Firstly make sure you have installed nodejs for your system. It should also work with io.js.
Using npm, the node package manager, you can install otrtalk from your command console or shell:
npm -g install otrtalk
use sudo if necessary:
sudo npm -g install otrtalk
Verify installed version
otrtalk --version
View help for a list of commands and options
otrtalk --help
If you use piding or adium instant messengers with the OTR plugin, and your buddy is also using otrtalk,
you can chat with them if you have already verified OTR fingerprints by using the chat-im command:
otrtalk chat-im pidgin
You will be presented with a list of accounts to choose from and the buddy to chat with.
If you don't wish to use pidgin or adium OTR keys then you can create a new identity for otrtalk.
When using otrtalk you are free to choose any name as your public identifier, your otrtalk-id.
For ease of sharing it can be your email address or twitter handle for example.
In otrtalk there is no central naming authority. So identifiers are not unique.
Your unique identity is the combination of your otrtalk-id and the fingerprint of your OTR public key.
Your identity in otrtalk is stored in a profile. (You can have multiple profiles if needed)
Profile names must be an alphanumeric strings and may contain dashes, underscores and periods (but cannot begin with a period). otrtalk-id is case-sensitive must be alphanumeric strings but may contain dashes, underscores, periods and @ signs.
Profiles are managed using the profiles command, followed by one sub-command (list, info, add, remove).
Lets pretend you are Bruce Wayne and you want to chat privately with your buddy Robin.
Begin by creating a profile called Bruce and associate it with otrtalk-id @batman
To create a new profile, we will use the add sub-command:
otrtalk profiles add
You will be prompted for a profile name, otrtalk-id and a password to encrypt your key. choose a long passphrase:
profile name: Bruce
Enter an otrtalk id for this profile.
This is a public name that you give out to your buddies.
otrtalk id: @batman
creating profile and generating your OTR key...
Your keys are stored in an encrypted key-store, protected with a password.
Pick a long password to protect your keys in case the key-store is stolen
new key-store password: ******
confirm password: ******
This will setup the necessary files in your home directory (in this example /home/bruce), and generate a new OTR key. when the key is generated the profile details will be shown:
┌─────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Profile │ Bruce │
├─────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ otrtalk-id │ @batman │
├─────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ keystore │ /home/bruce/.otrtalk/Bruce/priv.keys │
├─────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ fingerprint │ AB2ABCEA E4C54F1C 471AC586 1C2124C7 97671ED7 │
└─────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
created new profile: Bruce
AB2ABCEA E4C54F1C 471AC586 1C2124C7 97671ED7 is your OTR key fingerprint which you can share with
your buddies.
The list sub-command will show all profiles:
otrtalk profiles list
┌──────────┐
│ Profiles │
├──────────┤
│ Bruce │
└──────────┘
To see detailed information about the profile use the info sub-command, you will be presented with a list of profiles to select from:
otrtalk profiles info
Profiles can be removed with he remove sub-command, you will be presented with a list of profiles to select from:
otrtalk profiles remove
this will permanently delete the profile
The first time you want to chat with a new buddy, securely exchange your otrtalk-id and key fingerprint with them (in person, or using another authenticated channel such as TextSecure, secure email, secure voice call). You must also agree on a shared secret. This is a one-time secret which will be used to to perform an automated Socialist Millionair's Protocol (SMP) authentication as part of the network discovery protocol to find your buddy in the p2p network.
You can now issue the chat command and pass it your buddy's fingerprint:
otrtalk chat Robin --fingerprint "90D8EA21 4324B1DB 8CD1152D 410514ED 95425C3A"
Robin is the alias you will refer to your buddy by. You will be prompted to enter Robin's otrtalk-id.
You will also be prompted for the SMP authentication secret.
Buddy aliases must be an alphanumeric strings and may contain dashes, underscores and periods (but cannot begin with a period).
Select a profile:
1) Bruce
: 1
enter key-store password:
Buddy not found.
add [Robin] to your buddy list now [y/n]? y
Robin's otrtalk id: @robin
When establishing a new trust with a buddy you must provide a shared secret.
This will be used by SMP authentication during connection establishment.
Enter SMP secret:
contacting Robin (@robin) ...
On successful connection you will enter secure chat:
--------------------------------------------------------------
connected to: Robin
address: 148.125.74.14:51981
fingerprint: 42AAF3BB AA4F180C 6442AF88 80384C41 19A82EAA
--------------------------------------------------------------
otrtalk:
At the chat prompt you can type a message and press enter to send it.
otrtalk: hello
Commands may also be issued preceded by a forward slash:
otrtalk: /help
the /help will display a list available commands:
/info - display session information
/auth - start or respond to SMP authentication request
/clear - clear the messages on the screen
To terminate the chat press 'Ctrl-D'
The next time you chat with the same buddy, you will not need to provide an SMP secret or fingerprint.
Listing buddies:
otrtalk buddies list
Removing a buddy:
otrtalk buddies remove
otrtalk by default will bind to all network interfaces for communication on the p2p network.
If you want to be more selective use the --interface option:
otrtalk chat bob --interface eth2
This could be useful if you are using a vpn and wish to force connection through it.
If you are having issues successfully connecting you may be behind a restrictive NAT router. otrtalk will exit with 'SNAT detected' message if it detects you are behind a restrictive NAT. If your router supports uPNP you can use the --upnp option and otrtalk will try to perform port-mapping:
otrtalk chat bob --upnp
By default otrtalk will use telehash DHT to discover and find your buddy. Some other methods are available:
If you know your buddy is on the same LAN/subnet, both of you must use the --broadcast option
otrtalk chat bob --broadcast
For some interfaces you might need to provide the broadcast address
otrtalk chat bob --broadcast 29.255.255.255
Discovery is also possible through BitTorrent DHT, both of you must use the --torrent option:
otrtalk chat bob --torrent
To check and install latest version if available:
otrtalk update
You can also manually install latest update with npm: (you way need to use sudo)
npm -g update otrtalk
otrtalk uses the default otr4-em OTR module. If you are on a GNU/Linux or Mac OS X system, otrtalk can try to use the native libotr on your system if found. To add support for this install the otr4 module. (Currently this only works if you are using nodejs versions prior to v0.11, also will not work with io.js)
npm -g install otr4
use sudo if necessary
sudo npm -g install otr4
A profile should not be encrypted, for otr4 to work. If you created a profile without
the --no-encrypt option you can decrypt the profile with remove-password profiles sub command:
otrtalk profiles remove-password
Then select the profile to decrypt.