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About WSU Instant Messaging

What is it?
Advantages for employees and departments
Advantages for students
How do I use it?
- Install IM client
- Basic instructions
Other information
Where can I get help?

What is it?

Wayne State University Instant Messaging (IM) is another way to communicate and collaborate. Faculty, staff, and students can easily send and receive real-time messages in a conversational manner and transfer files in a safe and secure setting. You need a valid WSU AccessID to use this IM service. WSU IM also is a good business productivity tool, because you can use it to exchange quick messages and get instantaneous replies or answers to questions. IM is especially advantageous for real-time collaboration between people in multiple locations.

In contrast to popular, public IM services that are good for casual chatting (such as Yahoo, MSN, and AOL Instant Messenger), communications sent using WSU IM are secure and encrypted. People outside the Wayne State community do not have access to the system, nor can they see the data being transferred.

Advantages for WSU employees and departments

Safe, secure, and reliable; only open to those people who have valid WSU AccessIDs.
Good way for faculty and staff to conduct business, especially when there's a need for quick exchange of real-time information.
People outside WSU cannot see data or files being transferred.
Convenient business productivity tool, faster than e-mail.

Advantages for students

Secure system, only open to those people who have valid WSU AccessIDs.
Good way to keep in contact with WSU instructors and other students.
Can continue using any other IM service you currently use. The WSU IM service is for communicating with another network of people.
Faster than e-mail.

How do I use the WSU Instant Messaging?

Install IM client

Instant messaging using the WSU Instant Messaging service, requires the download and installation of the free Spark IM Client, which runs on multiple computing platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux) and is supported by Wayne State’s Computing & Information Technology Help Desk.

Instructions for installing the Spark IM client are in the WSU Knowledgebase at:

Basic instructions

Set the server to: messaging.wayne.edu
Log in to the service with your WSU AccessID and password.
To add contacts, see: How do I add contact info to my Spark IM client?

Other information

WSU IM service is accessible, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
WSU Instant Messaging is maintained and supported by Wayne State's Division of Computing & Information Technology (C&IT).

Where can I get help?

If you need help using WSU Instant Messaging and are using the Spark IM client, contact the C&IT Help Desk at (313) 577-4778 or use the contact us form to send an e-mail request.