About NetChat

The Java TCP client-server group chat app, NetChat, with encrypted messages is a simple yet effective solution for secure communication within a group. This project enables multiple clients to connect to a single server, allowing them to exchange messages with one another in real-time. The app incorporates encryption algorithms to ensure the confidentiality of messages being sent between the clients.

The application is built using Java Socket programming to establish a TCP connection between the server and clients. The chat messages are encrypted using symmetric encryption techniques such as AES or DES before being sent over the network. The server acts as a mediator between the clients and ensures that each message is delivered to the intended recipients.

Overall, the Java TCP client-server group chat app with encrypted messages is an excellent choice for organizations or groups that require secure communication channels. It provides a convenient and reliable way for users to communicate and collaborate, ensuring that their messages remain private and secure.

How to run NetChat

Requirements

You need to have Java installed on your system

Server Options

To run NetChat on your local machine change the client socket host in Client.java to use the host 127.0.0.1. This is set by default.
To run NetChat on your local network:
1. Identifyy the IP address of the computer where the NetChat server will run. You can do this by opening a command prompt or terminal and typing ipconfig or ifconfig.
2. Make sure that the computer's firewall is configured to allow incoming connections on the port used by the NetChat server.
3. Change the host to the IP address.

Step 1: Compile

First compile Server.java and Client.java.

javac Server.java
javac Client.java

Step 2: Start the server

Start the server on one machine.

java Server

Step 3: Start the client

The client should be started on all machines that you intend to join the chat on.

java Client