Fermilab Gaim Jabber Instructions

What is Gaim

Gaim is an instant messaging/chat program that is used at Fermilab for Windows PCs and UNIX. The Gaim home page (http://gaim.sourceforge.net/) has more information about Gaim.

Downloading Gaim for Windows

If you are at Fermilab, Gaim has already been installed on your computer and you can skip this downloading step. Otherwise, download Gaim 1.5.0 from:

http://gaim.sourceforge.net/downloads.php
Choose "Gaim 1.5.0 (Windows) gaim-1.5.0.exe".

Configuring Gaim

  1. Run Gaim.

  2. A login box will pop up.
    If it is the first time you are starting Gaim, an "Accounts" list window will also pop up. If not, click on the "Accounts" button in the bottom left corner of the login box to get the "Accounts" list window.

  3. Click on the ADD button in the bottom of the "Accounts" list window.

  4. A new Modify Account window will pop up where you can configure the new account you want to add.
    Fill in the account options as in this screen grab:

    Make sure you change the "Protocol" to "Jabber".
    Type in your username instead of "lauram" for "Screen Name".
    Your username at Fermilab is your e-mail address minus the "@fnal.gov".
    Change the "Server" to "jabber.fnal.gov".
    Click on "Show more Options" item in the Modify Account window to expand that section.
    Check the "Force old SSL" checkbox.
    Type in a "Port" of 5223 instead of 5222.

    Leave the "Resource" field as "Gaim".
    Leave the "Password", "Alias", and "Connect Server" fields blank.
    Leave "Remember password", "Auto-login", and "Allow plaintext auth over unencrypted systems" checkboxes blank.
    Leave the "Use TLS if available" checkbox checked.
    Leave the "Proxy type" menu at "Use Global Proxy Settings".

  5. Click on SAVE or OK at the bottom of the Modify Account window. The Modify Account window will go away and your new account will be added to the Accounts List window.

Signing on to the Chat

  1. Click on the "Online" checkbox for the new account line you just created in the Accounts List window.

  2. A box will pop up asking you for your password.
    Type in your Fermilab mail gateway password and press enter/return.

Using the Chat

  1. A "Buddy List" window will pop up.

  2. From the "Buddies" menu, choose "JOIN A CHAT".

  3. A "Join A CHAT" configuration window will pop up.

    Fill in "linc1" (or whatever chat room you are scheduled to be in) for the "Room".
    Fill in a "Server" of: conference.fnal.gov
    Fill in a "Handle" of your username.
    The "Password" can be left blank.

    Click on JOIN in the bottom of the "Join a CHAT" window.

  4. You can use "Add Chat" from the "Buddies" menu to add a chat room permanently to your configuration using the same settings as the "Join a Chat" window. This will give you a lightbulb icon in your "Buddies" window that you can double-click on to go directly to the chat room you added, without having to type in the room configation again.

  5. A new chat room window will pop up.
    To chat, type in the text field at the bottom and press RETURN/ENTER to send your text to the chat.

  6. A list of people in the room is displayed on the right. Double-click on anyone in the list to get a whisper (instant messaging window) with just that one person. This will be added as a tab at the top of your existing chat window.

  7. You can save a log (transcript) of the text in a chat room by selecting "Save As" from the "Conversation" menu of that chat room at the end of the chat. You can view server logs of text in that chat room by selecting "View Log" from the "Conversation" menu of that chat room.

  8. To switch rooms, you can choose "Close" from the bottom of the "Conversation" menu of the chat room you wish to leave. Then choose "Join a Chat" again from the "Buddies" menu to join a new chat room as before (or just double-click on the lightbulb icon for the new room if you have already set it up with "Add a Chat").

  9. To quit: from your "Buddy List" window, choose the "Buddies" menu, scroll to the bottom and choose "Quit".