How to Use Yahoo! Instant Messenger With iChat

The iChat instant messenger software is the default that comes with new Apple computers. Its main purpose is talking to other iChat users or users of AOL Instant Messenger (AIM). It doesn't connect to Yahoo! directly, but you can still talk to friends on Yahoo! if you first sign up for a Jabber account on a Jabber server that supports it.

Instructions

1. Download and install Yahoo! Messenger (YIM). Sign up for an account if you don't have one already. If you have email service with Yahoo!, your instant messenger account name and password are the same as your email user name and password. Add all your friends that use Yahoo! through the YIM interface.

2. Download and install a Jabber client. Use it to create a Jabber account on a server that supports Yahoo! instant messaging. Add Yahoo! through "Service Discovery" (or similar, depending on the client)--"Yahoo! Transport" should be one of the available selections. Log in and check that the friends you added through YIM appear in the friend list.

3. Open the iChat preferences window. To do that, click on "iChat" then "Preferences..." then the "Accounts" tab.

4. Click on "+" at the lower left corner of the window to add a new account. Select "Jabber Account" from the drop-down menu at the top. Your Jabber ID is the account name you created on Jabber, a "@", then the Jabber server. It should look like an email address, for example "[e-mail]." Fill in your Jabber password and click "Add."

5. Close the preferences window. To log in with Jabber, click on "Window" and select "Jabber." Change "offline" to "online." You should see a list of your Yahoo! friends.

Tips & Warnings

• Jabber servers are largely run by individuals rather than professionals. There are many, with varying levels of reliability and length of service. Listings can go out of date quickly. You may have to browse around to find a good one, then choose a new one from time to time.

References

• All Forces: iChat to MSN Through Jabber

Resources

• Yahoo! Messenger: Download
• XMPP Software: Clients
• JabberES.org: Jabber/XMPP Server List