Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- howto:aredn:meshchat:home [2021/11/08 16:30] – created va7fi
+++ howto:aredn:meshchat:home [2021/11/09 16:05] – [Mesh Chat on a Linux Server] va7fi
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-fixme
+====== Mesh Chat ======
+Using Mesh Chat is easy: simply click on a Mesh Chat service and enter your callsign.
+{{  meshchat01.png  }}
+{{  meshchat02.png?800  }}
+At the moment, we have five Mesh Chat instances that sync to each other:
+  * [[http://pi4linux9.local.mesh/meshchat/ |pi4linux9]]
+  * [[http://va7fi-linux.local.mesh/meshchat/ |VA7FI-Linux]]
+  * [[http://ve7ax-2.local.mesh:8080/meshchat |VE7AX-2]]
+  * [[http://ve7tom-hap.local.mesh:8080/meshchat |VE7TOM-HAP]]
+  * [[http://ve7tom-hap-1.local.mesh:8080/meshchat |VE7TOM-HAP-1]]
+===== Hosting a Mesh Chat Instance =====
+If you want to host a Mesh Chat instance, you install it directly on the hAP, but it's not recommended because it uses resources and it offers very little storage for files:
+|<100% - ->|
+^  Mesh Chat on a hAP  ^  Mesh Chat on a Linux Laptop  |
+|  {{ storage01.png?300 }} |  {{ storage02.png?300 }}  |
+===== Mesh Chat on a Linux Server =====
+Before we get started with the details, let's have a look at the big picture.  There are 3 different "names" that we'll have to keep track of:
+  * The AREDN Node name configured in the ''Basic Setup'' page.  Mine in is ''VA7FI-HAP-1''.  Yours will be different.
+  * The Hostname of the linux computer running the service.  Mine is ''VA7FI-Linux''.  Yours will be different.
+  * The Service name.  Here we use ''MIMeshChat''.  Use the same if you want your instance to sync with that one.  This is also called the Mesh Chat "Zone".
+Here's where that information shows up on the ''Node Status'' page once it's all done and ready:
+{{ statuspage.png |}}
+And in the Mesh Chat app:
+{{ meshchat00.png |}}
+In what follows, it'll be important to keep track of where to enter this information so it's configured properly.
+==== Server Install ====
+  * Follow the steps in the Prerequisites section of the [[../linuxserver/home#prerequisites |Linux Server page]].
+==== Mesh Chat Install ====
+Following the instructions on [[http://www.trevorsbench.com/meshchat-messaging-for-mesh-networks |Trevorsbench]]:
+  * Download and install Mesh Chat:<code bash>
+wget https://s3.amazonaws.com/aredn/meshchat_1.02_all.deb
+sudo dpkg -i meshchat_1.02_all.deb
+</code>
+  * Edit the configuration file:<code bash>
+sudo pico /usr/lib/cgi-bin/meshchatconfig.pm
+</code> and edit the last two lines so that the zone matches the other Mesh Chat instances, and the node is the name of your AREDN node.  In my case:<code bash>
+our $pi_zone                    = 'MIMeshChat';
+our $local_meshchat_node        = 'VA7FI-HAP-1';
+</code>
+On LinuxMint there's an issue that needs to be fixed before continuing.  Essentially, the current setup uses files in the ''/tmp'' folder, which the Apache server is not allowed to edit.  So the solution was to create that folder somewhere else and set the permissions properly.((The ''/tmp'' issue is discussed here: [[https://www.arednmesh.org/content/pi-meshchat-error-sending-message]]))
+  * Create these folders:<code bash>
+sudo mkdir /var/www/html/meshchat/tmp/
+sudo mkdir /var/www/html/meshchat/tmp/meshchat/
+</code>
+  * And change the ownership and permissions:<code bash>
+sudo chown www-data:www-data -R /var/www/html/meshchat/tmp/
+sudo chmod 770 -R /var/www/html/meshchat/tmp/
+</code>
+  * Edit the config file:<code bash>
+sudo pico /usr/lib/cgi-bin/meshchatconfig.pm
+</code>
+  * And replace every instance of ''/tmp/'' by ''/var/www/html/meshchat/tmp/'' (line 2, and 18)
+  * Restart the services:<code bash>
+sudo systemctl daemon-reload
+sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 restart
+sudo /etc/init.d/meshchatsync restart
+</code>
+At this point, you should be able to run Mesh Chat from the computer where it's installed using this address:
+<wrap indent>[[http://localhost/meshchat/]]</wrap> \\
+But it won't be able to talk to your AREDN node yet.
+==== AREDN Configuration ====
+Install the ''meshchat-api'' package:
+  * Download it from [[https://s3.amazonaws.com/aredn/meshchat-api_1.02_all.ipk |here]]
+  * From the ''Administration'' page, click on ''Upload Package'' <key>Browse...</key> to install it.
+From the ''Port Forwarding, DHCP, ans Services'' page:
+  - Setup a DHCP Address Reservation for the Linux computer
+  - Advertise the service
+  - Forward WAN port 8080 to LAN port 80
+  - Don't for get to <key>Save Changes</key>
+{{ meshchatportforwarding.png }}