iChat and AOL/AIM Login Information

Question

Level 1

0 points

iChat and AOL/AIM Login Information

When I log into iChat it brings up the bonjour list. Then when I change the option to my email address it prompts me to log into an AOL Instant Messenger account. When I type in my Apple ID and password it says my login ID or password is incorrect. I don't have an AOL account or login so I'm not sure what I should be putting in there. I have used my iChat before with no problem. Even though it has been over a year since I've last used it, it never asked for this type of information before.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Sep 26, 2012 7:24 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Sep 27, 2012 2:32 PM in response to dasha5542

Hi,

iChat was originally an AIM client (Joined the AIM service)

You could use an AIM name or at that time an Apple @mac.com name.

Later MobileMe issued @Me.com names

These stopped on the 30th June 2012.

iCloud issued @Me.com have somewhat replaces MobileMe but you have to register.

This may mean you have an iCloud issued Apple ID which you are using in iChat 5 or earlier - And it will not work.

It may be that you have set up a new password with more than 16 characters (AIM Server Limit)

10:31 PM Thursday; September 27, 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 and iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

Reply

Answer 2

Oct 4, 2012 11:21 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

Hello Ralph, I have had a terrible time with trying to get my iChat on my work Mac to log in to my AIM account. I can go to aim.com and use the same credentials and they work fine. When I try to use those credentials in iChat's preferences>>Accounts tab, it tells me my credentials aren't working. Any idea on how I can fix this?

As an additional note, my AIM account worked fine over iChat for a long time and only recently stopped working in the last few months. I never made any changes to the credentials to make it stop working. Today, while trying to troubleshoot, I've changed the credentials a lot but none of them work in both AIM.com and iChat.

Reply

Answer 3

Oct 4, 2012 2:08 PM in response to donrosszx

Hi,

I would go to the KeyChain Access app in Applications/Utilities.

Find the AIM login name (iChat AIM Account)

Double click the line to open up the info panel

Check the Access tab is allowing iChat to use the password.

return to the Attributes tab and tick the show Password box.

(you will get a dialogue asking for the User's passwords and click the Allow once box)

Check the password is what you think it is.

10:08 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

Reply