To the people here that host a synapse server, how do you handle registration?
Do you use the new matrix authentification server? How does that work?
If not, registration works via element web, where you can have a captcha to avoid a bot swarm. However the only accepted captcha in the synapse config is recaptcha. Have you read the news? Well, we will have to change the captcha method. I think I read somewhere it was possible to use hcaptcha on elementweb however the setting does not exist in synapse, or I did not find it.
How do we do?
We allow registration with a one time token only and a hidden registration page. The token is generated via bot by an admin/mod.
For friends that I know, they can just ask me and I’ll give them a login secret. I don’t have the headspace to manage fedidrama.
LoL, we dont. Accounts are issued to individuals. My local sysadmin cosplay group encourages people to make their own instances with small user counts and to federate the services with each other. That way if one users network goes out as residential networks are want to do, communication is not completely down for the collective.
local sysadmin cosblay group
made my day. So apt.
Pedantic comment of the day
as residential networks are want to do
The word you’re thinking of is “wont” pronounced the same as “want,” which makes it pretty confusing for anyone who might not have read it before, but only heard it spoken.
I didn’t know that and assumed a typo. Well there was a typo, but not the one I thought.
Thanks!
Mine’s only for people I know personally, so it’s backed by my LDAP server and registration is disabled in Synapse. I use my regular onboarding process to create the new LDAP user and grant access to Synapse.
Open registration if and only if you are ready for routine maintenance, creating cleaning schedules, applying spam filters, balancing resource usage, etc. Not to discourage, but for you to know what you really want. If server is for friends and family, just leave registration closed.
My recommendation, as someone hosting a public server is to first host the server for yourself, play for some time, join some rooms on other servers, then invite friends, then if you feel ready and willing open it to the public.
Matrix Authentication Service is good to have, as you can use next-gen Element X which is most polished app as for now.
Thanks but my instance is already open for registration. Goal is to have ease of use here, it’s already hard enough to make people switch messenger apps.
edit: btw Element X works also without MAS? Or you mean just for the registration?
Element X requires MAS for registration by design, but login is whatever for now. They’re very adamant about making the app MAS-centric.
Also, open registration will get your instance banned from matrix.org homeserver afaik. Probably not an issue if you don’t plan to federate with them, but worth noting.
No federation issue atm, server has been up more than 2 years now.
If by “open registration” you mean that anybody with your domain name can just go and create an account with no extra verification, then that’s interesting. Good to know.
Yes that is what I mean.
Does Synapse have an option to create a one-time registration token with short expiry? I’d do that if my community is small enough.
Yeah, that’s how I set my private server up
I don’t allow registration but I can manually create accounts. My server is just for me and a few others so this is perfectly fine for me
Use Continuwuity instead of synapse… Faster and much less resource hungry
Yeah probably but now I have a running instance with other users than me and I don’t see any tutorial/doc to make the switch.
It isn’t possible to switch non-destructively.
wasn’t there a DB conversion document?
What is this, StackOverflow? You didn’t answer their question and instead just told them to use a different solution.
I don’t use synapse so I cannot directly answer the question. But this is not the support forum for Synapse either, so I think proposing a different approach could be of benefit for the community …
Don’t get me wrong, suggestions are appreciated, but you’re answer is absolutely typical of a Stack overflow “huhuh well don’t do it wrong then” comment. You could have, for example, said you don’t use Synapse but this is why you like Continuwuity. (edit: not prescribing speech, giving an example of how your comment could have read better)
As well, I take issue with the idea that people can only ask for help in sanctioned forums. This is a self-hosting community, after all; I am here not only to learn but to share what I learn, which I thought was the whole point.
Don’t get me wrong, you are a bit patronizing.
I was only giving a suggestion based on my personal experience, I don’t feel obliged to respond directly to their question, as well I do not expect OP must go to a synapse forum, any question is always welcome.
I think OP was looking for fellow lemmiters experience on matrix and the topic, so I felt like giving my experience.
I was a bit brief yes, but not out of line, oli think.
Your comment was correct, just a bit patronizing.
I am not patronising and that was not my intent. Read whatever you want into it of course, I can’t stop you.
That’s alright. It’s not a straight solution but it is an acceptable input. Future hosters might read this thread.
Well, sure, and I appreciate your sanguinity haha! I just main support, and felt your question deserves a proper answer.
I am planning on answering when I’m at a computer, as well, because I actually do have a matrix server set up with Synapse and MAS. Quick question though, when you ask how it works, do you mean the actual backend, or are you asking if the performance/user experience is good?
Both, it’s more of an open question because I have not taken the time to properly inform myself about it eventhough I’ve read something here and there. Thanks!
