irc tutorial
This is easy-as-pie. You'll be up and running in fifteen minutes or less.

By: GeneVann

I. Getting Started

So, you want to try out this chat thing you've heard so much about? Good. Let's get started. This is NOT a particularly complicated or difficult process, but some people get confused. I have written this tutorial in a very easy to follow, step-by-step format so just follow along and push through to the end. It might be helpful, by the way, to read this entire document before you do anything so you can get a feel for what we're trying to accomplish.
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II. Downloading your IRC Client (Chat Program)

In order to get online and chat with people, you will need a program capable of connecting to IRC. There are many programs available, however we only recommend one. It is the most common, most supported, cheapest (free), program available anywhere. It is called mIRC. Just follow these easy steps for downloading mIRC.

1.) Click here to download the newest version of mIRC (v.6.03). This page will have several download sites to choose from. Just pick the closest one to you. This file is very small (about 1.1 megabytes) so you shouldn't have to worry about a slow internet connection.

2.) When you download this file, save it somewhere that you can find it, such as the Windows Desktop. You will need to be able to find this file in order to install the program.

3.) The file that you downloaded is an executable file, so just double-click on it, and it should start the installation process on its own. Simply answer the installation directory (and related) questions and go to the next step. I recommend that you allow it to install to whatever directory it wants to, however if you're an experienced user, feel free to install it wherever you want. The other installation questions don't matter, so just answer them as you please.

By the way, mIRC is a full operating version, with no functionality restrictions. The software is still shareware based on the honor system. If you use it and like it, please register. It will help support the developers of the world's best IRC Client.

Now you're ready to go on to Chapter III, "Setting up and Connecting to IRC using mIRC".
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III. Setting Up and Connecting to IRC, using mIRC

Before we get started setting up mIRC and connecting to a chat server, you need to be thinking about a "nickname" or "nick" that you want to go by when you're chatting. I mention this now because it will come up during the setup process in a few minutes, and you really should have both a "nick" and an "alternate nick" ready to go.

Just a word about choosing a nick, here. Keep in mind that IRC has thousands of users at any given time and the most common names have already been taken (registered). (EXAMPLE: Fred is probably taken, but FredVann probably isn't.) You should pick out several possibilities and have them ready, but make them somewhat obscure so there is less likelihood of a conflict. Be as creative as you like. Many people choose a nick that is a favorite character in a book or movie. Some choose an object such as "FireHat". It doesn't need to be your real name, by any means. Spaces in your nick are not accepted, but you may use a variety of other characters, such as the hyphen (-), or the underscore (_). More on this later in Chapter IV of this document, but I wanted to give you a heads up now.

Okay. On to the setup of mIRC now. This may look like a long process, but it will only take you about fifteen minutes or so. Just follow the steps in order, one at a time. Everything you need to know about setting up mIRC is included in these steps.

1.) The first thing you see is an introduction screen. Just click on the screen anywhere (doesn't have to be a button) and it will disappear. If you do not want to see the introduction screen every time you open mIRC, uncheck the little box in the bottom left before making the box disappear.

2.) The next screen you see should be a small window entitled "Options". Inside this options window is where we will be doing most of our work for the next few minutes. On the left, you will see that "Connect" is highlighted. Let us start by filling in these values.

a. In the pull-down menu called "IRC Network", choose "All".

b. In the pull-down menu directly below, you should choose a "SorceryNet Server".

c. Leave "New Server Window" unchecked.

d. Full Name: Place whatever you wish here, but I usually just use my real first name.

e. eMail Address: Place any eMail address here. (Example: someone@somewhere.com)

f. Nickname: This is where your "nick" comes in. (Covered at the beginning of this Chapter.)

g. Alternate: This is where your "alternate nick" is placed.

h. Check the "Invisible Mode" box.

i. Press the "OK" button at the bottom now, to save your changes.

