INTRODUCTION
Hello and Welcome to the Internet Relay Chat Frequently Asked Questions (IRC FAQ). The FAQ is designed to answer common questions that Newbies (New People) to IRC and more evolved IRC addicts ask about IRC and mIRC. It gives more detailed information then it is sometimes possible to give while on IRC. like anything new IRC can seem confusing at first, this FAQ aims to try and take away some of that confusion so you can enjoy and have some fun while your on IRC. The FAQ won't make you an IRC expert over night, but it will happen.
I for a long time wanted to produce a definitive reference for IRC and bring together on cyber paper for the first time the entire collection of Help information written and produced by #IRCNEWBIES Ops and Channel Regulars past and present over the past few years. I hope you enjoy the FAQ and learn some stuff along the way. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any feedback or comments about the FAQ.
NOTE TO IRC NEWBIES
(NEW USERS)
When I first started IRC in early 1996, I knew nothing about it. I'd heard about IRC on the radio and managed to download this program called mIRC but knew nothing more about it. I figured I'd try it maybe for a week and go back to surfing the web. Once I'd downloaded mIRC I was able to fumble my way into a help channel called #IRCNEWBIES on Efnet.
I like many other Newbies (New Person/user) to IRC felt sorry that I had to interrupt other peoples conversations to ask questions. I was a little affair thinking people would make fun of me, feeling a bit dumb/stupid because these questions were rather simple in nature and feeling nervous about asking other people for help. However I didn't have to worry I soon found that #IRCNEWBIES is a channel designed and setup for new people to IRC/mIRC, it's a place I found that Newbies could cut their teeth on IRC.
In this channels friendly atmosphere I learnt a lot, made friends and had a fun time doing both.
If you are new to IRC and mIRC my advise is to join #IRCNEWBIES on Efnet, don't be scared, nervous or feel stupid, feel free to ask whatever IRC/mIRC questions you have while on the channel, people are always willing to try and help you solve problems. Just take things one step at a time and you'll be an IRC expert in no time at all. #IRCNEWBIES is there to help you learn and have fun and so is this FAQ.
Brad Ireland
June 1998
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
IRC CONCEPTS
This group of questions explains what IRC is and how it works. It explains what IRC Client Software is, IRC Servers and IRC Networks.
Q: WHAT IS IRC
IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat. IRC is a computer network that people connect to using the Internet. IRC allows people to talk or exchange files with each other in real time. It was originally written by Jarkko Oikarinen, in 1988. Since starting in Finland, IRC has been used in over 60 countries around the world.
Q: WHAT IS mIRC ?
An IRC Client is a type of program/software that allows you to connect to IRC Servers. There are IRC Clients for Windows, OS/2, Linux and Unix. mIRC is a very poplular Windows based IRC client program. There are two versions of mIRC one for Windows 3.1 (16bit) and one for Windows 95/NT (32bit). The most current version of mIRC is 5.31 and you can downloaded from the mIRC Home Page. The mIRC web site also contains a lots of useful information about mIRC/IRC.
mIRC is both easy to setup and use. Many people use it for these two reasons. There is also a lot of addons and extensions to mIRC available on the World Wide Web. There are plenty of people that use mIRC so if you need help in learning how to use it or solving a problem you shouldn't have much trouble finding someone that can help you.
Q: WHAT ARE IRC SERVERS AND
NETWORKS ?
IRC is made up of computers known as IRC Servers. An IRC Server is just a computer running a special type of software. The Servers connect with each other to form IRC Networks. There are three major IRC networks Efnet (the lergest network), Undernet and Dalnet. There are also smaller IRC networks being setup that you can connect to.
Q: DOES IT MATTER WHAT IRC
NETWORK I LOG ONTO ?
Each of the IRC networks is separate from each other. This means that to talk to someone else, you both must be connected to the same IRC network. For example if Chquita and MarbyX wanted to talk to each other then they would both have to connect to the same IRC network.
If they both connect to Efnet servers then there is no problem they should be able to talk to each other. They don't have to be on the same Efnet server to talk, any Efnet server enables them to talk with each other in private or in a channel. However if Chquita connected to Efnet but MarbyX connected to Dalnet, then they wouldn't be able to talk to each other. So remember to talk to another friend you must both be logged onto the same IRC network.
Q: CAN I TALK TO PEOPLE ON AOL,
NETCOM OR COMPUSERVE ?
Online Service providers such as America Online, Netcom and CompuServe offer their customers IRC like services called chat rooms or online forums. These are separate from the IRC networks so you can't talk to a friend on IRC from one of these services.
These service providers however do offer limited access to IRC for their customers. To connect to IRC using one of these services users have to configure their computers Internet software and connect to a special IRC Server. Full explanation of how this can be down is at the respective homepages of the service providers.
HOW DOES IRC WORK ?
This is a simple but a slightly technical explaination of how IRC Works. IRC is based on a client/Server comptuer network model. To connect to IRC your computer must have software that enables you connect to the Internet and have IRC a Client program such as mIRC on it. IRC Clients connect you to an IRC Server. Each server can have thousands of users connected to it. To form an IRC network for example Efnet the IRC servers link themselves together.
Once all the servers are linked together anyone connected to any of the servers that are part of the network can communicate and talk with each other. For a more technical and indepth explaination of how IRC works read the full techical spefications that make up RFC 1459 - Internet Relay Chat.
