Abstract: A method and a system for detecting presence of an application layer gateway (ALG) in a network path between an analog telephone adapter and a communications service provider (CSP), and transmitting a media message by bypassing the (ALG) are provided. A communication management application (CMA) detects, processes, and augments the media message sent by a first user device to a second user device. A message relay server (MRS) processes and manages the media message. The CMA receives the media message from the first user device and detects the presence of the ALG using a message echo server. The CMA scrambles the media message and transmits the scrambled media message to the MRS via a network. The ALG is bypassed due to non-recognition of the scrambled media message. The MRS unscrambles the scrambled media message and transmits the unscrambled media message to the CSP for forwarding to the second user device.