My iChat is saying that iChat can't communicate with the mac.com account?

Hi,

AIM will "Suspend" an account if they see what they interpret as Unusual Activity.

Sometimes just changing you password if you are an AIM account will sort this.

AIM valid Names at Apple will not "register" this change on the AIM Servers.

You will have to use the TOSGeneral email on this Page

8:39 PM Wednesday; August 1, 2012

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Hi Ralph,

I'm receiving the same exact error message regarding my mac.com account in iChat. I too have just traveled abroad- my account let me log in yesterday after I arrived, however, the next time I tried to log in it said my screen name was not valid. I have tried changing my password through Apple as well as AIM - no luck. I even did a live chat with AOL - they said they had no record of my account. I've had this screen name for years and have never had an issue with it, even after traveling abroad several times in the past. I feel like I'm getting the run around between Apple and AOL, and I'm worried I won't be able to connect to my screen name again. Do you have any ideas? Thanks!

Erin

HI,

It seems that the Agreement Apple and AIM have about Apple Issued IDs being valid AIM Screen Names as well is now so old some staff at AOL/AIM are actually unaware of it.

In the past I have actually come across Apple Documents and Knowledge Bases articles that contradict each other with regard to whether AIM actually "know" the Apple IDs.

The closest I can come to a work model is that AIM do have all the names but don't have the passwords.

This means the AIM Server then have to contact Apple to get "Shown" the password.

This is somewhat "proven" by iChat 6's and Messages dual Login to AIM and Me.com that allow the password to be seen meaning that iChat 5 cannot use @me.com names from iCloud.

Apple are not the only people to have such an Agreement with AOL/AIM.

Some United States Based ISPs (that issue emails) also have agreements.

The only route I know is for you to go back to AOL and explain very clearly and precisely to the person that they are a (insert words of your choice here) without actually saying out loud they are stupid and point out that yes it is an Apple Name and yes there is an Agreement. This will mean there must be somewhere the account got flagged as Suspended - otherwise you would not have got the Suspended Message and can they Undo that Suspension as only someone at AOL/AIM can.

I would also use this page to "report" the fact to Apple

http://www.apple.com/feedback/ichat.html

Unfortunately this feedback page has always suffered with being behind the times with OS versions an iChat versions.

You will have to spend some time entering the info in the Free text box.

8:27 PM Thursday; September 6, 2012

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 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Ralph...I too am having head scratching

expletive dilative moments with AIM and iChat, as are a few of my friends.

They do spontaneously arise every few months and i'ts usually

the ..."iChat was unable to login to AOL Instant Messenger because your

screen name or password was incorrect!"

Even though I have not changed anything, and well, you know the rest.. you are

sent to "Forgot Password," Apple site and you wait and wait and no answer from Apple!

So frustrating and I bet really unecessary.

Why do Apple use AOL/AIM anyway?

Can't they just go it alone and bypass the confounding and often frustrating AOL

AIM loop de loop!

BTW i'm still unable to access my iChat account and talk to my buddies.

Everything was working fine a few days ago.

Suggestions would be appreciated to end.

Yes, my password is less than the required 16 max.

C.J

Hi,

Apple picked AOL/AIM as at that time they were the biggest IM service in America (you have to look where Apple's biggest user base was at that time).

I posted this in the Lounge in 2010 regarding the explanation issue.

Hi,

First an Aside

This article http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1954 refers to what happens when you Stop paying for MobileMe and using the Name in iChat

At one point it says:-

When you create a MobileMe account, Apple creates an AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) account for you that uses your MobileMe member name and password. Your MobileMe account and its entry on the AIM service are linked, so that administrative actions, such as password modifications, are carried over from MobileMe to AIM.

As long as your MobileMe account is active, the associated AIM account will also be active for your use with iChat.

My Emphasis.

My understanding was that Apple made an Agreement with AIM, in 2003, that the original @mac.com names and now MobileMe and the current @mac.com issued names were valid AIM screen Names.

Further to that, my understanding was that the AIM servers effectively checked with the relevant @Mac.com and MobileMe servers for validation - rather than the explanation shown above.

This seems to have been supported over the years by several instances of @mac.com names not being able to sign in.

This article seems to point more towards my current view http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1863

Can someone confirm which way round it actually works ?

Both these articles not longer exist. One was clearly for MobileMe which obviously no longer exists.

