# How-to: Bitlbee - combines IRC and IM

## COiN3D

How-to: Bitlbee - combines IRC and IM

Introduction

First of all: Bitlbee is not a new IM, instead it is something like an IRC-Gateway. That means, you connect with your favourite IRC-Client on a bitlbee server and on this server you can set up connections to your messenger-services. At the moment bitlbee supports ICQ, MSN, AIM, Yahoo and finally: Jabber.

Too hard to understand? Ok, I'll be more precise.  :Very Happy: 

After you connected to a bitlbee irc-server you will be thrown into the channel #bitlbee. Then, as already said, you can set up connections to your favorite IM-services. When you finished, all people who are in your contact list will join the channel #bitlbee - you'll just have to open a query and then you can speak to the persons on your contact list similar like using an IM  :Wink: 

Ok, I've told you enough. Still interested? Then follow the next step.

Go go go!

First, you can either emerge your own bitlbee server or you can just use a public server like me. Pick the nearest mirror from here: http://bitlbee.org/main.php/servers.html .. and connect with your irc-client to the server.

You will be auto-joined into the channel #bitlbee, now it's time to set up your account data. Afterwards you'll have to register your nickname with 

```
register your_password
```

. Then, 

Choose what services you need / want and type the specific command:

```
    * Jabber

          o account add jabber you@jabber.org your_password

    * MSN

          o account add msn you@hotmail.com your_password

    * ICQ

          o account add oscar your_icq_number your_icq_password login.icq.com

    * AIM

          o account add oscar your_aim_number your_aim_password login.oscar.aol.com

    * Yahoo

          o account add yahoo your_yahoo_screenname your_yahoo_password
```

Type 

```
account on
```

 to connect to your IM-services. With 

```
account list
```

 you can see what account has which number. If you want to delete an account, type 

```
account del ACCOUNT_NUMBER
```

.

The only problem which bitlbee has is it can't add IM-Contacts, which are stored on your contact-list automatically to the specific IM-Protocol, so when you try to add a new friend you will have to use your account number, which you can view with account list. So the syntax is: 

```
add ACCOUNT-NUMBER ICQ/MSN/YAHOO/AIM-NICK NICKNAME
```

When you want to speak to someone, just fire up a query  :Wink: 

And don't forget to add 

```
identify your_password
```

 to your server-autoconnect command to get authed each time you connect!

Screenshots

http://bitlbee.org/main.php/screenshots.html

Have fun!

----------

## Dhaki

Nice!  :Very Happy: 

I'll try it very soon, thanks for the howto.

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## ultraslacker

 *re-nice wrote:*   

> 
> 
> First, you can either emerge your own bitlbee server or you can just use a public server like me.
> 
> 

 

I'd recommend running your own server, as account information is accessible on public servers - it's quite simple, just start bitlbeed and connect to localhost on 6667.

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## bhappy

Hi!

Bitlbee is grate  :Razz:  ... I'm using it with ERC.

I wonder if it possible to send xml scripts to jabber server through bittlbee?

--

best,

bhappy.

----------

## patroclo7

I am sorry if my question is out of place. I have been using bitlbee as local server on a daily basis for 6 months... Now I wonder if it is still developed: the last news on their website is three months old. Do you know if it chance or not?

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## Wi1d

Is there anyway to make bitlbee beep or make any type of sound when you get a message? I'm supprised it doesn't do this out of the box. At least with irssi it doesn't seem to do this.

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## COiN3D

Bitlbee itself isn't able to do this - it's just a gateway and doesn't care about your client. Instead you'll have to configure your IRC-Client properly. I don't know how you can play sounds with Irssi, but I think there is a possibility to get your computer beeping. Try these irssi-settings:

```
irssi

    "/set beep_when_window_active ON"

    "/set beep_when_away ON"

    "/set beep_msg_level MSGS NOTICES DCC DCCMSGS HILIGHT"

    "/set bell_beeps ON"

```

----------

## Wi1d

Thanks alot. I didn't have irssi setup properly. You can get /beep to play sound files by using a script like beep_beep.pl. It's working pretty good now.

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## syouth

Bitlbee rocks with irssi and screen, yeah!

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## asdx

jabber, bitlbee, irssi and screen ftw! it would be nice to run on a gp2x!

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## HeXiLeD

How about setting it with SSL ?

I 've been having a hard time doing that.

Using Xinet.d to try to load an SSL cert.pem seems not to work so i guess that  the only option is with stunnel ?

----------

