Jabber Client Quick Setup
Jabber Client Quick Setup
gaim:
pidgin:
- Download and install gaim (now pidgin, second set of images) from http://gaim.sf.net. I have had multiple
reports of early pidgin versions having problems. If you are having weird
pidgin problems, uninstall it and use the older gaim 1.5 version.
- Run it and add an account.
- Set "Protocol" to "Jabber" or "XMPP" (which is also jabber).
- Expand the "Show More Options" tree (gaim) or the "Advanced" tab (pidgin). The setup screen should look similar to the one above.
- Set "Screen Name" and "Alias" to your user name ("Talker" in this
example). This is usually first initial and last name run together (no spaces).
- Enter a password for the account.
- Check both "Remember Password" and "Auto-login".
- "Resource" is just where you currently are at the moment (usually
"home" or "laptop").
- My personal server is "chat.k50.net".
- The server port should remain at the default "5222". Note that some
older clients (phones) may require the older 5223 for SSL.
- Turn on encryption for privacy. Check "Use TLS if available" (gaim), or "Require SSL/TLS" (pidgin).
- The rest of the features can be unchecked.
- For "Proxy type" select "No Proxy" unless you have a convoluted
network setup and know what you are doing.
- For the first time connecting to the server, you have to create the
jabber user account before logging in (only do this once). Hit the
"Register" button at the bottom to automatically do this (gaim) or check
"Create this new account on the server" in pidgin. I repeat, DO THIS
ONLY ONCE. Answer the next questions accordingly.
- Save the settings and click the "on-line" check box back at the
"Accounts" screen.
- Connecting to a server will take a minute. That's mainly because of
key generation. Encryption keys are complex so others can't easily break
into them. It may take a minute for the keys to generate, but it should
not freeze forever.
- To add someone in the main list, use the "Buddies/Add Buddies" menu.
Remember that Jabber is more like instant email than chat. Users appearing
on my server will take the form of "userX@chat.k50.net" for the dialogue
boxes (replace "userX" with the real user name). "Screen Name" is the
user's real Jabber name. "Alias" is how you want that user to appear in
your personal list. "Group" is sub-grouping in your list. Type a new group
name to create it. "Account" is which of your users will be used to talk
to that person. Rember gaim can be set up for multi-server usage across
multiple protocols. When adding a "buddy", each side has to be authorized
before each side has the reciprocating buddy in the list. This is easiest
done when both people are on line at the same time. Be sure to look for
the dialogue boxes for this that will pop up at odd times.
- Most usage will be just instant messaging. Double click on your buddy and type a message in the window. If the buddy isn't around, the message will be stored until the next login (and then the buddy will be bombarded by all your messages at once).
- Lesser usage will be a chat room. To join a chat room, use the
"Buddies/Join a chat..." menu. "Account"
is your user to be used to talk. "Channel" is the chat room name.
"Password" is the password for that chat room, provided there is one.
Problems
Sometimes problems happen that can drive you nuts. Here are a few
tips on starting over to fix them.
- Install gaim to its default paths. Sometimes programmers "miss"
things and hard code locations...when they shouldn't.
- If gaim flat out fails, terminate the process. Afterwards, go into
Task Manager and terminate any leftover gaim processes. Also check the
task bar tool tray for the gaim icon.
- If gaim really-really fails, uninstall it then reinstall it.
- If that still fails, delete the leftover files before then reinstall.
These are located in a few different places. In WinXP, "c:\Documents and
Settings\LOGIN_NAME\Application Data" directory has a ".gaim" directory.
After that delete everything in the "c:\Program Files\Gaim" directory.
- If you're really paranoid, you can do a registry dive (run
regedit.exe) and search for "gaim" and remove those entries from the
registry before the reinstall. A reboot may be a good idea but shouldn't
be necessary for this.
- If you're really "l33t" you'd be running gaim under linux or bsd and
none of this stupid windoze crap would matter.
Other
Gaim works with many other protocols besides jabber. Gaim also supports
multiple logins to different servers as different users. You can use gaim
with these other servers at the same time but keep in mind that you are
only chatting ENCRYPTED through my jabber server, NOT the others.