Pidgin for Windows

Make sure you've downloaded and installed Pidgin from www.pidgin.im

Adding an Account to Pidgin

After you've installed Pidgin and start it up for the first time, click on Add.
In the Modify Account window, fill out the following fields.
If your ID is username@chat.ucsd.edu, just use username for the Screen Name
- Protocol: XMPP
- Screen Name: (your Active Directory username)
- Server: chat.ucsd.edu
- Resource: Jabber
- Password: (your Active Directory password)
- Local Alias: (pick any name, your choice)
- Optionally, check Remember password
After you've filled in those fields, click the Advanced tab.
In the Advanced tab, make the following changes:
- Uncheck Require SSL/TLS
- Check Force old (port 5223) SSL
- Change Port to 5223
- Click Save
Enter your password.

Click Buddies and then Add Buddy. Enter the appropriate information and click Add.
You'll need to authorize your friends and they will need to do the same to you.
Once you have a few friends loaded in, double click on them to chat!