IRC SERVER QUESTIONS
Q: HOW DO I GET A LIST OF IRC
SERVERS ?
To get a list of IRC servers which are currently online you can type /links. Doing this will produce a list of servers most of which you should be able to connect to. The /links command will only give you a list of servers that belong to the current IRC network you are on. For example if you are on Efnet you will only get Efnet servers.
Using mIRC you can select from a list of the most common and popular servers. To do this goto the File menu and choose Setup, a dialog box will appear that displays a list or servers. On this list you can see what IRC Network the server belongs to and the Server Name.
Q: I'M HAVING TROUBLE CONNECTING TO A
SERVER, WHY ?
There are some common reasons why you may encounter problems while trying to connect to an IRC server. Each is explained here.
1.
The IRC Server is not a public server
Some servers are not public and therefor restrict who can connect to them. You'll sometimes see No Authorization or Bad Password messages appear in your status window when you try to connect to one of these private servers. Private servers can be places like Universities that only allow students/teachers to connect to them.
2.
You or your Provider may be KLINED
On IRC servers KLINED means that there is a Ban in place preventing you or your entire provider from connecting to that server. When you try to connect to a server you are klined from you will see a green message in your status window that will say KLINED and provide you with a reason why you or your provider were Klined.
When a server Klines a whole provider (also known as a domain ban) it's usually because one person or a group of people using your provider have been causing trouble. The amount of time bans are in place varys and depends on the server involved. You can contact Server Admin people to ask about bans by email or sometimes a web site that appear in the Message Of The Day (MOTD) of that server when you log on. If you are banned from a server you will need a friend to get this information for you.
3.
You don't have IDENT installed
If you get a message that says something like INSTALL IDENT check your mIRC setup by going to the File menu then Setup, a dialog box appears, choose the Identid tab. Make sure that the Enable Ident Server check box has a tick in it. If you click to put a tick in that check box you will have to restart mIRC. A number of IRC Servers will not let you connect to them without Ident being enabled. Ident is used by the IRC Servers to check if you're a real user.
4.
Server may be Down (not working)
A server may be broken down, being upgraded, having maintenance preformed on it or involved in a Netsplit. All of which would prevent you from connecting to that Server.
Q: WHAT IS THE PING PONG THAT APPEARS ON
MY STATUS WINDOW ?
The green Ping Pong message that you see in your status window is the IRC Server that you are connected to checking to see if your still connected and active. The IRC server checks at regular intervals for connection status by sending a PING. A Ping is an electronic signal, from the IRC server to your computer. You computer automatically responds to the PING with another electronic signal called a PONG.
If the server is busy because of such things as a lot of people logged on, the server may not receive the PONG signal back from your computer within a given time period, assume you are not connected or active and disconnect you. Disconnection for this reason is called Ping Timeout. You can sometimes decrease the chance of a Ping Timeout from happening by logging onto a IRC server close to your geographical location or using a server without as many people logged on.
Q: WHAT IS LAG ?
LAG is the amount of time (in seconds) it is takes for what you type on your computer to appear on the screens of other people you are talking to in a channel or in a private chat. You can Ping another person or a whole channel of people to see how much LAG there is.
When you ping someone you are acting like an IRC server in a way and sending a electronic signal to the other persons computer which will automatically respond with a signal back to your computer once it receives the ping request. The person you ping will see a red ping request in their status window and the reply will show in red in your status window. The Ping reply will tell you how many seconds it took for the computer to receive and reply to your ping request. To ping someone using mIRC type /ping nickname then check your status window to see the ping reply.
Generally you would ping someone because you notice it is taking a long time for others to reply to what you type. The amount of Lag can vary from a few seconds to a several minutes. Lag is usually caused by a high number of people using IRC servers at the same time. IRC servers slow down as more people log onto them.
NICKNAME QUESTIONS
Q: HOW LONG CAN MY NICKNAME BE ?
A Nickname is what people see when you join a channel, or have a private chat with another person. On Efnet a Nickname can be up to Nine characters long while Dalnet lets you have nicknames of up to 250 or so characters. Nicknames cannot have any spaces, / , . & * or ?
Q: CAN I REGISTER OR OWN A NICKNAME ?
There is no official ownership of a Nickname on Efnet, anyone who wants to use a nickname can. It's a case of first come first served. It is considered polite to let someone continue to use a nickname they have been using regularly. Some people get very protective of their nicknames and will resort to such things as flooding you off to get the nickname back.
On Dalnet it's another story. There is system in place called NickServ which enables you to register your nickname. Once registered NickServ can prevent others from using the nickname. The registration of the nick will expire if you don't use Dalnet for more then 30 days,
Q: DO I HAVE TO TYPE MY OWN
NICKNAME ?
When you are in a channel or in a private chat there is no need to type your nickname before whatever it is that you type. Your IRC program/client (such as mIRC) will automatically insert your nickname for you. Although you may not see it on your screen other users will. There is an option in mIRC called Prefix Own Messages that shows you your nickname before whatever you type. In recent versions of mIRC this option is turned on automatically.
To check if it's on or off goto the File menu then choose Options, a dialog box appears, click the IRCSWITCHES tab and look for the option that says PREFIX OWN MESSAGES. Place a tick in this box for your nickname to appear before anything you type, remove the tick to stop this from showing.
