#irchelp FAQ

  1. I'm connected to IRC now. How do I use this thing?
  2. Why can't I send files with DCC?
  3. How can I change the name that appears when I type /whois?
  4. How can I change my email address as it appears in the /whois?
  5. How can I make a message that automatically appears when someone joins my channel?
  6. How do I get into a channel that's invite-only?
  7. I'm banned from a channel and have never been there! Why?
  8. How can I look up a user using their address?
  9. I want to register my nickname/channel. How?
  10. What does a + next to someone's name mean?
  11. How can I see all users on my server?
  12. How can I be a channel op?
  13. How do I set up ICQ?
  14. My web browser/news reader/mailer etc. isn't working. What can I do?
  15. What's a good news server?
  16. How can I make it so that someone can type !send and get a file from me?
  17. How can I make my text appear in colour?
  18. How can I send/receive sounds?
  19. How do I make a message that looks like * My_nick is kewl?

1. Q: I'm connected to IRC now. How do I use this thing?
A: This "thing" is a highly complex multi-user real-time communications system, although the concept behind it is simple and it can appear deceptively simple in the beginning. Don't be lazy - type /help, hit F1, read the huge amount of fine documents at http://www.irchelp.org/. Just do something. We help those who try to help themselves first.
2. Q: Why can't I send files with DCC?
A: This is a common problem with mIRC. Providing you've checked that you're not behind some bitchy firewall, the following steps should solve that problem:
Disconnect from IRC
Go to File|setup|local info
Delete the contents of the IP address and Local info fields
Check "Always get local host" and "Server"
Reconnect
3. Q: How can I change the name that appears when I type /whois?
A: If you're running a client on your own machine, edit it in your setup. If you're using a client on a Unix machine run by someone else, do the following from the command line:
echo $SHELL
Depending on the reply,

If you're on some sort of BBS and don't have access to a command line interface, talk to your sysadmin/sysop.

4. Q: How can I change my email address as it appears in the /whois?
A: You can change your username if your client is running on your own machine. Somewhere in your setup, you'll have an item called "identd". Find it (mIRC will have it somewhere under File ->Options) and change it to something else. On Unix hosts with no identd, some clients allow it to be set - others, including ircII, do not. If you're on a Unix machine which is not yours and has an identd running, tough, live with it. What's wrong with your real userid anyway? To fake your hostname, hack your local domain name server and start looking for a new provider since your account won't last long if you do it, even if you don't spend the rest of your natural life on probation. Actually, unless you're running the client on a machine which also functions as a mail host, the address in your whois info isn't a valid email address anyway.
5. Q: How can I make a message that automatically appears when someone joins my channel?
A: Yuck. I find autogreets trashy, cheap and as friendly as a welcome mat at the door of a dentist's office. Learn some basic scripting. Hint: use ON JOIN. Remember there's nothing as silly as greeting yourself when joining a channel and to use it only on your channels - people tend to be annoyed by strangers sending autogreets in their channel. Colour autogreets are one of the best ways to get banned.
6 . Q: How do I get into a channel that's invite-only?
A: The obvious answer is that there's a reason for a channel being invite-only, namely to keep you. me and other uninvited people out. Type /mode #channelname - if the modes it returns include s, n and i, forget it. If not, try /names #channelname and send a message to one of the visible users, if any.
7. Q: I'm banned from a channel and have never been there! Why?
A: Chances are someone else from the same provider made the whole site unpopular. Not fair? Well, life ain't fair, is it? Follow the same steps as in the answer to the previous question. Or you could just take the hint and go to a channel where you're more welcome.
8. Q: How can I look up a user using their address/IP/DNS?
Let's get some terminology straight first. DNS is a whole system, not a program, not something an individual user would have, and you don't see peoples DNS servers on IRC. The fact that some clients have a /dns command to perform DNS lookups is a conspiracy to confuse you. Next, an IP (internet protocol) address is converted to a hostname (using the DNS) when you connect, unless something's horribly broken. IP addresses are numerical. If the address you have in mind isn't numerical, you mean a hostname. As far as IRC servers are concerned, they are NOT equivalent. You cannot look up someone by their IP address if it has been resolved to a hostname by the server. You must use the hostname instead.
Now we have this out in the open, do /who <address>. You may use * and ? wildcards in the address string. Users who are set invisible won't show up, so it's no longer an effective way of finding someone, since about 85% of EFnet users are invisible and the figure on other large networks is also very high.
9. Q: I want to register my nickname/channel. How?
A: Neither EFnet nor IRCnet have any form of channel or nickname registration service (yes, they *did* have a nickname service back when they were still a single network but it was discontinued in 1994). First come, first serve is the rule for both nicknames and channels. If this concept horrifies you so much, you'd probably be better off on DALnet or some small network with Services.
10. Q: What does a + next to someone's name mean?
A: It means absolutely nothing if the channel isn't moderated (doesn't have channel mode +m active). If the channel is moderated, a non-op who's been given a +v (voice) may also send to the channel like its ops do, while users lacking it may not. On some channels, it's used as a sign of recognition for regulars who aren't ops but are trusted. It's also used as a joke, to make you ask this question.
11. Q: How can I see all users on my server?
A: Ten to one you don't mean the users on the IRC server you're connected to, but the users connected to your local Internet Service Provider. After this small lesson in terminology, try /who *.domain.com (substituting the domain name of said ISP) but don't expect any spectacular results, since the majority of users are invisible to /who scans. On the other hand, what's the point of connecting to a worldwide network if you're only looking for the locals?
12. Q: How can I be a channel op?
A: There are two ways of obtaining channel operator status (ops) on a channel. The first is to join it while it's empty, in which case you, being the first user to join, will automagically be made its operator. However, if the channel is already occupied, you will have to be given ops by a user who already is an op.
13. Q: How do I set up ICQ?
A: I don't know. I don't care. ICQ is not IRC and never will be. Try ICQ's own web site.
14. Q: My web browser/news reader/mailer etc. isn't working. What can I do?
A: 1) Read the offending program's documentation, 2) Check the manufacturer's site, 3) Call your local support. Just don't expect us to have the answers. We offer free, no strings attached IRC help, not help with unrelated stuff which other people are paid for helping with anyway.
15. Q: What's a good public news server?
A: If your local news server doesn't satisfy you, don't expect to find a better one for free. Try DejaNews, an excellent public news server accessible via the WWW. If you're after porn and your local news server carries none, forget it. What possessed you to ask this question in #IRChelp anyway?
16. Q: How can I make it so that someone can type !send and get a file from me?
A: I believe the translation for this is that you wish to run a file server under mIRC. RTFM - type /help fserve.
17. Q: How can I make my text appear in colour?
A: RTFM. Type /help colour. If your client can't see colour or sees garbage instead, it will most likely not be able to send out any. If you're using mIRC, make sure you have version 4.7 or later.
18. Q: How can I send/receive sounds?
A: Again, RTFM. /help sound will tell you. Same as above applies here too.
19. Q: How do I make a message that looks like * My_nick is kewl?
A: Type this:
/me is a pink bunny
and see what happens.

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