epoch
10-02-08, 18:12
IRC - A Quick Guide
IRC has been going for yeeeeears. Since 1988 in fact.
IRC provides us with a real-time chat/conferencing system. It's really handy for having multi-person discussions (much better that 10 people speaking at the same time on Teamspeak!).
To today's MSN generation, IRC seems complicated and featureless. Nothing could be further from the truth!
There are 100's of IRC networks out there, and millions of channels, covering every topic imagineable! Even goats!
The IRC network we'll be using is Quakenet, which (as the name might suggest!) is popular in the gaming community. Gamers throughout the world regularly, and habitually connect to IRC - usually Quakenet - as a matter of course. Most game server providers (eg our own Multiplay) provide real-time support through IRC. It really is a very good system, and is still going strong nearly 20 years after it's inception.
Did you know - news of the Soviet coup against Gorbachev in 1991 was broken through IRC, as there was a media blackout. Likewise, news of the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq was broken on IRC. So keep it handy - you never know when you're gonna need it!!
Right - enough of the history lesson
To use IRC effectively you only need two things:
IRC software
A login
The most popular IRC software is mIRC (www.mirc.com). There are others (e.g. Chatzilla) but mIRC is the most popular, especially for beginners.
The login you'll need is to authenticate with the Quakenet network. You don't have to do this (you'd just basically be a guest) but if you don't 'auth' then you can't get special permissions to channels etc. It only takes a few minutes to get auth'd so it's worth doing.
First off, download (http://www.mirc.com) and install mIRC.
Launch mIRC
Click Continue if prompted on the Register box
If the Options box doesn't appear automatically, click on the Tools menu, then Options
In the Full Name box enter a name (not necessarily your real name
In Email Address enter your email address
In Nickname, choose a nickname
In Alternative, choose an alternative nickname, in case your 1st choice isn't available.http://www.tacteam.org/epoch/irc/irc1.jpg
Click on Servers on the list in the left panel
In Description, enter a description (e.g. Multiplay IRC)
In IRC Server, enter the server address (I use 'irc.multiplay.co,uk')
Ignore Ports, Group, and Password
Click Addhttp://www.tacteam.org/epoch/irc/irc2.jpg
Click Options in the left panel
Click Connect on startup
Click the Perform button
Tick the Enable perform on connect option
In the Perform Commands box, enter: /join #tacteam
Click OK, then OK againhttp://www.tacteam.org/epoch/irc/irc3.jpg
From the File menu, choose Connect. The computer may beep a few times, then it should connect you to Quakenet. It should also join the #tacteam channel. If a box appears with lots of channels, untick the show channel list option and OK it.
You can now chat away in the Tacteam channel, or join other channels if you wish. However, to get the most out of IRC you need to register, or AUTH, with the network. It's really easy. Here's how ...
Make sure you've launched mIRC. If you're in a channel, type /leave to leave it (so we don't accidentally type a password into the channel).
You should now be in the Quakenet status window. You may see the MOTD (Message Of The Day).
In the typing area at the bottom, you need to say 'hello' to the network in order for it to give you an account. So, type:/msg Q HELLO <your email> <your email> <-- i.e. type your email address twice
'Q' will reply that an account has been created for you and the details sent to the email address you gave.
Check your email. It should give details of your username and password, and also details on how to change the password from the complicated one Q has assigned you!
Armed with your new username and password, type the command to AUTH with the network in the chat area at the bottom of the Quakenet Status window:
/msg Q@CServe.quakenet.org AUTH username password
This will AUTH you onto the network.
You can now change your password to something you prefer:
/msg Q@CServe.quakenet.org NEWPASS oldpassword newpassword newpassword <-- ie your old pass, and new one twice
Every time you log onto IRC you'll need to enter that AUTH command. A bit tedious eh? Don't worry - you can do it automatically in mIRC!
Click Tools then choose Options
Click the Perform button
In the Perform Commands box, place your cursor at the beginning and press enter to make a new line. Then, type the AUTH command as the first line (don't forget to use your new password).http://www.tacteam.org/epoch/irc/irc4.jpg
Click Ok twice then close mIRC. Start it back up again - if you've done everything right it should auto connect and AUTH you.