Q: HOW DO I CHANGE MY
NICKNAME ?
To change your nickname you can type /nick newnick, Newnick being whatever nickname you want to use. For example if my Nickname was currently Brad and I wanted to change it to Bradley (not that I ever would, it reminds me of when I was in trouble with my mother) I'd type /nick Bradley.
If no one else were using Bradley as a nickname then a message in green writing would appear in channel Brad is now known as Bradley. If the nickname Bradley is already being used by someone else then a message in your status window would appear Nickname Bradley already in use.
CHANNEL QUESTIONS
Q: WHAT IS A CHANNEL, HOW DO I JOIN ONE
AND WHO OWNS CHANNELS ?
A channel is a place on IRC where groups of people can gather to talk about common interests or certain subjects. They are also sometimes called chat rooms or forums. There are channels that talk about a variety of subjects, you are sure to find something that appeals to you.
To join a channel on IRC all you have to do is type /join #Channelname. For example typing /join #Bradschannel will let me join that channel. Remember you need to include the # in front of the channel name or you'll get no such channel appearing in your status window. If you are using mIRC you can bring up a list of popular channels by clicking the Channel folder button on the toolbar. The channel Folder is fourth button on the tool bar.
Channel's are run and maintained by what are called Channel Operators, Channel Ops or just Ops. Channel Ops are regarded as the "owners" of a channel.
Q: CAN I CREATE MY OWN CHANNEL ?
Anyone can create a channel on IRC. Creating a channel is as easy as joining one. To create your own channel, type /join #channelname, for example /join #Underwater_Basket_weaving. When you type this, the channel will be created and you will be the channel Operator (Op). If the channel already exists then you just join the channel but don't get Ops.
Channels will vanish and cease to exist if everyone leaves (or parts) the channel. The channel will be recreated when someone joins it, the first person to join the channel is always the Channel Op.
Q: THERE ARE NO OPS ON MY CHANNEL, HOW
CAN I GET OPS ?
There is no way to get Ops status if there are no Ops on your channel. If all the Ops on a channel leave or are disconnected everyone else must also leave before anyone can regain Ops status.
Again the first person back will get Ops status. You cannot register a channel On Efnet. If you were on Dalnet though you could use ChannelServ to register and protect your channel.
Q: WHAT ARE CHANNEL MODES
AND WHAT CAN THEY DO ?
Channel Modes are used by channel Ops. They are used to help manage a channel. To set or remove a channel mode type /mode #channelname + or - whatever channel mode you would like to set. For example typing /mode #IRCNEWBIES +T will set turn Topic Protection on for #IRCNEWBIES. You can also double click the channel window in mIRC which cuases a Window to appear that lets you set the various channel modes. Channel modes are displayed in [ ] next to the channel name, for example #IRCNEWBIES [+TN].
Each of the channel modes and their functions are explained below.
N - No External Messages
The N mode of a channel when set Ignores external messages sent to a channel, from people not in that channel. This mode is important and is usually set to protect a channels users from being flooded.
For example if the N mode wasn't set on a channel, Tiggergrm would be able to type from outside of IRCNEWBIES /notice #IRCNEWBIES I Am really a nice person and have that appear on everyone's screen in #IRCNEWBIES. If the N mode is set then she would not be able to do this.
M - Moderated
When set to +M a channel becomes Moderated by typing /mode #channelname +M. What you type will not be shown in the channel window unless your an Op or a person with a voice (+ in front of their nick). Everyone in the channel can still type but whatever they say will be suppressed and not shown.
Setting a channel to +M can help if the Ops want to make announcements to other people in the channel without interruption. Some channels have used this channel mode to run meetings or moderate conversations.
V - Voice
On a moderated channel people that have been given a voice have a + in front of their nickname, for example +Poppamike, along with channel Ops are the only people that can speak. To give someone a voice (providing you are an Op) type /mode #Channelname +v nickname. On a channel unmediated it has no effect except decoration.
P - Private
A private channel set by typing /mode #channelname +P, will appear in a listing of channels but without the channel topic shown.
S - Secret
A secret channel, set by typing /mode #channelname +S, will not appear in the channel list at all. Also if someone uses the /names command to get a list of people in a channel the resulting list will be blank. If someone uses the /whois command to see what channels you are in, any channel you are in that is set secret will not be listed.
T - Topic Protect
Setting the topic protect by typing /mode #channelanme +T will prevent anyone apart from channel Ops from changing the channel Topic.
I - Invite Only
If you wish to restrict who can enter a channel you may set a channel to Invite Only by typing /mode #channelname +I. This will prevent anyone from joining the channel unless they are asked or invited into the channel by a channel Op. There is no other way to enter the channel except by getting an invite from an Op.
For example if Brad wanted to enter Doves channel called #WASHROOM and she'd set it to Invite only, Brad would receive a message Can't Join Channel it's Invite Only in the status window when trying to join. If Dove wanted to invite Brad (and she is an Op in the channel) she would type /Invite Brad #WASHROOM. Brad would get a message *** DOVE invites you to join #WASHROOM. Brad could now join that channel. If he left however he would need to be reinvited before he could rejoin
L - Limit
If you would like to limit the number of people that can enter the channel at once then use the L mode. If you want to limit your channel to say 20 people then type /mode #Channelname +L 20. This means after 20 people have entered the channel no one else can enter until someone inside the channel leaves. Once someone else has joined no one else can enter.
