Matrix/Synapse Messaging, VoIP, WebRTC server

Adam_Fransson · August 21, 2017, 9:40am

Hi There!

I was also looking into Mattermost but decided to go with Riot (Matrix Synapse server)

Didn’t manage to get it running on neth, dont remember why now but should be interesting for everybody that has been looking at Mattermost.

https://matrix.org/

davidep · August 21, 2017, 10:17am

Thank you @Adam_Fransson, Matrix seems a great project!

I see it has LDAP authentication support, which is an important component that Mattermost is missing on Community Ed.

https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-synapse-ldap3

The synapse server project is tagged at “late beta” stage

https://matrix.org/docs/projects/try-matrix-now.html
https://matrix.org/docs/projects/server/synapse.html

Adam_Fransson · August 21, 2017, 8:27pm

Yes I know it’s late beta but seems pretty stable, some features like voip/video in conference mode isn’t working.

But most things do work and it has some snazzy apps for ios and android that work.

Also desktop clients.

Havn’t tried the LDAP auth support yet. I’ll get back to you if I succeed in connecting it to my Neth server.(if I find the time to do it)

Murz · March 23, 2018, 9:38am

Our company use Matrix/Synapse server more than 2 years, and it work pretty stable! This is great opensource solution to modern messengers like Slack, Telegram, WhatsApp, Skype, etc. More info we can read here: https://matrix.org/docs/guides/faq.html#what-is-matrix

As comparison with XMPP, here is detailed description why Matrix is better: https://matrix.org/docs/guides/faq.html#what-is-the-difference-between-matrix-and-xmpp

Matrix Synapse server can be easily integrated into any LDAP or AD system via integrated Synapse LDAP Auth Provider module or via extended mxisd third-party module.

Murz · March 23, 2018, 9:42am

Link to Synapse LDAP Auth Provider https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-synapse-ldap3

Link to extended LDAP integration mxisd module: https://github.com/kamax-io/mxisd

On my servers the LDAP integration process will be done very quickly.

alefattorini · March 23, 2018, 2:36pm

Thanks for the sharing I guess that we will follow the Mattermost way.
It’s easier to integrate on NethServer since that rpms for centos are already available and constantly updated

fausp · March 23, 2018, 6:46pm

How far is the Mattermost integration ?

alefattorini · March 23, 2018, 7:28pm

Quite ready, you can test it yet

fausp · March 23, 2018, 7:55pm

OK, I will…

Murz · March 24, 2018, 5:59am

Matrix killer feature is Federation, so you can easily talk (via private and group chats) from your server with users of any other Matrix server. This feature is not implemented in any other messenger, only in old XMPP protocol. So perspectives of Matrix is larger, that of Mattermost or other.

Here is short manual how to install Matrix Synapse server on CentOS: https://www.upcloud.com/support/install-matrix-synapse/

robb · December 20, 2019, 1:15pm

ok… here is my necro-revival of an ancient topic for this year. I know, we already have mattermost, but afaik mattermost is quite stand-alone. It absolutely is a powerful communication application, but it lacks the option to communicate with people on other instances. You have to have an account on a specific server to be able to communicate.
This is sufficient for groupchat in a company, but when you seek a worldwide communicationtool, a connection to other servers is needed, In these times of centralized powerhouses like FB and Google, imo the only way to oppose that, is to go de-centralized.
And the initiatives for decentralized communication and social media are already overwhelming. We have seen a great howto install diaspora* on NethServer by @mrmarkuz as an alternative to FaceBook. Besides that there are many more alternatives for current centralized social media options:

mastodon instead of twitter
hubzilla and friendica as a multiprotocol option to post to both diaspora and mastodon.
funkwhale as a decentralized music sharing solution
peertube as an alternative for youtube

For chat and voip matrix synapse could fill in the blanks to have a decentralized communications option available. It will make it possible to communicate with people that are not having an account on your own server. And that is what currently is missing in the mattermost module.
So my end-of-the-year-feature-request would be: Have a matrix-synapse server based module for NethServer.
Latest news on adoption of matrix is that Mozilla ditched their IRC channels in favor of matrix channels: https://matrix.org/blog/2019/12/19/welcoming-mozilla-to-matrix/
What do you think?

JSEHV · February 29, 2020, 6:52am

I fully support your view. We need a decentralized communication server that is able to connect to the outer world. An easy installation of Matrix Synapse via the new Cockpit interface and integration with the AD/LDAP would be the preferred solution in my view. This gives businesses the ability to communicate internally and externally using the same solution. You have my vote!

robb · February 29, 2020, 7:43am

OK, then the way to approach this is just to install matrix-synapse on nethserver and document the steps into an install howto…
Who is in help test this?

robb · March 4, 2020, 3:06pm

I will start an install howto topic for Matrix-Synapse on NethServer. I could use some help getting this done.
@support_team @dev_team @mrmarkuz @ambassadors_group

please spread the word…

oneitonitram · March 20, 2020, 1:04pm

@Adam_Fransson
I guess we should be happy now there is a matrix/synapse integration on Nethserevr.
Thanks to you
i have tested it extensively and it’s great.
ldap works great.
video calls via jitsi are great. managed to host 7 people today on a video call. and screen sharing.
EDIT: @robb too, you championed for this to happen.

oneitonitram · March 22, 2020, 3:55am

@mrmarkuz follwoing this conversation, as well as a build up on the skype replacement discussion.

what do you thing of hosting jitsi internally, and configuring it to work with matrix/synapse server that we already have.

so that on the interface of RIOT, instead of the connections going to an external 3rd party system.

here is a tutorial on how to install jitsi: https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Jitsi
but does not tell how to integrate it with our instance.
also, not sure following that instruction, what will break in our Nethserver environment.

mrmarkuz · March 22, 2020, 4:07am

A good video conference solution would be nice. I’ll give it a try the next days…

Maybe we can use apache instead of nginx.

github.com

jitsi/jitsi-meet/blob/master/doc/debian/jitsi-meet/jitsi-meet.example-apache


<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName jitsi-meet.example.com
    Redirect permanent / https://jitsi-meet.example.com/
</VirtualHost>

<VirtualHost *:443>
    ServerName jitsi-meet.example.com

    # enable HTTP/2, if available
    Protocols h2 http/1.1

    SSLEngine on
    SSLProxyEngine on
    SSLCertificateFile /etc/jitsi/meet/jitsi-meet.example.com.crt
    SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/jitsi/meet/jitsi-meet.example.com.key

    Header always set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=63072000"

    DocumentRoot "/usr/share/jitsi-meet"

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oneitonitram · March 28, 2020, 7:20am

hi @mrmarkuz did you manage to get jitsi working on nethserver.
also, you had suggested using apache other than nginx, whats the going.

mrmarkuz · March 28, 2020, 12:54pm

Implemented mautrix-telegram bridge (see howto) and actually I’m fighting with synapse-admin to make it work to have an admin UI.
When I have something working regarding jitsi I’ll post it…

oneitonitram · March 28, 2020, 12:59pm

wonderful work @mrmarkuz
the admin system will be a great addition we are currently flying blindly…
let me test the telegram bridge