How to chat on Lan with IP Messenger (Local Network)

IP Messenger is one of the excellent tools which allows you to chat on LAN or network with other people if they are using the same software. The software can discover other users who are using it in the network and add them to the list. It displays the same name which one would have set when setting up their user profile in the software. Its an open-source, multi-platform messenger based on TCP/UDP. While there are tons of messenger services around, and you may not need it, but if you want to be off the social network and have your secret chat, this old tool still works.

Chat on Lan with IP Messenger

Chat Lan Messenger

  • Multi-Platform (Windows, macOS X, and Unix)
  • Open source and free download
  • Allows File and Folder transfer along with the network
  • Supports Broadcast Messages to a range of IP addresses
  • Quick View/Scroll more than 100,000 messages with inline images
  • High speed incremental full-text search
  • Support to add comments/images
  • You can lock your message with a password when its sent to another user
  • You can even set your status.
  • Supports NIC extension in the latest version
  • Messages can be logged in case you accidentally close the message box
  • Shows the Ip address, login user, machine name of the other users
  • Send message from the command prompt like this

Command-Line Options

Command Line support
ipmsg.exe [port] /MSG [/LOG][/SEAL] <hostname or IPaddr> <message>
ex) C:\> ipmsg.exe /MSG /SEAL localhost Hello.

Settings and Logs

It comes with a plethora of settings where you can set up a username, group name, options to send and receive options. Then also have the option to configure the call logs. Version four offers a powerful log viewer.

Chat Lan Messenger Settings

It’s excellent software which we are using in the office without any problem. It provides us an easy solution because it’s fast and we don’t get any complaints from our mail servers too. So if you are looking for a chat software which works on LAN, this could be your answer. It’s free, and if I missed its available in languages like Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese also.

  • Download Link for all platforms and languages. Size 102 KB approx.

Are you using any LAN messenger like this? What’s good about it, and what you think this Lan Messenger doesn’t have? Share your views with us in comments!!!

79 COMMENTS

  1. in my macbook pro,running osx10.5.4,the messenger isn’t detecting any contacts(except for my own name). what could be the problem?
    i have successfully sent messages to myself over it.
    thank you.
    my ipm version is 0.9.0
    thank you

  2. My service provider has blocked the port which IP messenger uses.
    Can anyone tell me how do i change the port which IP messenger uses or another IP messenger which uses a differrent port

  3. I have got two series of Ip one in 192… & another in 10….. since I have two network addresses I have entered all the ip’s of 192… into 10…. and in 10…. series i have entered 192… series ip now the problem is >> on some machines of windows Xp in the network 192…. I am not able to see the ip’s of 10…. Please give suggestion how to overcome this problem.

  8. i am using xp professional,the messenger isn’t detecting any contacts(except for my own name). what could be the problem?
    plz solve it man..

  10. Can u please suggest me how to add an ip of a systems which is in intranet but not at same locations.

  14. I’m using Vista Business and the IP messenger isn’t detecting any contacts except for my own and in case it does then the file transfer doesn’t work, can someone please help me with this?

    Thanks in advance!

  15. @DD have you trieed including IP Ranges ? I would also ask you to check if there any problem with IP flushing. Read the comments and you should get more hints.

  17. We have installed this s/w on all machines in LAN but it is not detecting all machines. only some machines it is showing. we have activated this on each machines.then what may be the problem?? please reply me immediately.

  18. My system shows 2 IP Addresses
    1) Main Windows XP system connected to LAN : IP starting with 10….
    2) Virtual Box Host-only Network : IP starting with 192……

    I am running windows XP system and i have a Sun VirtualBox installed on my system.

    My IPMsg on Windows is detecting VirtualBox IP instead of Windows XP IP-Address. Thus I am not able to see other system on my LAN.

    Can you please help me as how can i edit settings of IPMsg to detect Windows XP IP-adress ??

    Thanks.

  19. Further to my above question, here i am adding a little more information :

    I seem to have nailed down the problem, but don’t know exactly how to resolve it for ipmsg.

    Since i have virtual box installed on my windows xp, so my system has now 2 networks. 1) Normal LAN network and 2)Network of VirtualBox.

    Both the networks have different IP Addresses
    Now ipmsg is detecting IPAddress of my VirtualBox Network and hence it is not able to detect other systems on my LAN network.

    Now can somebody help me to configure ipmsg such that it detect my LAN network rather than my VirtualBox Network ??

    Currently one work around is – i have to disable my VirtualBox network in order to make ipmsg work on my LAN Network

    I would be thankful if someone help me configure ipmsg to detect particular network only while there are more than 1 network connections on a system.

    Thanks

  23. The messenger isn’t detecting all contacts!!
    whats IP flushing??? how do i do it??
    and how do i add someone?? i know the ip address but cannot see him

  24. Hey u cannot add ip on the software however, if you wish to view peoples on the lan you need to make sure that the first two places of the ip is the same i.e suppose ma ip is 109.25.245.10 the first two places that is 109.25. shoud be same that your friend is using…

  27. sir….im using ipmsg2.06 currently its not transversing files to another machines when im trying to send files its shows “prepare for transfer” only but not send the files ….can you please give me some valuable information to rectify this problem……

  29. hi,
    i want to used the ip messenge in my lan.but i have dial up connection,so my isp give me ip address via dhcp like

    ip -10.10.2.107
    subnetmask-255.255.255.255<<<<<<<<<<<<<look this subnetmask
    default gateway-10.10.2.1

    in such situation what should i do .

    i cant set the ip address as it is assign by isp dhcp.

    i can ping to other user in my lan which have same setting with different IP address only.

    plz need help

  30. Hello there, I had use Ip Msg in my colleage and it work very well.

    I wonder, it is possible to instal Ip Msg in my Windows Mobile PC v6.1

    I think it will be very helpful, if I can chat to my friends laptop via my handphone with this IP Msg.