K - Key
If you set the channel to +k no one can enter the channel without knowing the keyword or password. This acts much like a password system. To set this mode you type /mode #channelname +k keyword. A person wanting to join the channel would have to type /join #channelname keyword.
Q: HOW DO I GET A LIST OF CHANNELS ?
You list channels to get a list of the thousands of channels that currently exist on IRC. There are two ways you can get a list of channels. You can type the command /list or use the List Channels button on the mIRC toolbar. When you list channels the resulting list will be displayed in a new window. All currently exiciting channels are included in a list except those channels that have the Private or Secret channel modes set.
To get a list of channels type /list. This will open a new window and start listing the channels. There are three options you can use when typing /list, -min, -max and use of wildcards. Some examples are: /list -min 5 which will list channels with 5 or more people, /list -max 10 which will list channels with 10 or less people /list *IRC* which will list all channels with "IRC" in the channelname.
if you are a mIRC user click the List Channels button (fifth button) on the mIRC Toolbar. Clicking this button causes a dialog box to appear that gives you the same list options as explained above. It doesn't matter if you type /list or use the mIRC dialog box you will get a n When you list channels a new window will open to display all the channels in the list.
Listing channels can take several minutes because no matter what options you set for your list, the entire channel list, which is thousands of channels, is sent to your computer. It is your IRC program (mIRC) that does the sorting and displaying of the list results.
Q: I GET DISCONNECTED WHEN I TRY TO DO A
LIST OF CHANNELS, WHY ?
You can sometimes get disconnected from an IRC Server for requesting a list. The IRC server you are connected too thinks you are trying to flood it. It thinks you're flooding it because the list command generates a large amount of information and it triggers the IRC servers flood protection, as a result you get disconnected.
To get around this problem try getting your list from another server that doesn't have it's flood protection so low. You can also try doing the list in non peak times. There are also Web Pages that provide you with an updated list of channels so you don't have to request a list.
Q: WHAT IS A CHANNEL OP ?
People with a @ in front of their nickname mean that they are channel Ops. The role of a Channel Op is to manage, maintain and run a channel. They with other channel Ops set the rules of the channel. In Some channels the Ops also moderate conversations.
Ops also have special commands available to them that help them to run the channel. They can set the various channel modes. If necessary, a channel Op can kick (eject/remove) a people from a channel or Ban people (Eject/remove and prevent them from rejoining) the channel.
Many people want to become a channel Op thinking it gives them power or some sort of status. This may be the case but it is also a responsilbe position and can involve a lot of work.
Q: HOW DO I BECOME A CHANNEL OP ?
You can become a Channel Op in one of two ways. You can be made an Op by someone who is already a channel Op. If you are a channel Op and want to Op someone else type /mode #channelname +o nickname for example /mode #IRCNEWBIES +o Handcuff. If you use mIRC highlight the persons nickname, click once on the right mouse button and a menu will appear. From the menu select Control and another submenu opens. Left click on the Op option and the person will be Opped.
The second method to becoming a channel Op is simply by creating your own channel. By creating your own channel you automatically become a channel Op.
Q: SHOULD I ASK (BEG) FOR OPS ?
It's not considered polite or the correct thing to do to join a channel and ask to be made an Op. Known as Begging for Ops many channels will warn you to stop asking/begging then kick or ban you if you don't stop. Some channels will just kick and ban you without a warning.
If you really want to become a channel Op on a certain channel the best way is to become a regular of the channel so that Channel Ops can get to know you and more importantly learn to trust you over a period of time. For example on a help channel, start helping people asking questions. It may also be advisable to let an Op know in private that you are interested.
Channels have different rules and methods of recruiting new Ops to their channel. Be aware that some channels have a limit of Ops positions available. You may also have to be voted on by all the other channel ops to see if they think you'd be suitable as an Op. So you must be patient it may be some time from when you signal your interest in becoming an Op to the time you actually become one. To a person who is genuine the time delay will not matter.
Q: WHAT IS AN IRCOP ?
IRCOPs help to maintain and operate IRC servers by use of special commands. The most common things you might see an IRCOP doing are Killing (disconnecting peoples connections) people from an IRC serverand if needed KLINE'ing (banning) people from an IRC server or servers. They also have the power to ban an entire provider if needed, for example all Netcom users.
I lot of people think that IRCOPs can Op themselves and have all the same powers as a Channel Op, however this is incorrect. IRCOPs can't Op themselves and only have the power of a channel Op if they are made a channel Op.
IRCOPs on Efnet or reluctant to get involved in channel disputes or takeovers, They have no way of knowing who should or shouldn't be running a channel. I would recommend if you run your own channel to make a friend of an IRCOP, if they know you before a problem starts then they might be more willing to help you if your channel has a problem such as flloding or a takeover.
Q: WHAT IS DCC ?
DCC stands for Direct Client to Client. It's a way to chat with someone privately or exchange files with them. When using DCC a connection is formed between two peoples computers directly. Once established a DCC doesn't rely on IRC servers to send/receive information. This are two advantages using DCC, communications are not interupted if one or both people get disconnected from IRC and the amount of lag is cut dramatically.
Q: MY DCC ISN'T WORKING, WHATS WRONG ?
There are some common problems that prevent DCC from working. By checking the following settings and options you can fix common DCC problems.
