
Signal Desktop beta now publicly available - vmorim
https://whispersystems.org/blog/signal-desktop-public/
======
Sephr
Signal Desktop has a standalone registration UI that works perfectly fine in
the source ([https://github.com/WhisperSystems/Signal-
Desktop](https://github.com/WhisperSystems/Signal-Desktop)), but this hidden
feature has been entirely removed from this version.

Here is a convoluted process that will allow you to register with any SMS-
capable phone number, no Android app required:

First, install the Signal GitHub repo (unzip
[https://github.com/WhisperSystems/Signal-
Desktop/archive/mas...](https://github.com/WhisperSystems/Signal-
Desktop/archive/master.zip)) unpacked in Chrome, inspect the background page
and enter `extension.install("standalone")` in your console. Enter a phone
number to get your verification code. Do not submit your registration using
the standalone UI! Keep your verification code for use with the official app.

Next, uninstall the source app and install the official app. Inspect the
background page and type this in your console:
`getAccountManager().registerSingleDevice("your phone number", "verification
code")`. Don't forget to include your country code in your phone number (+...)
and remove the dashes from your verification code, or you will probably get an
error.

No idea why Open Whisper Systems felt that it was necessary to entirely remove
this hidden UI, when it wasn't accessible through any of the standard UI
anyways. The feature works completely fine (and has for months). The only
purpose this removal seems to serve is to force users to install their mobile
app.

~~~
borski
I get an "HTTPError: Failed to connect to the server, please check your
network connection" for the first part (extension.install). Does that not
occur for you?

Edit: Ah, it's using a broken SSL cert (chain is broken). Going to the URL
manually and accepting the break works.

Edit 2: The verification code doesn't work.

------
click170
I just wish Signal was easier to get through a firewall.

"You need to open TCP 31337 and _all UDP ports_ in order for Signal to work."
Emphasis mine.

[http://support.whispersystems.org/hc/en-
us/articles/21369721...](http://support.whispersystems.org/hc/en-
us/articles/213697218-Which-TCP-UDP-ports-need-to-be-available-)

When I first read that I was sure that must largely apply to the calling
(voip) features, but testing showed me I was wrong. I couldn't even make
messaging work through a firewall so now I sourly use Telegram instead (no
private chats by default in telegram??).

~~~
lqdc13
No private chats at all for Windows/Linux. It is actually insane that (unless
I'm missing something) there is no usable/accessible trustworthy end2end
encryption chat program that has both mobile and desktop clients.

Note: Telegram desktop alternative apps have major usability issues at least
on Linux.

Edit: Also, many people refuse to install/use Chrome for various reasons, so
even if you don't have to open ports, this still won't be a solution.

~~~
dmix
> Edit: Also, many people refuse to install/use Chrome for various reasons, so
> even if you don't have to open ports, this still won't be a solution.

Let's be honest, there aren't many. Chromium is enough to please the majority
of OSS people. And if they are not using Chrome for 'security' reasons they
are very misinformed.

~~~
wtallis
Show me where to get a NoScript replacement and I'll consider that Chrome or
Chromium might have a clear advantage in security. But if you try to point me
at an extension that only blocks JavaScript based on URLs, I'll consider _you_
very misinformed.

~~~
twr
NoScript does more than block JavaScript, but if that's all you're interested
in, uBlock Origin can block inline and external scripts on a global or site-
specific basis.

[https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/Dynamic-
filtering:-qu...](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/Dynamic-
filtering:-quick-guide)

------
laretluval
What's with all the weird restrictions on using Signal? Why do I have to
register via an Android account? Why not a simple messaging app that just lets
me message anyone else with the app with no bullshit?

Signal has done an excellent job of branding itself as the one true E2E
encrypted messaging app made by real experts, as against e.g. Telegram. But
the actual product is hugely disappointing because of these apparently
arbitrary and, in the case of requiring a phone number, privacy-damaging
restrictions.

I'm ready to look for something else.

------
will_hughes
dupe:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11449610](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11449610)

------
superkuh
Even if I could get over it using Chrome as it's runtime environment requiring
a phone number is a deal breaker.

~~~
Amir6
Indeed! I can not understand the logic of using phone number in such apps
while many security experts (like Jacob Appelbaum) call cell phones as little
tracking devices which allow you to make call and send text with! Such a
disappointment!

------
newman314
Tried signing up for Signal using a RingCentral number. The callback
verification triggers way too quickly for a VoIP call to propagate, answer and
verify.

Gave up. =(

~~~
newjersey
Google Voice works in my experience. Just to be clear because I know moxie
reads hn... What should happen differently?

~~~
newman314
Solution: introduce a sufficiently long wait to allow for call to connect and
pick up

~~~
newjersey
I believe this is something they'd have to talk to twilio about?

Have you had any experience with twilio? Any problem receiving calls?

~~~
newman314
I didn't know Signal used Twilio on the backend to verify. I haven't used it
myself but know someone that works there. Maybe they can help look into it.

------
zeveb
It really would make sense if Signal would support more than just phone
numbers as identifiers. It shouldn't be too hard: in the protocol, use URIs as
identifiers, using tel: (or sms:?) for mobile phones, mailto: for email
addresses, maybe urn:uuid: for general UUIDs.

I've not looked at the internals — it's possible of course that it already
does exactly this.

------
emdd
This is 1 month old...

------
libeclipse
This is back from April. Why is it on the front page now?

~~~
Dirlewanger
Collective audience amnesia + use of weasel words like "now" \+ said
audience's hard-on for anything encryption-related.

------
mrmondo
Android only

------
HaseebR7
Is it only me or does the UI look an awful lot like WhatsApp Web ?

------
wskinner
But does it work on iOS?

~~~
simoncion
Downvoted because this information is trivially discovered. :(

~~~
sleepless
Is there a specific bug for iOS compatibility?

~~~
simoncion
Ugh.

Check the second result of [0] (entitled "What is Signal Desktop? How can I
sign up?").

[0]
[https://encrypted.google.com/#q=%22signal+desktop+ios%22](https://encrypted.google.com/#q=%22signal+desktop+ios%22)

~~~
sleepless
From what I see your link does not provide a ticket item but a plog post which
is an entirely different thing.