The second which I did not Quote expalined things differently.

Changing your password at Apple (and remembering to change in iChat) is likely to do very little just becasue AIM can't verify it at any given moment in time.

However iChat does have issues when using SSL to login.

If the server logs you out (and the SSL server seems more prone to this than the non SSL servers) then iChat has to be manually reset to connect. (Untick Enable this Account and then tick the box again to Login.)

Whilst Logged out, change the Server Settings tab item for SSL to be unticked (Off)

9:12 PM Wednesday; October 3, 2012

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

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 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
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Hi Ralph!

Thanks again for all your knowledge on this subject! After spending several frustrating days trying to figure out how to log into my mac.com screen name after being repeatedly told that it was "not valid", I decided to just create a new screen name through AIM. Luckily I had most of my buddies' info stored in my address book, but not all. All the back and forth between Apple and AIM has been a headache, with no one taking responsibility or even able to answer simple questions. It's a shame that this was the result of trying to log into my iChat account overseas when I've done it without any issue many, many times before. Thanks again for your help! It's nice to know someone out there gets it! 🙂

Erin

Hi,

I am sorry to hear that this has not been resolved the way we hope.

I am glad that you were able to register with AIM and "move on".

7:57 PM Thursday; October 4, 2012

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

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 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
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

I wish,nay I pray, i could do the same and "move on!"

As you can imagine,this is becoming quite a perplexing issue for me

I did try and reset my password at AIM but they

noticed my Apple email address and re-directed me back to the Apple ID

generating site ...this one below, I'm sure a lot of people ar efamilar with it by now.

The not so well titled " iForgot" Apple web site - https://iforgot.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/DSiForgot.woa/579/wo/67rkfYt2hBygJ0 8fy7xGH0/0.2.11.4.43.1.4.3.9

I go through the process once again of creating a new password

but never get any acknoldegement from Apple that this has actually occured.

and in fact it hasn't as in order to get into "iForgot" i have to use my old passworwhich still works!

So round and round I go...catch 22 becomes catch 23!

What is going on..I wonder?

Will it be resolved....I do hope so,and soon.

Hi,

The "reset Password" message is really only for AIM users themselves.

This way it "proves" to AIM that the person "Owns" the name/Account and they will Un-suspend the account.

However they can't tell if you have reset the Apple Password - the checking system when you login in is just that a check on the Apple password.

10:17 PM Thursday; October 4, 2012

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

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 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
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Hi Ralph,

Yes, I gathered that in my foray into the ways and wit of AOLdom.

So, what do you suggest I do to solve this particular conundrum.

I'd be very grateful.

HI,

In my first reply I posted a link to the "Suspended Account" page and pointed out the email to use.

You obviously have to remind them that @mac.com names are valid under the Agreement Apple have with AIM and that changing the password does not change any settings at AIM.

I would also use this page http://www.apple.com/feedback/ichat.html

Although it does show many versions of iChat in the drop down it does not list some of the earlier computer needed to run them.

However I would add that info to the free text space and also add a link to this thread.

I have already "reported" two threads but it will probably help that more people do so.

7:58 PM Friday; October 5, 2012

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

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 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
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Cheers Ralph.

Have submitted and replied to both Apple and AOL as suggested.

Let's see what transpires.

C.J.

Result!

I didn't get any response back from either APPLE or AOL.

So I decided to take matters into my own hands, so to speak.

And moved on...!

Downloaded Skype.

It works.

Very well.

Advice to others...well you know I can only go

on my own trails and tribulations in trying to get closure.

The big boys, are getting bigger and forgetting about

those who gave them a hand up...all those years.

Swimming in shame.

Ralph, thanks for all your help mate.

I do appreciate it.

Hi,

I would tend to run Little Snitch to "Control" Skype's wayward uses of many internet ports.

9:39 PM Wednesday; October 10, 2012

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

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 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
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Hey guys,

I'm having the same issue...

My iChat is saying that iChat can't communicate with the mac.com account?

So here is what I did to resolve... Not a pretty fix, but it works...

All i do everytimes this happens (at least 50% of teh times i start iChat) I just quit and restart ichat sevral times and it finally logs me in.

I'm sure there is a better solution, but for the lack of time I have to research this, as I realy on iChat on a day-to-day basis, this is what i have been doing. If anyone has a better or more permanent solution, PLEASE share!

THX.