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How to set up a Telegram-Mattermost link

We have a new "matterbridge" service, which enables you to link a Telegram channel or group to a Mattermost channel.

The purpose of this service is to reduce the number of communication tools you have to use.

Rebels who are comfortable with Mattermost can keep in touch with Telegram channels, without having to join the Telegram channel.

Likewise, rebels who do not want to use Mattermost, but want to stick with Telegram can do so, without being in a Telegram only silo.

The link can be one or two way. For instance, the Rebellion Broadcast and Movement Broadcast channels are one way, from Telegram to Mattermost. Only the Telegram channel admins can post to it, so this avoids people commenting on Mattermost and that getting copied to the Telegram broadcast. (It is possible for Hub Admins to set a Mattermost channel to Broadcast Only, so people not in the Hub Group that own the channel have their posts removed every night.)

A group that has a thriving Telegram channel, with some people who do not want to use Mattermost could set up a 2-way link. Then the ones who do use Mattermost can leave the Telegram channel, but still be able to join conversations.

Prerequisites

It is very important that people in the existing channel or group know beforehand that you intend to set up a link to or from Mattermost, why you are doing it, and who will get access. Consultation about it would be even better.

Instructions

  1. Get a channel administrator to join user "Coov6aiw_bot" (our bot) to the Telegram channel or group as Administrator. They can turn most of the permissions off - a Telegram->Mattermost link only needs to be able to read messages; a 2-way link also needs to post messages.
  2. Find the channel ID.
    • Go to the Telegram page: https://telegram.org/
    • Scroll down to the bottom of the page and find the Web-browser link
    • Click this to open Telegram on your Browser
    • Click on your chosen Channel for Matterbridge
    • Look at the browser address bar and find the part that looks like c12112121212_17878787878787878.
    • Remove the underscore and after - c12112121212.
    • Remove the prefixed letter - 12112121212.
    • Prefix with a -100 so - -10012112121212.
    • And that’s your Channel ID.- simples!
  3. Decide what channel the data is going to on Mattermost. Visit it with a browser, and note down the team name and channel name from the browser address bar.
  4. Join @matterbridge to the destination team (if not already in it) and channel on Mattermost.
  5. Ask the DDAT Team to add your link.

How to add a bot to a channel on Telegram:

Desktop:

  • Open the desktop app
  • Go into the channel
  • ... menu, Manage Channel
  • Click Administrators
  • Click Add Administrator
  • Type the name of the bot
  • Click on it to add
  • Click OK to add it
  • Turn off all the permissions
  • Click Save

It works the same on a phone:

  • Open the app
  • Go into the channel
  • Tap on the title bar
  • Tap administrators
  • Tap Add Admin
  • Tap the search icon
  • Type the bot name
  • Pick it from the list
  • Turn off all the rights
  • Tap the tick at the top
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