Introduction to IRC

---

What is IRC?

IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is set up in channels. To use IRC you need an IRC client (software that runs on your computer) that that will connect to an IRC server. This manual offers information about our server. You can check the help files in your chat client software to find what commands it offers as well. There are various types of clients, some are embedded on web pages so there is no need to download software to your pc while others can be downloaded and installed on your computer. Web based IRC clients are limited in comparison.

Basic IRC commands

To get started, there are a few commands you should know before you enter the world of IRC. Any chat client has an input area where you type, this is where you type words that you want to say in the chat. You can also enter commands in this input area. All IRC commands begin with a forward slash /. The first and most useful command to use is /help. To change your nickname use /nick newnick where "newnick" is a nickname you choose. For example /nick Howardly

In clients such as mIRC to connect to an IRC server you would type this in your status window:
/server irc.chosenwebhost.net 6697

After typing the command, simply press the Enter key on your keyboard and the command will initiate.

Once you are connected to an IRC server you'll need to know what channels are on the server, to do this, issue the command /list

To join a channel double left click on it's name in the list or type "/join #roomname" without the quotes where #roomname is the name of the channel you want to join.

Channels

There are 3 types of channels on an IRC network, modeless (+channelname), local (&channelname and network (#channelname). The Chosen Web Host IRC network only supports network channels.

Modeless channels (+) are just that, you can't set modes on them, which means you can't be an IRC Operator in them.

Local channels (&) can only be seen on the server you create them on. You can be an IRC Operator in them and control your environment in them. In many cases when you connect to an IRC server there are other servers linked to that server which makes up a network of servers. When you use the /list command, channels that begin with & have been created on the same server you are connected to. This means that someone from each server could create a channel with the same name, such as &ChatNow

Network channels can be seen on the entire network and there cannot be more than one with the same name. You can be an IRC Operator in them and add other operators as well.

Connecting to a server

Most IRC clients allow you to configure them so they remember certain information such as your nickname and server name that you want to connect to. You can also connect by using the command /server irc.chosenwebhost.net

You can change your nickname also by using the /nick command. So if you want your nickname to be Sam, you would type /nick Sam