Private video confrencing program

[coffee412]

Hello Everyone,
So, I have been using Wire-desktop with my GF when she is away for chatting - like skype. However, It has been screwing up and looking to move on to something else. Seems Wire-desktop will lose permissions for camera. I have not found a solution except to delete it and re install it. Tired of doing that now.

What are the recommendations. I looked at jitzi (sp?) but its not all that clear on how to install it.

Thanks in advance

[wallyUSA]

I have been using Zoom weekly for over a year. Had a several sessions with friend in Germany. Zoom has been solid. I use the .deb from Zoom.us.

[coffee412]

I have been using Zoom weekly for over a year. Had a several sessions with friend in Germany. Zoom has been solid. I use the .deb from Zoom.us.

Is it secure? I really do not trust it that much. Not that Im totally opposed to it - I just am uneasy about it.

Thank you though.

[mikeflan]

Is it secure?

Zoom is not open source, so we would not know if it is secure.
Go with Jitsi if you need secure.

[wallyUSA]

@coffee412,

It is like your location "I dont know". Is anything on the Internet secure??

Zoom is 'feature rich' and has many parameters settings you can use to make it private and more secure. It's like all programs, it's how you set it up and how you use it. Zoom also provides frequently updates and enhancements!

[dave0808]

What are the recommendations. I looked at jitzi (sp?) but its not all that clear on how to install it.

You don't *need* to install Jitsi. The client runs in your web browser, so you simply enter the appropriate URL in the address bar and start a session. The developers provide their own server instance that anyone can connect to, and if you trust them and trust the open-source code, it's all good.

If you're even more cautious, then you can install the server yourself. Though this brings up other issues of you needing to allow connections to your server, or if you run in on a "cloud" instance, then you have to trust that provider to not tinker with anything.

Another option is JAMI. There's a version in the repos, though it's a little out of date, however, it''s simple to install the latest version, just check the website for details. You create an "identity" and share the hash code of that ID with your contacts. This is a distributed solution, and, well, the Wikipedia article has better info that I can type: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jami_(software)

[coffee412]

Thanks Everyone

I think as far as Security goes, It should be open source. That way any shenanigans have a better chance of being found/reported. End to End encryption is good.

I will pull them all up and check them out. Not much going on today as far as work so Ill put this on my bucket list of things for the day.

Thanks again for all the feedback.

[SimonPeter]

Thanks Everyone

I think as far as Security goes, It should be open source. That way any shenanigans have a better chance of being found/reported. End to End encryption is good.

I will pull them all up and check them out. Not much going on today as far as work so Ill put this on my bucket list of things for the day.

Thanks again for all the feedback.

GNU Jami is the best option I know for really private, open-source and REALLY end-to-end encrypted video conferencing.
(No more z0m lying about End to End encryption while really snooping at you and even eavesdropping your call to some autocratic foreign government)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jami_(software)
https://jami.net/download-jami-linux/

[coffee412]

Installed Jami on my system from repo. Seems to start/run fine so far. Went to install it on my GF's Laptop via TV remote and as soon as I try and create an account it crashes.

Code: Select all

[1632160236.253|    2|upnp_context.cpp  :39   ] Creating UPnPContext instance [0x561b5543a810]
[1632160236.253|   14|nat_pmp.cpp       :31   ] NAT-PMP: Instance [0x7fd6e0012d30] created
[1632160236.253|   14|pupnp.cpp         :102  ] PUPnP: Creating instance [0x7fd6e0022e30] ...
[1632160236.253|   14|upnp_context.cpp  :399  ] Successfully registered controller 0x561b554c5ce0
[1632160236.253|   14|upnp_context.cpp  :131  ] Starting UPNP context
[1632160236.253|    2|upnp_control.cpp  :39   ] Controller@0x561b554c5ce0: Created UPnP Controller session
[b][1632160236.254|    2|account.cpp       :519  ] Couldn't find key "Account.bootstrapListUrl"[/b]
[1632160236.254|   67|pupnp.cpp         :105  ] PUPnP: Instance [0x7fd6e0022e30] created
[1632160236.254|    2|jamiaccount.cpp   :1134 ] [Account 208fd25b5*******] loading account
[1632160236.254|   67|pupnp.cpp         :207  ] PUPnP: Setting observer to 0x561b5543a810
[1632160236.254|    2|account_manager.cpp:57   ] Loading certificate from '' and key from '' at /home/USER/.var/app/net.jami.Jami/data/jami/208fd25b5*******
[1632160236.255|   66|nat_pmp.cpp       :147  ] NAT-PMP: Setting observer to 0x561b5543a810
[1632160236.258|   66|nat_pmp.cpp       :78   ] NAT-PMP: Trying to initialize IGD
[1632160236.258|   66|nat_pmp.cpp       :106  ] NAT-PMP: Initialized on gateway 10.XX.XX.X
[1632160236.258|   67|pupnp.cpp         :355  ] PUPnP: Start search for IGD: attempt 1
[b][1632160236.258|    2|account_manager.cpp:79   ] Error loading identity: Can't read file:[/b] 
[1632160236.258|    2|jamiaccount.cpp   :2654 ] [Account 208fd25b5*******] disconnected
jami-gnome: bignum-random-prime.c:345: _nettle_generate_pocklington_prime: Assertion `bits > p0_bits' failed.

I will have to look more into this but getting side tracked today on some other things. Will be looking more into it tonite.

[coffee412]

Jami - Not working. Noticed in its help forums a lot of users have issues with it. So, Not going to bother.
Hangouts - No google please.
Now to move on to something else (??).

[BwingBob]

You might try Signal.

[Moem]

Jitsi works fine here. I recommend the app image. I grabbed it here (scroll down to the heading Installation.) I use it for group video chats on a weekly basis.

Another option is Telegram. It needs a phone number to use, but all it needs to do is to be able to send a text message to that number to tie different sessions to the same account, in case you reinstall to a different computer or use the web client.
The desktop client is quite usable. You can, if you so wish, also run it on a smartphone (or both).

[SimonPeter]

Installed Jami on my system from repo.

Try installing it from https://jami.net/download-jami-linux/
GNU Jami is THE BEST video conferencing software I know of (REAL end to end encryption, cross-platform .... the goodness of the GNU project).

BTW beware that Jitsi's public instance (meet.jit.si) runs on THEIR server.

On Jitsi, please be sure to turn ON end to end encryption and send the password securely (How?)
https://jitsi.org/blog/e2ee/

[coffee412]

Thank you everyone for the additional replies.

The Jami did install fine from the Mint v.20 repo - on my computer. However, On my GF's computer (Mint 18) it installed but crashed when creating a new account. I might revisit it and try some more things.

@Moem - Thank you, Ill check them out too...


BTW ---
Wire-desktop works fine and had been using it for some time. Problem was, On my GF's laptop it eventually would error out on permissions needed on the video cam. I couldnt solve that issue and evidently others have the same issue.

[SimonPeter]

Thank you everyone for the additional replies.

The Jami did install fine from the Mint v.20 repo - on my computer. However, On my GF's computer (Mint 18) it installed but crashed when creating a new account. I might revisit it and try some more things.

@Moem - Thank you, Ill check them out too...


BTW ---
Wire-desktop works fine and had been using it for some time. Problem was, On my GF's laptop it eventually would error out on permissions needed on the video cam. I couldnt solve that issue and evidently others have the same issue.

AFAIK you can download GNU Jami's Linux Mint 19 (or LMDE 4 or Debian 10) version for Linux Mint 18.