Start by going to the File menu choose Setup and then look at the local info tab. If there is anything in the Local Host or IP Address text boxes clear them so there is nothing in them. Then in the section of the dialog box that says On Connect Always Get check the option for IP Address. Click the Ok button to save your changes. At this point exit and restart mIRC.
Q: SHOULD I ACCEPT FILES
PEOPLE TRY TO DCC TO ME ?
Don't accept DCC File Requests from people you don't know. With DCC file requests it's possible to send a person files from their computer to yours. It's possible that troublemakers could send you a virus or other files that may harm your computer. A recent example is Script.ini which causes many problems for mIRC.
It is recommended that you turn off the Auto-Get option in the DCC settings. This will stop people sending you files without you knowing about it. To change this setting goto the DCC menu in mIRC and choose Options. A dialog box appears, click the Send Tab. in the On Send Request section choose the Show Get Dialog so there is a black dot in front of that option. Click the OK button to save your changes.
Q: IF I'M ASKED TO TYPE /FSERVE
SOMETHING, SHOULD I ?
If someone says type /fserve something or rather, don't do it unless you know what you are doing and you know the person asking you to type it. By typing the above it could give a person direct access to your computers hard disk. Allowing them give your computer a virus or allow the person to execute other commands that could damage contents of your computer and it's Operation.
Q: SHOULD I HIT ALT-F4 TO GET
OPS ?
In a word No, It's common sometimes for lamers (idiots) to tell people to hit the ALT and F4 keys to get channel Op status. For those people who don't know what this key combination actually does and because a lot of people like to become channel Ops they don't have a problem doing this.
If someone says hit ALT F4 to get Ops don't do it as this will cause you to be disconnected from IRC and close your IRC program. ALT and F4 is a standard command in all windows programs to exit the program.
Q: HOW DO I COPY AND PASTE
TEXT IN mIRC ?
To cut and paste using mIRC you first highlight the text with the left mouse button. Highlighting it copies the selected text to the windows clipboard. Start the application you want to paste into and from the Edit menu and choose Paste.
if you want to paste information into mIRC then you first copy it to the clipboard using the Edit menu of the other application your taking the text from. Switch to mIRC and hit the CTRL and V keys together to paste the info.
Q: WHAT IS THAT PURPLE TEXT ?
The /me or /action command is what produces the purple text. In mIRC the purple writing is an action. It is a way of describing things. It’s the same sort of thing as stage directions in a play.
To use it type /me waves or /action waves. There is no need to type your nickname when you use this command the /me is replaced with your nickname.
Q: WHAT OTHER COLORS ARE
THERE, CAN I USE THEM ?
There are many colors now used in IRC and mIRC unparticular. There are the standard colors which have always been used and a new range of colors that have been added to mIRC for people to use in normal conversations. The standard colors are listed and explained below.
RED
Used to display /CTCP and /SOUND requests in your channel and status windows.
GREEN Used to display IRC Server messages such as people joining and leaving channels and Nickname changes. Also displays channel modes being set such as changing the channel topic, giving someone Ops or someone being kicked/banned from a channel.
BLUE Used to display messages from your copy of mIRC such as notify list. It also displays peoples quit messages when they exit (log off) from IRC/mIRC.
BROWN Used to display the /msg or /notice command. Also the color used when channel Ops communicate with each other.
BLACK Normal Text Color in IRC/mIRC.
PURPLE Used to show Actions.
Black, Brown and Purple were the only colors that were available for people to use in their conversations on IRC. That was until mIRC version 4.7 came along and introduced 15 colors that people could choose to use. The use of color has grown throughout IRC being places in popups and text just about everywhere.
You can only only use colors in IRC if your IRC program (mIRC) supports it. Color works in mIRC 4.7 and above. To get colored text In mIRC, hold down the CTRL key and press the K key. Then you press the number of the color you want to use. For example typing CTRL+K 3 This is green text and then hitting the Enter key, will produce a line of green text.
The colors you can select from are the following
0 White
1 Black
2 Dark Blue
3 Green
4 Red
5 Brown
6 Purple
7 Mustard Yellow
8 Bright Yellow
9 Neon Green
10 Green/blue combo
11 Light neon Blue
12 Blue
13 Pink
14 Grey
15 Light Grey
You can also change the background colour of a word, you would need to type two numbers separated by a comma instead of just one number. The first number is the text colour, the second number is the background colour. For Example typing CTRL K 4, 8 This is a line of Red Text with Yellow Background, would produce a line of red text with Yellow background.
An important thing to remember though is that only people using mIRC 4.7 or above or those people using another IRC program that supports miRC's use of color will be able to see the color you use. If they don't have a program that supports color then these people will see a mix of the text and the codes used to make the color appear.
Q: WHAT IS A FLOOD ?
Flooding is when someone sends you a large amount of information (usually junk) within a small amount of time that mIRC or IRC Server you are connected to cannot cope and disconnects you. There are three common types of flooding people will try.
1) In channel window or channel notices
2) Private Message windows / DCC Floods
3) CTCP floods.
If you are being flooded in a private message window or by DCC chat requests try to contact a channel Op people with @ in front of their name, using the /msg command for further help and assistance. If someone floods you do not flood them back because it only gives the person more excuses or reason to flood you again.
Q: WHAT DO ALL THESE TERMS
MEAN ?
