IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat. it’s about as old as the internet, and it’s so simple you can connect to an IRC server via Telnet. It’s also the leetest damn way the kids are chatting these days.
This guide will teach you how to connect to an IRC server, join a channel, register your nick, register your own channel, and we’ll discuss a few of the more popular IRC clients, with walkthroughs for each one.
We’ll be using the un-official totse irc server for example.
1. IRC Clients
In order to connect to an IRC server, you will need to use an IRC client. Listed below are a few, but there are plenty more out there. Experiment and see what you like best. I reccomend xChat for it’s open-source, multi-platform goodness.
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Xchat
You can download Xchat at: http://xchat.org/download/
Install xChat.
Run xchat, if it doesn’t open the server/network list on start up, go to the menu bar and click
Xchat > Network list
Under networks click Add
A “New Network entry will be added. You may name it T0ts3 or anything you like, it’s just a name for the server info.
Next highlight the new server and click edit
Under Servers for New Network you should see “newserver/6667”
Edit this to say irc.t0ts3.com/6667
You can leave the rest of the information as is. Close this window.
Highlight your new server entry and hit connect.
You’ll now see something like this:
- * Looking up irc.t0ts3.com
- * Connecting to irc.t0ts3.com (72.20.21.82) port 6667…
- * Connected. Now logging in…
- * *** Looking up your hostname…
- * *** Found your hostname
- * You have not registered
- * Welcome to the t0ts3 IRC Network blah!blahblah@*.*
If you do, you’re now connected to the IRC server!
Once connected:
type /join #t0ts3
or type /list to see a list of other channels
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Pidgin
Pidgin is a universal chat client. It supports AIM, YIM, MSN, IRC, and a ton of other protocols nobody ever uses. While not the best for IRC, it does the job.
download pidgin at: http://www.pidgin.im/download/
Install, and run pidgin
From the menu bar, click Accounts > Manage accounts
from the Accounts window, click the Add button
Under the Basic tab, Under Login options, fill in the following:
- Protocol: IRC
- Username: Whateveryouwant
- Server: irc.t0ts3.com
- Password: (leave this blank for now. only needed when the server you connect to requires a password to reach)
- User Options
- Local Alias: whateveryouwant
On the advanced tab, make sure the Port: field says 6667
Press the Add button
click the checkbox to enable the IRC account, and it should start opening dialog boxes.
type /join #t0ts3 to join the main chat, or /list to see a list of channels. Enjoy!
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mIRC
You can download mIRC at: http://www.mirc.com/get.html
mIRC is an IRC client for windows. What sets it aside from other clients is it has it’s own scripting language. This can be used for anything from creating shortcut commands for yourself, to programing a bot, to running full blown games.
download, install, and run mIRC
A screen will pop up reminding you how many days you have left before you must register mIRC. DON’T PANIC, DON’T PAY. even if the thirty days expires, you can still use mIRC. the button to continue will be grayed out for a few seconds before it will return to normal, and you can continue as usual. If this sounds like a pain in the ass, get Xchat, it’s free, free.
after this, the mIRC Options window will open up.
fill in the details as follows:
- Full Name: anything you like
- Email Address: [email protected]
- Nickname: whatever (this is how people will see you in the channels)
- Alternative: whatever2 (just incase your first choice is taken)
Do not hit the connect button yet.
On the left menu box, below connections,
Select Servers from the Category window on the left
click the Add button
Fill in the following fields:
- Description: a name for the server (t0ts3)
- IRC: Server: irc.t0ts3.com
- Ports: 6667
- Group: (leave it blank)
- Password: (leave this blank too)
Hit Add
highlight your server and hit Select
This should now take you back to the Connect screen
Hit Connect.
If there are doubts as to whether or not it’s connecting, the “lightning bolt” symbol in the top left server should be solid, not broken.
Once connected:
type /join #t0ts3
or type /list to see a list of other channels
Enjoy!
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2. IRC commands
All commands for IRC are nearly identical by default for most clients. a command is prefixed with a forward slash “/”.
Some of the basic need to know commands are as follows:
/server (join an irc server) example: /server irc.t0ts3.com
/join (used to join a channel) example: /join #t0ts3
/part (used to leave a channel) example: /part #t0ts3 you guys are lame
/me (use this to speak in third person) example: /me is a tool for using this
/msg (used to send a private message to a person or a service) example: /msg bob hey dude wassup?
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3. NICKSERV and CHANSERV
Note: not all irc servers use registered nicks and channels, or use the equivalent of nick/chanserv under a different name. t0ts3.com uses Nickserv and Chanserv, which is pretty much the standard.
You can use the /msg command to message Nickserv and Chanserv
/msg nickserv help will list all the commands with nickserv.
the ones you need to know are these:
/msg nickserv register PASSWORD [email protected] (registers your nickname. nobody can steal it, and if they do, you can take it back with your password.)
/msg nickserv identify PASSWORD (gives nickserv the password so you can use your nick when you login)
Once you’ve registered your nick, you can then use chanserv to register your own channel.
First, use /join to join a channel that does not yet exist. you will now be the only person in that room.
then type /msg chanserv register #thatchannelsname a_password_for_it description of the channel.
or
Syntax: REGISTER channel password description
there’s a lot you can do with chanserv, which I won’t cover. if you’ve registered the channel properly it is offically yours.
I reccomend typing /msg chanserv help for a list of the other commands
These are just the very basics, but it’s enough to get you connected, and stay connected. I take no responsibility for what you do with this guide, it is for information purposes only. You may re-post this guide anywhere.
– Willy Wonka
