A step-by-step guide to configure SILC (Secure Internet Live Conferencing) protocol to work with Pidgin.
First, if you are wondering what this is (not sure how you found this then, but here goes)… SILC is a protocol that secures the chatting you do directly with others, or via a chat room on one of the SILC servers. This is nice for various reasons, and not something commonly available on most chat protocols like MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ etc… Pidgin is a client that allows you to have a single client for MANY MANY chat protocols. This means one tool, that allows chat across MSN, SILC, Yahoo and Lotus Sametime. Say, your in a corporate environment and need to chat internally but also want to chat with other external clients. This tool gives you the ability to do just that.
Something this basic, should be around already on Google, but I have had no luck finding instructions either at Pidgin’s help, or at the SILC website. Most of the forum advice deals with Linux and getting the basic libraries functioning, now a step by step guide to get SILC chats up and functional.
So here goes:
Using version 2.5.2 of Pidgin, and connecting to a SILC server in closer proximity to my location:
How to configure Pidgin to use SILC:
1. In Pidgin click ctl+A (to manage accounts)
2. Select “Add” to add an account
3. Select in the Protocol dropdown “SILC”
4. Create a username
5. Replace the server name “silcnet.org” with s.slash0.net [closer USA server - or choose one closer to you from here]
6. Create a secure password
7. Check the remember password checkbox
8. Create a local alias (optional)
9. Click on the Advanced tab and select the checkboxes for “Use Perfect Forward Security”, “Block IM’s without key exchange” and Digitally sign and verify all messages”
Click save
At this point, you will likely be getting like the following saying “Connection Failed” in Pidgin:
After a little while (less than 30 min), you will get an offer for a server public key. You need to accept this key (one time thing here).
That’s it, you should now be on the SILC network.
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