# Connecting with Pidgin

[Pidgin](/http://pidgin.im/) is an open-source cross-platform chat client that works on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

# Go to the menu bar and select `Accounts` → `Manage Accounts`.\\

Attach:pidgin-menu.png

# Click on `Add`.\\

Attach:pidgin-accounts.png

# For `Protocol`, select `IRC`.\\

Attach:pidgin-protocol.png

# For username, put in the username you registered for the bouncer. For server, put in the server you received by email. For password, type in `username/network:password`. For example, suppose you registered the username `john`, want to connect to the network `ircnow`, and have the password `abcde12345`. Then for password, you would put in `john/ircnow:abcde12345`. Check `Remember password`.\\

Attach:pidgin-basic.png

# For port, fill in 31337. For ident name and real name, fill in your bouncer username. Check `Use SSL`. \\

Attach:pidgin-advanced.png

# Click `Add` at the bottom-right corner.

# If you see a message saying ZNC is not yet connected, type `/znc connect` -- wait a few minutes to connect.