Like everything else to do with computers and the Internet, Internet Relay Chat (IRC) has it's own terms and expressions that people use. Some common IRC terms are listed below.
BTW
By The Way
LOL
Laughing Out Loud / Lots Of Love / Little Old Ladies
ROFL Rolling On The Floor Laughing
BBL Be Back Later
PPL People
NP No Problem
RTM Read The Manual
RTFM Read The F**king Manual
WFW Wrong F**king Window (common to those who say something in the wrong window)
IMHO In My Honest Opinion
TTYL Talk To You Later
GGP Gotta Go Pee
HTH Hope This Helps
Q: WHAT IS A BOT ?
The Term Bot is short for "Robot". They are actually a program (script file or .ini file) designed to perform automated functions on a specific channel or channels. Things such as give Ops status, maintain channel modes/topics and help with channel protection for such things as floods. Some bots can even play poker! or serve drinks!
Most bots, are used to harass people on IRC and therefore, banned on most IRC channels and servers. You can be banned from Entire IRC Networks for using bots if you are caught. Bots are a complex topic and not something that this FAQ can cover. You can do a search at Yahoo for "IRC Bots" and find more detailed information.
Q: WHAT IS A NETSPLIT ?
IRC is made up of several connected computers called IRC servers. For example there are 100 servers that make up the ACMEIRCNET IRC network. When everything is working correctly everyone logged onto any of the ACMEIRCNET servers can talk to each other.
A Netsplit happens when when one or more servers from an IRC network becomes "disconnected"or lose connection from the rest of the IRC network that they are usually attached to. Netsplits are usually fixed within a short time period although depending on the problem can last longer. IRCOPs help to correct problems when a Netsplit happens.
The sudden disappearance of part of the network means that people on certain IRC servers will not be able to see people on other servers. Netsplits are usually caused by a lot of people logged onto IRC, Large amounts of lag on the system or breakdown of a one or more servers.
When this happens there is the sudden disappearance of one or more users from a channel. When a split happens you may find you are the only person left on a channel. The other people have not quit all at once leaving you by yourself.
To make it easier to understand look at it like this Efnet has 80 servers that form the whole network. If one of the servers break down for example then all the users on that server become isolated from the rest of the network (the other 79 servers). They will see the quit messages of people they are not logged onto the same server as themselves.
The quit message people will see will be composed of the names of two servers involved, separated by a space. The first name is that of the server which is still connected and the second name is that of the server that has become disconnected. Netsplits can last from very small amounts of time 5 minutes or less to several hours depending on what the problem was in the first place that caused the server to disconnect in the first place.
While splits are being repaired Lag times can increase dramatically you may be able to see the nicknames of several people in channel but they are not talking. This is usually because the split hasn’t been fully fixed so don’t feel like your being ignored it just may take a bit longer for peoples replies to get to you.
WHAT ARE SERVER OPS
Server Ops is sometimes confusing to explain but I’ll try to make it as easy as possible. You first need to know what a Netsplit is so if you haven’t read that section jump back for a minute before going on.....ok you back lets get started.
when there is a split you can be the only person left in a channel and there for you have ops status if you rejoined and re-created the channel, but you only have ops on that server the rest of the servers still have the original ops that were on the channel before the split. It’s just that the split away server doesn’t know anything about the other servers. When you have ops on a split IRC server then this is called Server ops.
When the split is fixed the IRC servers say well I have Bob opped on this server and the other servers say well I have Yerg opped on this server. if bob was on the split server he rejoins the channel and the IRC server sets him as op. The IRC servers once a split is fixed talk to each other to find out who is on a channel who is op, what the channel topic is, what bans have been set and what channel modes are in place. This is why you is IRC servers giving people ops status.
Getting back to our example many channels setup protection for server ops. So if Bob isn't a regular op on the channel then the rest of the ops wouldn’t have him on their list of ops so when the split fixes and Bob gets op status the rest of the ops for example Yerg would deop bob because bob didn't really have op status he had server op status.
note though that Yerg would have to have the commands setup to deop bob if there was no protection then bob would remain an op. This is how some people try to take over channels banking on the fact they can deop all the other ops before the other ops can deop them. sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't
So in a nutshell that’s what server ops is all about. Server ops really only happen during netsplits and when splits fix themselves and the servers talk to each other to decide who has op status.
Q: WHAT IS A CLONE ?
You could be excused for thinking that a clone is something like "Dolly The Sheep" (or was it a cow). Farmyard animals however isn't what a clone means on IRC.
A clone is two connections to IRC from the same person, at the same time. This means that one person is running two copies of mIRC on the same IRC network. The clones may have different nicks, but you can tell its a clone because the clones have the same user address, username and IP address in most cases.
Example:bot1 (botowner@some.domain.com) bot2 (botowner@some.domain.com). Most people use clones to harass other IRC users. That is why they are banned on most IRC channels and servers.
Q: WHAT IS THE /NAMES COMMAND
DO ?
The /Names command can be used to get a list of peoples nicknames on a channel. For example type /names #Bradswifeclub and check your status window. You will get a list of nicknames on that channel who are not set to be invisible. The /Names command will not give out any nicknames if all users are set to invisible or if the channel has the +S (Secret) mode set.
