Login to iChat

ErinEM wrote:
I just bought my MacBook one week ago, and I'm so excited to really start getting use out of it. There is only one problem that I've come across..

When trying to login to iChat is says to type in my Apple ID and it gives me the option of signing under Jabber, Google Talk, AOL, Mac or MobileMe. I've tried logging into each one of these, and it has not let me sign in because I've forgotten my password or login. I know for a fact that I'm typing in the right password and ID because if I wasn't, I wouldn't of been able to sign on here...haha. Anyway, how can I start to use iChat??

Welcome to Discussions, ErinEM

Login data for Apple Discussions and for iChat are almost always different, so don't let that confuse you.

Your master MobileMe account name and password should work in iChat. However, other account names are different, so you cannot merely use one name with different account types.

In order to use Jabber, Google Talk, AOL, or dot Mac account names, you must have established them separately. They will not be the same name as your MobileMe name unless you have made them so when you created these other accounts.

(1) For sake of simplicity, I suggest you create an AIM name to use for your first iChat accounts.
 
You do not need to use AOL to use AIM. You can get FREE AIM Names here:

  http://tinyurl.com/24mybug

As soon as your new account name is confirmed, you can enter it and its associated password into iChat and begin using it immediately.
 
You do not need to install any AIM or AOL software on your Mac to use the AIM name for iChat.

(2) If you want to establish accounts at Google, Jabber, or any of the other possible iChat account name sources at a later time, you need to go to their websites and create accounts there before they can work in iChat. However, unless you are using your master MobileMe name and password, I recommend you first create and test an AIM name.

(3) If you need more assistance than your Mac's iChat > Help can give you, take a look at

  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2515

(4) For detailed instructions, including pictures, see Ralph John's great iChat FAQ site. Info on Setting up iChat starts here:

  http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/page2.html

(5) If you need someone to test your system once you have successfully logged into AIM, some names you can add to your buddy list for testing your iChat setup are here:

  http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/ContactTesters.html


Message was edited by: EZ Jim


Mac Pro Quad Core (Early 2009) 2.93Ghz w/Mac OS X (10.6.4)  MacBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009) 2.26GHz (10.6.4)
LED Cinema Display  G4 PowerBook 1.67GHz (10.4.11)  iBookSE 366MHz (10.3.9)  External iSight

Hi,

As EZ Jim says the statement on the second screen in the iChat Start Up Screens can be confusing as it tends to default to a Apple ID option rather than AIM.

This iChat 4 pic defaults to @mac.com being in the Drop down and the lead-in blurb also reads that way


This screen is for entering names that can work with the AIM server.
You will find the "Account Type" item in the middle has a drop down that lists @mac.com (Shown), AIM and MobileMe (Accounts from Apple ending @me.com).

If you have clicked through this part and iChat launches without the Start Up Screens (First Run only) then see this page
http://www.ralphjohns.co.uk/versions/ichatvers4/howtoStartiChat.html at the Alternative section further down (How to add a Screen Name from the iChat Preferences)

More on Getting a Screen Name

In iChat 5 with Snow Leopard if you select @mac.com in the Start up screen (or in the Alternatives Add Screen Name option) then the Get iChat Name takes you to the @mac.com Registration Page.
If you select AIM in the drop down you get taken to the AIM registration page.
Both these are Free. (The @mac.com one will not works as an email address)

The Getting a Screen Name page also points out about MobileMe. (Costs after 60 days but has other services - IMPORTANT. Requires active discontinuation of the trial or you get charged)

You may also have an ISP that has made a similar agreement to the one Apple did that gets @mac.com and @me.com names recognised as Valid AIM Names and this may also work.

Jabber names.
These fall in to two sub types. Names from Jabber servers and GoogleTalk.
GoogleTalk is based on Google Mail Names (@gmail.com and @googlemail.com) but despite being a Jabber server it does not follow the same Server name Convention others do.

Most Jabber servers cannot be registered "on-line" with a web Browser and require you use a third party Jabber app like Psi that include a Registration Module.

Google requires you enable your Google Account's settings for Talk before the name will work in any IM app that can Login in a Jabber server.

However all Jabber servers give you a name that looks like an Email address as in username@aJabberServer.com

This fact that both the AIM servers and the Jabber ones use (or can use) IDs/Names that look like email addresses that can lead to confusion when adding your own Screen Name to iChat or adding Buddies later to the correct Buddy List.

NOTES.
I have linked you to the iChat 4 info on the Start Up Screens as the iChat 5 Page link does not work (I Just found out).
There are very little difference in iChat at this point and the Alternatives section also applies.

Adding a Screen name from the IChat Preferences as shown in the alternatives does however give you the choices between the 3 AIM types of names (AIM, @Mac.com And @me.com) iChat can use and the two Jabber types (plain, as it were, and Google).

I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.




11:35 AM Thursday; September 2, 2010

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

Message was edited by: Ralph Johns (UK)