What are network connection modes? (Native and WebSocket)
Your Prose app can connect using two different connection modes to your Prose server: via a native protocol, or via a relayed protocol using WebSocket. The former is the most efficient to connect, while the latter is the most compatible on restrictive school or corporate networks.
When you use your Prose app on one connection mode or the other, you will not see any noticeable difference. Prose tries to use the most native, most efficient, connection mode by default, and will only fallback to the more compatible mode if a connection cannot be made with the preferred method.
There are however some differences between both modes:
The native mode will result in faster reconnection times when you wake your computer from a short sleep, since the connection will be maintained even during sleep. It means that reconnection is transparent and you will not have to wait to send or receive messages.
The native mode saves a little bit of bandwidth versus the relayed fallback mode. There is less protocol overhead.
The native mode uses native XMPP, which uses XMPP port 5222. Most ISPs and network allow connections to this port, however restrictive school or corporate networks tend to block all ports except a whitelist (that only allows Web and Email access).
The relayed mode uses WebSocket, therefore it is the only mode you'll be able to use on very restrictive networks since it uses HTTPS port 443, which is the standard TCP port used by Web browsers to load websites.
Note that the native connection mode is not available in the Web browser version of the Prose app. It is only available in macOS, Windows and Linux Prose apps.
Whenever dealing with network connections and Prose, you should always rely on default settings, which are to auto-detect the best connection mode.
If, however, you are encountering recurring network issues where Prose takes time to connect, or reconnects multiple time on your network, then you could try to force the connection mode that works for you. This will tell Prose to avoid trying to use the connection mode that does not work for your network.
Your Prose app will always try to connect using the native connection mode, and will only fallback to the relayed mode if you manually click the "Reconnect" button following a connection failure. Automatic background reconnections will always use the best connection mode available, that is, native.
If you use Prose on a restrictive network and usually keep using this network all of the time, it would make sense to force the relayed connection mode, which is more compatible:
Open your Account settings (in the bottom left menu bar).
In Advanced, look for the Connection selector.
Differences
When you use your Prose app on one connection mode or the other, you will not see any noticeable difference. Prose tries to use the most native, most efficient, connection mode by default, and will only fallback to the more compatible mode if a connection cannot be made with the preferred method.
There are however some differences between both modes:
The native mode will result in faster reconnection times when you wake your computer from a short sleep, since the connection will be maintained even during sleep. It means that reconnection is transparent and you will not have to wait to send or receive messages.
The native mode saves a little bit of bandwidth versus the relayed fallback mode. There is less protocol overhead.
The native mode uses native XMPP, which uses XMPP port 5222. Most ISPs and network allow connections to this port, however restrictive school or corporate networks tend to block all ports except a whitelist (that only allows Web and Email access).
The relayed mode uses WebSocket, therefore it is the only mode you'll be able to use on very restrictive networks since it uses HTTPS port 443, which is the standard TCP port used by Web browsers to load websites.
Note that the native connection mode is not available in the Web browser version of the Prose app. It is only available in macOS, Windows and Linux Prose apps.
Recommendations
Whenever dealing with network connections and Prose, you should always rely on default settings, which are to auto-detect the best connection mode.
If, however, you are encountering recurring network issues where Prose takes time to connect, or reconnects multiple time on your network, then you could try to force the connection mode that works for you. This will tell Prose to avoid trying to use the connection mode that does not work for your network.
Your Prose app will always try to connect using the native connection mode, and will only fallback to the relayed mode if you manually click the "Reconnect" button following a connection failure. Automatic background reconnections will always use the best connection mode available, that is, native.
Force a Connection Mode
If you use Prose on a restrictive network and usually keep using this network all of the time, it would make sense to force the relayed connection mode, which is more compatible:
Open your Account settings (in the bottom left menu bar).
In Advanced, look for the Connection selector.
Updated on: 06/04/2025
Thank you!