# How can I  Setup direct messaging between two OSX Macs



## Colleen (Mar 22, 2002)

Can't get talk command to work from command line.  Keep getting message "waiting for invitation on caller's machine"


I already uncommented 

ntalk   dgram   udp     wait    root    /usr/libexec/tcpd               ntalk

in inetd.conf and rebooted to start the talk daemon...to no avail.


Any other suggestions..?

It doesn't even work for two users logged on the same machine..
Then I get this message 

talk: Terminal type unset or lacking necessary features


Help?

CC


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## Colleen (Mar 27, 2002)

I am using vt100 type.


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## Colleen (Mar 27, 2002)

Okay..this is weird.


I just tried talking on my local machine between two different users.

I opened two terminal window and logged in as jim on 2nd terminal.  Then from the first terminal i typed

talk jim.

In jim's window, the talk requests comes up no problem

when I (jim) tries to reply with talk user_in_terminal_window_1
I get the message

talk: Terminal type unset or lacking necessary features.

when I type echo $term I just get term
I think this is strange....the other terminal window type is vt100.

But I opened both windows the same way...and didn't set the terminal type in either...

Hmmmm


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## Colleen (Mar 27, 2002)

Thanks..

got it working...ssh is enabled...but i didn't want to have to login to the other mahchine to talk..should be able to do it from one host to another.

I think I just needed to set the terminal type.


thanks for your help.  I very much appreciate it.

Colleen


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## linux_lance (Nov 24, 2002)

the thread is mentioning inetd. OS X ,and many flavors of *nix
including Red HAT 8.*, are switching to xinetd for super server.

ls /etc/xinetd.d/
auth        chargen     comsat      daytime-udp echo-udp    finger      hello       ntalk       telnet      time bootps      chargen-udp daytime     echo        exec        ftp         login       shell       tftp        time-udp

bash-2.05a$ cat ntalk
service ntalk
{
        disable         = no
        socket_type     = dgram
        wait            = yes
        user            = root
        server          = /usr/libexec/ntalkd
        groups          = yes
        flags           = REUSE
}

notice how my disable is 
disable = no

here is a little about xinetd on my tutorial about telnet on OS X
http://grace.evergreen.edu/~millan06/x/linux/osx.telnet.html

and far far more informed tips at this page:
http://www.macsecurity.org/resources/xinetd/tutorial.shtml

good luck,
-linux_lance
http://www.macsecurity.org/resources/xinetd/tutorial.shtml


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## CaveMole (Sep 15, 2006)

I can't get talk to work at all.
Even if I am logged into the same machine.

Note:

[lark:~] aaron% who
sherie   ttyp3    Sep 15 05:46
aaron    ttyp4    Sep 15 05:47 (earwig)

From sherie on ttyp3, all I get is "Waiting for inviataion..."
no messages to aaron

from aaron.... same.

write aaron ttyp4
write sherie ttyp3

both work.

Odd that talk seemed to deliver with OS-X, yet does not seem to work.
(I don't think I installed it from fink or DarwinPorts, but I could be wrong)


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