iChat Icon   Chatting on your local network

You can chat with other iChat AV users on your local network without using an instant message account or server. Each computer communicates directly with its neighbors.

Choose Window > Rendezvous. Other iChat AV users who are on the same network segment, or subnet, as you appear in the window. To send a message, double-click a person in the list.

After the person accepts your invitation to chat, they can see your messages as you type them. Each character you type is sent immediately. If you want others to see your message only after you've finished typing all of it, change the Send Text As I Type setting in the Messages pane of iChat AV Preferences.

The names shown in the Rendezvous window are based on the login settings for other computers on the network. If you're sending an important file or message to someone, you might want to verify the person's identity.

If you don't want to use Rendezvous messaging, you can turn it off in the Accounts pane of iChat AV Preferences.

If you connect to the Internet using PPP (or PPoE), you won't see other Rendezvous users. If you connect via a shared network segment, which is common with cable modems, you may see other iChat AV users.

When firewall protection is turned on in the Network pane of System Preferences, you might be unable to receive messages from other Rendezvous users. To use Rendezvous, you need to allow activity on port 5298. See Mac Help for information on changing your firewall settings.