You will get a full list of everyone in the channel whether they are set to invisible or the channel set to +S, if you are in the same channel when you use the /Names command. When you join a channel using mIRC the /names command is automatically carried out and a list provided in your status window.
Q: WHAT IS SETTING MYSELF
INVISIBLE MEAN AND HOW DO I
DO IT ?
What turning yourself invisible does is to stop people who use the /names command from seeing your nickname and thus hiding the fact you are on that channel. You can make yourself invisible by typing /mode yournick +i. If the person using the /Names command is in the same channel as you then your nickname will appear on the list. if someone knows your exact nickname they can use the /whois command to see what channels you are on.
Q: WHAT IS CTCP ?
CTCP stands for Client To Client Protocol. It is used to perform such commands as Ping, Finger, Version, Time, Client and Userinfo. For example /CTCP nick ping will ping someone called nick. If you use mIRC then you can highlight some ones nickname then right click on the mouse choose the CTCP menu then choose one of the commands on this menu.
Q: WHAT IS A NICK COLIDE ?
IRC Only allows one person at a time to use a nickname. Although there are occasions where two people end up with the same nickname and both users are disconnected (Killed). If these events happen then this is what is called a Nick Colide. or killed. There are two reasons a nick colide could happen:
1) When someone else on the other side of a Netsplit gets the same nickname. Because the IRC Servers do not communicate with each other correctly during a netsplit it becomes possible for the two people to end up with same Nickname. Once the split is fixed both people are killed (disconnected).
2) A Hacker or Troublemaker uses various means to get you disconnected or killed.
Q: HOW DO I GET BACK ONTO A
CHANNEL THAT I'VE BEEN
BANNED FROM ?
If you break the rules of a channel, cause trouble on a channel or insult the Ops on a channel by calling them rude or cruel, then you may find yourself kicked and banned from a channel. Sometimes you enter a channel and are kicked and banned without having said anything.
Once you've been banned from a channel you cannot rejoin that channel until one of the Channel Ops in that channel remove the ban. Bans can last from one minute to permanent. The length of the ban is dependant upon the Channel Ops in that channel.
To get a ban removed so you can rejoin a channel, you must contact one of the Ops from that channel. To find out who the Ops are on a channel use the /names command. Anyone with a @ in front of their name is an Op. Once you have the Ops nicknames use the /msg, /query, /notice or DCC to contact the Op and ask (not demand) the ban be removed.
If the channel is set to secret (+s) or the Ops are set to invisible (+I) the /names command won't give you their nickname. If this is the case you could try typing /mode #channelname +b. This will give you the bans list of a channel in your status window. You don't have to be in the channel to get the ban list.
If an Op or Ops refuses to remove a ban or totally ignores your attempts to contact them, there is nothing you can to to rejoin the channel, the ban needs to be removed by a channel Op.
If you entered a channel and were kicked without a word then it could be the case that your provider such as Netcom is banned from that channel.
Q: I'VE BEEN BANNED ON ONE
CHANNEL CAN AN OP ON
ANOTHER CHANNEL UNBAN ?
Each channel has it's own set of rules and is separate by a different set of Ops, although it’s possible for one person to be an Op on multiple channels at the same time. Generally though a channel Op can only set and remove bans and effect things that happen on the channels they are an Op on, not those that they don't have Ops on.
For example if BlueElf was an Op on #CHICKENWINGS and Dove got banned on #IRCNEWBIES. Dove couldn’t ask BlueElf to remove the ban from #IRCNEWBIES. Only a channel Op on #IRCNEWBIES could remove the ban.
Q: WHAT IS SLAPPING ?
Slapping is a very special command in mIRC. In mIRC when you join a channel on the right hand side of the screen is the "Nickname List". It is a list of all the nicknames of people who are in the channel.
To start to learn how to Slap click once with the Left mouse button on someone’s nickname. Now Right click on the name You should see a menu with some options on it. Don’t worry about any of the for the moment except for the bottom one titled "Slap". Left click on the Slap command and then watch the channel window.
You should see something like this "Brad Slaps Shrimpo with a Large Trout" in purple writing. You’ve just slapped your first Trout congratulations. There were other commands you could have selected from the menu. To use any command from the menu do the same actions as you did to Slap a person. The Slap command is an example of a Popup.
Q: HOW DO I FIND A FRIEND IF I
KNOW THEIR NICKNAME ?
The most common way to find people on IRC is to use the /WHOIS command. The Whois command can tell you if a friend is online, It also provides you with other information. To use it type /Whois Nick (Nick being the nickname of the person you want to try and find) and check the status window.
If the person you are looking for is currently online then you will see several lines of information. If they are not online then you will get a message that says "No such Nickname or Channel".
The /Whois command gives you some information about a person. It will tell the persons user address, their real name (if they filled one out), what IRC server they are connected to, what channels they are on (providing the channels they are on are not set to Secret) and some servers will give the idle time. Whois will also display any away message a person has set.
It is good practice to check the address information of a person before you attempt to contact them. As nicknames are used on a first come first serve basis it may be possible that the nickname appears to be online but it may not be your friend.
Q: WHAT IS THE /MSG COMMAND ?
The /msg command lets you talk to another person in private. Anything you type using the /msg command will only appear on the screen of the person you are sending the message to. To use the command type /msg nick your message. For example type /msg MarbyX hi there and the message will display only on Marbyx's screen.
