO X5 Pro 5G

Operating system version

Android 14

Application version and app store

Element X 0.5.3

Homeserver

I tried a lot of homeserver, none worked, even matrix.org

Will you send logs?

Yes

Are you willing to provide a PR?

No

[ImMALWARE]

logcat.log
logs.2024-09-11-23.log

[frebib]

You have an invalid global HTTP proxy set on your phone according to those logs. Try disabling it

[ImMALWARE]

You have an invalid global HTTP proxy set on your phone according to those logs. Try disabling it

Umm? What proxy? I was connected to mobile data, no proxy is set up in Mobile APN settings. Now I'm connected to Wi-Fi. No proxy is set up in Wi-Fi network's settings. No VPNs are enabled. I also had AdAway installed, I disabled it, it didn't help, still getting same error. No issues with any other app, including Element (not x)

[frebib]

Specifically I'm talking about the :0 proxy here
Many others have had this same issue such that it's a reasonably well understood problem now:

2024-09-11T23:44:38.139385Z DEBUG elementx: Using global proxy | 
2024-09-11T23:44:38.142840Z  INFO matrix_sdk::http_client::native: Setting the proxy for the HTTP client proxy_url=":0" | crates/matrix-sdk/src/http_client/native.rs:176 | spans: build{homeserver=ServerNameOrHomeserverUrl("https://matrix.org")}

[ImMALWARE]

Specifically I'm talking about the :0 proxy here Many others have had this same issue such that it's a reasonably well understood problem now:

2024-09-11T23:44:38.139385Z DEBUG elementx: Using global proxy | 
2024-09-11T23:44:38.142840Z  INFO matrix_sdk::http_client::native: Setting the proxy for the HTTP client proxy_url=":0" | crates/matrix-sdk/src/http_client/native.rs:176 | spans: build{homeserver=ServerNameOrHomeserverUrl("https://matrix.org")}

Oh, is it issue with my android settings or with element x app?

[frebib]

Probably your OS settings

[ImMALWARE]

Probably your OS settings

How do I disable that proxy?

I was connected to mobile data, no proxy is set up in Mobile APN settings. Now I'm connected to Wi-Fi. No proxy is set up in Wi-Fi network's settings. No VPNs are enabled. I also had AdAway installed, I disabled it, it didn't help

[ImMALWARE]

Probably your OS settings

Wait, doesn't ":0" mean "no proxy"?

[frebib]

Here's a discussion where several other users have had this issue beforehand https://matrix.to/#/!aCvOWKNDeXXpPgquKq:matrix.org/$omg7ZqwN8XJYoBjjUDGVtE0WMVTjij4gRn_ajJElwwE?via=nerdhouse.io&via=matrix.org&via=envs.net

[532910]

can confirm this issues with SAMSUNG SM-N910T on Android 14
I believe it's not related to some proxy settings as I have not found nothing in logcat

[ImMALWARE]

can confirm this issues with SAMSUNG SM-N910T on Android 14 I believe it's not related to some proxy settings as I have not found nothing in logcat

open termux, enter "su" and execute commands:

settings delete global http_proxy
settings delete global global_http_proxy_host
settings delete global global_http_proxy_port

[532910]

no root on that phone

[532910]

that phone succesfully downloads well-known from my homeserver

[532910]

not fixed, please reopen

[ImMALWARE]

@532910, can you try to do the same thing via adb shell from pc?

[532910]

it was done from pc

[ImMALWARE]

@532910, maybe factory reset?...

[532910]

no way

[ImMALWARE]

@532910, well ok i will reopen

[532910]

1. old element and all other apps works perfect
2. element x successfully downloads well-known file from my home-server

[ShadowRZ]

@532910 @ImMALWARE The reason that Element X Android can download the well known is that it uses the Retrofit library to download this well known,

and here's the interesting thing:

That :0 proxy had an interesting behaviour, if set as the http proxy (for example, with adb shell settings put global http_proxy :0, I did this in an emulator), the system-wide ProxySelector will consider that we have no proxy, thus:

import java.net.ProxySelector
import java.net.URI

ProxySelector.getDefault().select(URI("http://example.com"))
# Returns a single entry [Proxy.NO_PROXY]

Retrofit uses OkHttp and by default inherits this system behaviour.

Rust isn't like that and will validate this proxy string, thus errored out.

I guess this should also applies to classic Element and other apps.

[simon-ging]

same problem, the home server works on other devices like linux and browser, and all other apps on the phone work fine, just the element x login doesn't work, neither in mobile internet, nor in wifi. pls consider fixing as the old app is not available anymore via google play.

[simon-ging]

my fix was to install the old app via f-droid.

[spaetz]

mmh, some VPN or other firewall app was setting Android's HTTP proxy settings to ":0" which rust apparently considers an invalid proxy. So from the app's point of view nothing to be fixed, as it is debatable whether ":0" is a valid HTTP proxy entry (aka don't use any) or an invalid one (preventing connections).

The proper fix is to remove the HTTP value which could also cause problems for other applications besides EXA

[ShadowRZ]

The proper fix is to remove the HTTP value which could also cause
problems for other applications besides EXA

No I don't think that this value would trip most other apps, as this :0 proxy also won't cause any problems in Element Android, as it's using OkHttp via Retrofit. See for example #3447 (comment)
In some cases removing this value isn't possible as in #3447 (comment) and #3447 (comment)

So from the app's point of view nothing to be fixed, as it is debatable whether ":0" is a valid HTTP proxy entry (aka don't use any) or an invalid one (preventing connections).

I have written technical details in #3447 (comment) but to reiterate: The :0 proxy would make system believe we have no proxy defined, therefore: At least in Android system it means "don't use any".