AOL to adopt XMPP (Jabber) as IM protocol

After a quick glance over the jabber.org site, it seems that AOL has now opened up their IM infrastructure to use the XMPP protocol. XMPP, also known as Jabber, is an open-source XML based protocol already in use for IM by internet giant Google.

The XMPP/Jabber platform has several advantages over proprietary protocols (like those of MSN and Yahoo!) The protocols are free, open, public and easily understandable. They are also standard, proven, decentralized (so that no one entity controls them,) secure and extensible. Code libraries are readily available to add or improve functionality, and both client and server versions are available if one wants to setup their own XMPP/Jabber server.

The host server specified for the new AIM over XMPP is:

xmpp.oscar.aol.com : 5222


From wiki.jabber.org:

How to Connect

1. JIDs like uin@aol.com or username@aol.com

2. Host: xmpp.oscar.aol.com : 5222

3. Allow SASL PLAIN

4. Turn on StartTLS

5. Make sure there is no '@' in the resource (bug in the service). Some clients by default add a resource with an @ in it. So you have to overwrite this.

Psi info

For Psi users: My Account -> Connection -> Encrypt connection: "Never"

Coccinella instructions

• Contact ID: AIMscreenname@xmpp.oscar.aol.com/blabla or UIN@xmpp.oscar.aol.com/blabla
• Click on More--> Connection-->enable "Use secure connection" and select "Use TLS and SASL"

Working Clients/Libraries

In general any XMPP compatible client/library.

• Exodus (http://code.google.com/p/exodus/)
• gloox (http://camaya.net/gloox)
• Psi (http://psi-im.org/)
• sleekxmpp (http://code.google.com/p/sleekxmpp/)
• Coccinella (http://coccinella.im/)
• Gajim (http://www.gajim.org/) (0.11.4 and svn)
• SAPO Messenger Mac (http://trac.softwarelivre.sapo.pt/sapo_msg_mac) (Version 1.0 (683) Dev Release)
• Smack (http://www.igniterealtime.org/projects/smack/index.jsp)
• Spark (http://www.igniterealtime.org/projects/spark/index.jsp)
• Miranda IM

Sphere: Related Content