3.) Up at the top of the screen, you will see several buttons below the regular pull-down menus. Hover over the third one from the left and it should say "Channels Folder". If so, press this button and we will add the channel that you wish to join. If not, mouse-over each button until you find the one that says "Channels folder".

a. Select all the channels that already exist in that window, and press the "Delete" button.

b. Enter the name of the Channel to Join: type (without quotation marks) "#Pipes".

c. Click the "Add" button. This adds it to your list of favorite channels.

d. Uncheck the "Pop up folder on connect" button.

e. Click the "Close" button.

4.) You're there! Now all you have to do is hit the "Connect" button. (On the far left, just mouse-over to figure out which one it is.) This connects you to IRC, and you are now ready to go on to Chapter IV, "Now That You're Connected. (Registering Your Nick and Joining #Pipes.)"
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IV. Now That You're Connected. (Registering Your Nick and Joining #Pipes.)

1.) Registering your Nick with NickServ. This is a free registration and it is merely a service that reserves your nick so that you are the only one who can go by that particular name on IRC. This is important to do so that someone else doesn't steal your nick later, and you can always be assured that you are the only one online by that name. The nick is reserved for you indefinitely, however, if you do not connect to IRC frequently enough (at least once every twenty-five (25) days), the nick will become unregistered again, making it available for anyone else who wants it. The registration process may look a little complicated, but I'll take you through everything step-by-step again, so you needn't worry.

a. You should be connected to IRC. The only window open should be a window called "Status". Your Status window is where you will be typing the commands to follow, and where you will read the responses from NickServ.

b. Look at the title bar of your Status window. You should see "Status: FredVann [+i] on something.something.sorcery.net", or something like that. This shows you that you are logged on as "FredVann" (really whatever nick you chose as your primary).

c. If your nick shows up as "Guest23432" or something like that, that means that NickServ detected the nick you chose as already being registered. You may check on the registration status of any particular nick by typing "/nickserv info anynickhere" in your status window.

d. Once you have found a nick that has not been registered, change your nick to the one you have selected by typing "/nick yournickhere". Now, repeat step "b", and you should see your nick in the proper place.

e. Now, let's register this new nick since it is unregistered. Type "/nickserv register PASSWORD someone@somewhere.com". Make sure you choose a password that you will remember, and be aware that the password will be case-sensitive, so if you use capital letters in it, make a note. Also be sure that you place your REAL eMail address. If you ever lose your password, or need help from the network administrators, they will use the email address you provide here.

f. Once you have that all typed in, hit ENTER, and NickServ should return with: "-NickServ- Your nickname has been registered with the password yourpasswordhere."

g. Now type into your Status window: "/nickserv set kill on". This will set up NickServ to disconnect anyone that uses your nick without your permission. By the way, this is where your password comes in handy. Whenever you connect to IRC, you should type "/nickserv identify PASSWORD" so that NickServ knows that it is really you. Most of the time it should know automatically, but it is good to get in the habit of identifying to NickServ.

h. Finished! You are now ready to move on to Step 2.


2.) Connecting to the #Pipes Channel. This is the last step. There are several ways to connect to a channel, but I will outline two of them for you below.

a. The first way is to simply type "/join #Pipes" in your Status window. If you use this method, be sure that you type the channel name in exactly the way it appears here (without the quotation marks, of course). Mistyping the channel name will just connect you to some other channel that may or may not exist.

b. The second way is to go up to your button bar at the top again. Remember the "Channels folder" that we modified earlier? Just press that button, select #Pipes from the list, and click the "Join" button. This is the recommended way for you to join because it is easy, and it is typo-proof.
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V. Summation

You're connected to #Pipes on SorceryNet IRC now! See? That wasn't so hard, was it? We're glad to have you. You are sure to enjoy your stay. Happy Chatting!

P.S. If you need any further assistance, you may ask anyone on-channel and they should be able to help you. OR, if you can't even seem to connect, please feel free to eMail us at: pipes@vann.net
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