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Create Your Private IM System

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PCQ Bureau
New Update

Previously known as WildFire, Openfire is an easy to install cross platform

instant messaging server based on XMPP protocol. The messaging server can be a

great alternative to public chat services available to your employees where you

can control number of users.

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To create your own messaging system for your company, start with downloading

'Openfire fire_3_6_4' server and 'spark_2_5_8_1' client from

www.igniterealtime.org/downloads/index.jsp. Install Openfire server package on

the machine you want to use as server. In this implementation, we have used

Windows XP. Installation is quick and easy. Once installed, you can launch

administration console from Openfire window for configuring this messaging

server. Configuration comprises four easy steps. First step include configuring

servers domain name and port. Second step is for database setting.

You can choose from two options, either go for embedded database (HSQLDB)

which is automatically configured or choose external database. External

databases supported by Openfire are MySQL, Postgres, Microsoft SQL Server, and

HSQLDB.

Direct Hit!

Applies To: IT Manager



Price: Free


USP: Private chat server


Primary Link:
www.igniterealtime.org



Search Engine Keyword: openfire


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Once the database is properly configured, choose profile setting as default

and set administrator account password. Once server configuration is done, you

would be redirected to login page. One strange issue you might face is the

inability to login, which can be overcome by re-starting the machine. Once

logged in, you can create new user. This interface can also be used for

monitoring users and adding plug-ins. On the user machine, install Spark client.

Once installed, enter user credentials and server address as created above and

you are done. You can also share files and indulge in voice chats.

Also, you can install plenty of freely available plug ins for further

enhancing usability of Openfire messaging server. Visit http://tinyurl.com/59x7fa

to download available plug ins.

Once Openfire is installed on a Windows machine, you can

start or stop Openfire server using this window. Click on 'Launch Admin' to

configure the server.
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After selecting language of your choice, you need to enter

domain, admin console port and secure admin console port.
You can choose from two options under database setting;

either go for automatically configured internal database or separately

configure external database.
In the final step, enter administrative account credentials.

These values are used to log into administrative account (user id: admin)
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To create users, go to 'UserGroups' tab on the top and click

on 'Create New User'. You can also search users from this window.
Install Spark chat client on user machines and allocate them

their passwords created in the previous step. You're ready to start

chatting.
Besides text chat, you can also do voice chat . Also, you

can share files with other users through the chat window.
Administrator can broadcast important message to all the

users by logging in to Openfire administrative account and then going to

'Sessions>Tools'.
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