Job done.
IRC has been going for yeeeeears. Since 1988 in fact.
IRC provides us with a real-time chat/conferencing system. It's really handy for having multi-person discussions (much better that 10 people speaking at the same time on Teamspeak!).
To today's MSN generation, IRC seems complicated and featureless. Nothing could be further from the truth!
There are 100's of IRC networks out there, and millions of channels, covering every topic imagineable! Even goats!
The IRC network we'll be using is Quakenet, which (as the name might suggest!) is popular in the gaming community. Gamers throughout the world regularly, and habitually connect to IRC - usually Quakenet - as a matter of course. Most game server providers (eg our own Multiplay) provide real-time support through IRC. It really is a very good system, and is still going strong nearly 20 years after it's inception.
Did you know - news of the Soviet coup against Gorbachev in 1991 was broken through IRC, as there was a media blackout. Likewise, news of the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq was broken on IRC. So keep it handy - you never know when you're gonna need it!!
Right - enough of the history lesson
To use IRC effectively you only need two things:
IRC software
A login
The most popular IRC software is mIRC (www.mirc.com). There are others (e.g. Chatzilla) but mIRC is the most popular, especially for beginners.
The login you'll need is to authenticate with the Quakenet network. You don't have to do this (you'd just basically be a guest) but if you don't 'auth' then you can't get special permissions to channels etc. It only takes a few minutes to get auth'd so it's worth doing.
First off, download (http://www.mirc.com) and install mIRC.
Launch mIRC
Click Continue if prompted on the Register box
If the Options box doesn't appear automatically, click on the Tools menu, then Options
In the Full Name box enter a name (not necessarily your real name
In Email Address enter your email address
In Nickname, choose a nickname
In Alternative, choose an alternative nickname, in case your 1st choice isn't available.http://www.tacteam.org/epoch/irc/irc1.jpg
Click on Servers on the list in the left panel
In Description, enter a description (e.g. Multiplay IRC)
In IRC Server, enter the server address (I use 'irc.multiplay.co,uk')
Ignore Ports, Group, and Password
Click Addhttp://www.tacteam.org/epoch/irc/irc2.jpg
Click Options in the left panel
Click Connect on startup
Click the Perform button
Tick the Enable perform on connect option
In the Perform Commands box, enter: /join #tacteam
Click OK, then OK againhttp://www.tacteam.org/epoch/irc/irc3.jpg
From the File menu, choose Connect. The computer may beep a few times, then it should connect you to Quakenet. It should also join the #tacteam channel. If a box appears with lots of channels, untick the show channel list option and OK it.
You can now chat away in the Tacteam channel, or join other channels if you wish. However, to get the most out of IRC you need to register, or AUTH, with the network. It's really easy. Here's how ...
Make sure you've launched mIRC. If you're in a channel, type /leave to leave it (so we don't accidentally type a password into the channel).
You should now be in the Quakenet status window. You may see the MOTD (Message Of The Day).
In the typing area at the bottom, you need to say 'hello' to the network in order for it to give you an account. So, type:/msg Q HELLO <your email> <your email> <-- i.e. type your email address twice
'Q' will reply that an account has been created for you and the details sent to the email address you gave.
Check your email. It should give details of your username and password, and also details on how to change the password from the complicated one Q has assigned you!
Armed with your new username and password, type the command to AUTH with the network in the chat area at the bottom of the Quakenet Status window:
/msg Q@CServe.quakenet.org AUTH username password
This will AUTH you onto the network.
You can now change your password to something you prefer:
/msg Q@CServe.quakenet.org NEWPASS oldpassword newpassword newpassword <-- ie your old pass, and new one twice
Every time you log onto IRC you'll need to enter that AUTH command. A bit tedious eh? Don't worry - you can do it automatically in mIRC!
Click Tools then choose Options
Click the Perform button
In the Perform Commands box, place your cursor at the beginning and press enter to make a new line. Then, type the AUTH command as the first line (don't forget to use your new password).http://www.tacteam.org/epoch/irc/irc4.jpg
Click Ok twice then close mIRC. Start it back up again - if you've done everything right it should auto connect and AUTH you.
Job done.