    Thx a lot 🙂

  31. Ashish, this is a bit strange but is happening. I am able to recieve files over LAN from other computers but I am not able to send files. whenever i attempt to send the files, the IPMSG on the recipients computer says “Prepare for transfer” and doesnt go forward.

    any idea whats wrong?

    Thank you,
    HEmanth

  35. If you have Virtual Host installed and your IPMSG is taking th Virtual Host IP address as the primary IP. Then you need to disable the Virtual Host network.

    This can be done from ‘My Network Places’ and disable the Virtual Host network. This should solve the problem.

  36. Hi!

    My manager is currently looking for an alternative messenger that we can use in our office to chat but not to send files. Using this application, it there a way to block that feature?

    thanks in advance.

  38. i have lan in my college. Some files are easily send with ip messenger while some larger files do not get send.?

  41. hiii…my messenger isn’t detecting any contacts(except for my own name). what could be the problem?
    plzzzz help me to fix it….

  42. I would just like to ask.. I cannot connect to the computer of my office mate.. 3 computers have IP’s starting with 10.16.254… and the others are using 10.16.252.. only those with same IP’s can connect how can we resolve this.. tnx in advance..

  43. Hi guys

    In my office the engrs use 10.5.1.x 255.255.0.0 and the customer service dept use 10.3.1.x 255.255.0.0. And everyone with ipmsg in both networks can be seen on the ipmsg.

    There is another network, which is sales & marketing with 10.33.1.x but i can’t see them on my ipmsg. They can’t see me either.

    Any help with this?

  45. hii.. if i am chatting with other person on IP Msn, thn can admin check the containts of chat ? “No File Transfer” only text chat.

  48. Respected Sir,
    i’m connected two system(XP) in my room with the following setting
    My Comp
    IP Address – 192.168.0.1
    Subnet Mask – 255.255.255.0
    Default Gateway – 192.168.0.2

    2nd pc
    IP Address – 192.168.0.2
    Subnet Mask – 255.255.255.0
    Default Gateway – 192.168.0.1

    there is no any workgroup and nothing else like Modem and router
    after installing Ipmsger whenever ‘m opening the messanger window
    only 1 system is shown in a list and same situation on other system,
    and wen ‘m sending a msg the msg come itself on same system,
    what can i do,plz help me,we have to transfer the files using ipmsges between this 2 desktops…
    plz help me…

    thanx n regards
    Mohit Patil

  49. Hi my name is Ankit Jain
    my ip is 172.16.155.5
    before ip messenger us to work on my pc
    but now its only showing my name on it
    i cant see any other member
    please tell me what to do
    my email id is [email protected]
    thanx

  50. Hi my name is Ankit Jain
    my ip is 10.10.147.155
    before ip messenger us to work on my pc
    but now its only showing my name on it
    i cant see any other member
    please tell me what to do
    my email id is [email protected]
    thanx

  52. Hi,

    We are using computers on VLAN and IP addresses are configured by DHCP. I am not able to contact person belong to other VLAN. We have three departments and the IP address ranges are:

    WLAN 10.16.4.1 to 10.16.4.254
    Admin 10.16.6.1 to 10.16.6.254
    Staff 10.16.7.1 to 10.16.7.254

    If I use IPMsg in WLAN, I am not able to see the persons in Admin and Staff and same if I am on other VLAN. Please advice…

    Thanks
    Raja

  54. Hi Ashish,
    The ip address in my office computer starts with 10. I need to connect to ip addresses starting with 172. Although I have added the IPS in my list bt other than my name none of the others are visible on my list. Plese help me with the issue.
    Thanks in advance. 🙂

  56. I would like to block only file transfer through ip messenger,
    Please tell me which port is used for file transfer in Ipmessenger

  57. hiii…my messenger isn’t detecting any contacts(except for my own name)before click on refresh button,after click on refresh button no one detecting(including my name). what could be the problem?
    plzzzz help me to fix it….

  58. hi,

    Persons who couldn’t see the other members,should on their ip msg(means the sender and the receiver).you will got an ipmsg logo in your status bar.If am right this would be the problem

  59. i have mandriva os i need to install ipmessanger through wine but when i use to do it show me error
    error in RsA key and cant open ,,,,,
    tell me how to install it

  60. I have got three series of Ip one in 192.168.1.… & another in 192.168.2.…and 192.168.3. since I have three network addresses I am not able to see the user of another series…. Please give suggestion how to overcome this problem. how can i see all user of different diffrent ip.

  64. in my macbook pro,running osx10.5.4,the messenger isn’t detecting any contacts(except for my own name). what could be the problem?
    i have successfully sent messages to myself over it.
    pppplllllllzzzzz need help…

  76. Hi Ashish, I have 2 NIC cards one is local lan with ip range 192.168.0.1 & other is Hathway braodband. Even if i use command line “ipmsg.exe /NIC 192.168.0.1 in the startup it shows all users in the list but i cant receive any messages until i open the ipmsg & refresh it. Please advise.

  78. Hi Ashish , Could you please tell me how to restrict an user to delete chat history IP Messenger’s Log file
    ??

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