cstwin
Level 1 (1 points)

Q: Cannot connect to ichat

When I click on AVAILABLE in ichat to connect, it attempts real quick, appears to connect and then goes back to 'Disconnected'.  I tried several times but it keeps going back to disconnected.  I have OSX 10.7.5 and iChat 6.0.2.  I saw some other posts - one said to delete com.apple.ichat.plist but I cannot find that file either in my preferences or anywhere on the hard drive (could that be the problem and if so, how to I get that file back?) and one that mentioned logging into AIM and changing a port, but I cannot find how to do that.  Thanks for the help.

Mac OS X (10.7.5), iChat 6.0.2

Posted on Jul 19, 2014 8:23 AM

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cstwin

Q: Cannot connect to ichat

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Jul 19, 2014 12:28 PM in response to cstwin
    Level 9 (73,173 points)
    Applications
    Jul 19, 2014 12:28 PM in response to cstwin

    Hi,

     

    The .plists (for the User) are in ~/Library/Preferences on the whole.

    However from Lion Onwards this Home/Library is hidden.

    Use the Finder > Go Menu > Go to Folder.  This will open a dialogue box.

    Type or enter ~/Library/Preferences into to the text field (you can Copy it from here).

     

    This OS X: Using me.com or mac.com IDs with AIM in iChat requires OS X v10.7.2 or later may be important as well.

    Up until the 30th June 2014 @mac.com ID from Apple worked as AIM valid Screen Names in all version of iChat and Messages

    So did MobileMe issued @Me.com  and later iCloud Issued/Linked @me.com and the later @icloud.com issued IDs.

    For the iCloud issued ones you would find they would not work in iChat 5 (Snow Leopard or Earlier) because of additional security checks in Lion (iChat 6) and above.

     

    The linked document above suggests that the cut off point to using @mac.com names  is at the Update point during Lion when iChat gets up dated to iChat 6.0.2

     

    Even if you are using an older Apple Issued ID (@Mac.com or @me.com) then you still have to use the following in later version of iChat and Messages.

    In App menu > Preferences> Accounts > AIM Accounts(s) > Server settings Tab the SSL has to be ON. The Port has to be 443 and the Server has to be api.oscar.aol.com

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    8:28 pm      Saturday; July 19, 2014

     

    ​  iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (Mavericks 10.9)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     Couple of iPhones and an iPad

  • by just another geek,

    just another geek just another geek Sep 18, 2016 2:01 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 18, 2016 2:01 PM in response to Ralph Johns (UK)

    Much obliged, Ralph! Even a couple years on, that info is still helpful!

     

    The key for the person I was helping (trying to connect via Messages, but failing almost immediately) was enabling SSL for the AIM account. Ticking the box automatically changed the port to 443 (as expected) and set the server to the one you named (not expected, but welcome). Problem solved!

  • by Ralph Johns (UK),

    Ralph Johns (UK) Ralph Johns (UK) Sep 19, 2016 11:09 AM in response to just another geek
    Level 9 (73,173 points)
    Applications
    Sep 19, 2016 11:09 AM in response to just another geek

    You are welcome.

     

     

    3Sigcopy2.png

    7:09 pm      Monday; September 19, 2016

     

    ​  iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
     G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
     MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
     Mac OS X (10.6.8),
     iPhone and an iPad (2)