Like all things I've learned, it all started out of need. Using Pidgin I realized that I could connect from my work to Messenger but not to Google TalkSo I set out to find out why and how to avoid this misfortune.
The first thing I discovered is that I couldn't connect to the usual options because my company redirects me from google.talk.com to another server that usurps it where it can spy on everything I write while I live in the illusion that it is a secure connection thanks to SSL.
The good news is that Pidgin realizes this and refuses to connect, considering this ruse as unsafe. And since the fences are to jump, the rules are to be broken, I share how to turn this with three simple steps:
- Open the pidgin options to connect to gtalk and go to the advanced options.
- Change the security tab to "Use old SSL" and change the connection port to 443.
- The most important thing: in "Connect to server" write the ip address instead of the address talk.google.com. To find out the IP, look for an online service from nslookup and enter talk.google.com or from the Gnu / Linux console type ping talk.google.com; that way you will find the ip.
That's it. If you just want to connect, this is enough. If you want to know more about what happens in the background, keep reading.
When you want to connect to talk.google.com the server verifies the encrypted connection and sends you to gmail.com, but since instead of connecting to talk.google.com you are connecting to another server, Pidgin stays forever in gmail.com connecting without ever succeeding.
By changing the port and forcing the use of the talk.google.com server (with its ip address) we evade the redirection to the spy server and create a secure connection (in theory at least).
If you want to know the name of the spy server, do the following: open a terminal and type
nslookup talk.google.com
(you will need the dnsutils package).
It should come out something like this:
Server: w.x.y.z.
Address: w.x.y.z#53
Non-authoritative answer:
talk.google.com canonical name = talk.l.google.com.
Name: talk.l.google.com
Address: 74.125.134.125
The Non-authoritative answer is the true server and the wxyz server is the imposter. Now, type in the terminal nslookup wxyz and you will know the name of the server to which your company redirects you (surely its acronym is in the name).
Pidgin is incredible, with it I have the chat of whatsapp, google, MSN, facebook and jabber in one place.
The title would be: how to lose your job in three simple steps…. Man, these things are not done at work.
It depends on what job lol. Well, I do it and I don't even know if they realize it or not. If they tell me something, I will point out the illegality of espionage (at least in Mexico) and that's it. I know everyone does it, but at least not so blatantly. Regards.
Is there anything the almighty Pidgin can't do? :OR
Cry? Well, unless it is joyful of course ... I'll say then, a spinach omelette ...
Yes, keep passwords encrypted and in something that is plain text.
I don't know how Pidgin hasn't fixed that serious problem yet
Pidgin with the KWallet Extension in KDE, encrypts passwords 😀
If the Gnome-Keyring extension for Pidgin is used in Gnome / Xfce / LXDE, the passwords are encrypted, and as @elav said, in KDE with the extension for KWallet it can also be done.
How interesting I am in the same but I wonder if this method works if you have two-step authentication activated
I have not tried it. Why don't you try and let us know? 😀
Hey, Mariano O. In Argentina we would say that you would be a "buchón" flower, a sock licker for the boss, an assistant to the employer, an upstart from whom you pay your salary. WE ARE ADULTS and each one does what he pleases. Even with a harmless messenger.