The /msg command is good for short conversations of only a couple of lines. If you wanted to have a longer conversation in private then use the /query command or DCC.
Q: WHAT IS THE QUERY
COMMAND ?
The /query command works a lot like the /msg command. Instead of appearing as a line of text in the active window of the person you are wanting to talk to in private, it opens another window. To use it type /query nickname your message. For example type /query Chquita Hi, how are you.
Q: WHAT ARE THE /JOIN, /PART
AND /QUIT COMMANDS ?
The /join command is used to join a channel, to use it type /join #CHANNELNAME. For example /join #mIRC or /join #IRCNEWBIES. Remember channel names must have the # in front of them, that is how IRC servers know it’s a channel.
After you've spent some time chatting and you want to leave a channel but stay connected to IRC use the /part command. To use it type /part #CHANNELNAME. For example /part #underwaterbasketweaversclub.
The quit command is used to disconnect yourself from your IRC server. To use this command type /quit your quit message, for example /quit bye bye for now. Using the /quit command will not exit you from mIRC to do that you must exit from the File menu.
Q: HOW DO I SETUP A QUIT
MESSAGE IN mIRC ?
In mIRC you can set up a custom quit message that displays when you go FILE EXIT or use the /quit command. To set it up from the File menu choose Options, then click on the Perform tab. At the bottom of the dialog box that appears there is text box titled "quit message", type in your quit message in the text box and click Ok. Now every time you exit from mIRC your quit message will be displayed to everyone else as if you had typed it.
Q: IF I HAVE A QUESTION, HOW SHOULD I
ASK IT ?
Remember when you ask a question to be patient and don’t demand help right away. People may be busy answering another question, looking up some information, away from the keyboard for a moment or longer if it’s the middle of the night or the most common reason is LAG.
When there is a lot of Lag around it will take longer for your questions to be answered as it takes longer for what you say or ask to appear on other peoples screens. Just be patient if someone can help you they will, don’t feel like you are being ignored and get angry.
Something you shouldn't do is keep repeating your question over and over. Ask it once and wait for someone to answer. If you haven't been acknowledged or haven't seen an answer to your question ask it again. It is not recommend though that you repeat it five times (or more) in a row. You could find yourself kicked from a channel because of flood protection.
Q: CAN I RECORD A CHANNEL OR
CHAT I HAVE ?
After answering questions for people they have asked if there is some way of recording the information they are given while using IRC/mIRC on a channel or private chat. There are several options you can use:
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You can use pen and paper to write everything down
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Use Copy and Paste (Explained Below)
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Save the Buffer (Explained Below)
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Visit this FAQ (Bladant Ad)
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Logging (Recording) to a text file
I use the Logging feature of mIRC to record the information given while online. To start Logging or Recording information type /log on in the channel window to log a channel or in your private chat/DCC window.
From this point on everything said in the channel or private chat will be recorded in a text file. The text file will be called the name of the channel or chat and a .log extension. For example bradschannel.log You can stop logging/recording at any time by typing /log off.
In mIRC you can setup automatic logging so whenever you enter a channel or have a private/DCC chat whatever is said is automatically logged. To setup automatic logging from the FILE menu choose OPTIONS, LOGGING. There are two options you can select in the AUTOMATICALLY LOG section. It is also advisable You may also want to set the path where the log files are stored. By default they are stored in your mIRC Folder (directory).
Use the /ignore command if you type /ignore nick 3 then this will ignore anything they say in channel in a private message will ignore DCC and CTCP. Don’t forget to type the 3 at the end it is important as the 3 means if they change their nickname they are still ignored. Setting yourself to invisible and leaving any channels you are in sometimes effective.
Q: IF SOMEONE SAYS THEY WORK
FOR MY INTERNET SERVICE
PROVIDER, ASKING FOR MY
LOGON PASSWORD, SHOULD I
GIVE IT TO THEM ?
If someone comes on saying they work for your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and they require you to tell them your logon ID, password or other account information DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE GIVE THEM THIS INFORMATION. The person asking is a liar.
The most common story I have seen is when they say the user database has been damaged and they need your details to help rebuild it. If your provider wanted information about any of your account details they could easily get it without asking you. If they wanted information from you they would write or phone you, they would never do business over IRC. They might email you but I would confirm this over the phone with your provider.
The danger of giving such information to someone pretending to work for your provider is that they may be a hacker or some troublemaker. If they got your account information they could cause trouble and it would lead back to you.
5 People sometimes mass invite people to other channels. This really really bugs me and so I have switched off auto accept invites. To do this in mIRC goto the file menu choose options and choose IRC switches turn off the auto accept invites. Note if you mass invite people to your channel besides a lot of the people you invite being annoyed at you for doing it you may find a channel op kicks you, mass invites or advertising channels is an IRC no no on some channels.
Q: SHOULD I GIVE OUT MY EMAIL
ADDRESS TO SOMEONE ?
If someone you don’t know asks for your email address don’t give it to them. Even if it is someone you know don’t give it to them on an open channel use the /msg command or /query command and let them know in private. Don’t let anyone force you to tell them.
Q: WHAT IS SHOUTING ?
On IRC and the Internet in general when you type IN ALL CAPS LIKE THIS, it is considered shouting. It is also considered bad manners to shout. If you are shouting many people will request that you stop shouting. In limited amounts shouting isn’t bad. Some channels will kick/ban you for shouting.
