Purpose: The purpose of this tutorial is to assist you in acquiring the IRC (Internet Relay Chat) program mIRC and assist you in its configuration so that CyberArmy members can log into the many channels available for real time discussion and classes. The second section of this tutorial will familiarize you with some of the properties of IRC, thus serving as a mini-FAQ. It is NOT meant to be all inclusive.
SECTION 1:
Downloading and Configuring mIRC
1. The following web site contains the program mIRC. mIRC Program There is also a great deal of information to assist you in downloading and setting up mIRC.
2. After installation, mIRC should work with no problems. However, some information will have to be added in order to access the CyberArmy servers and thier channels.
a. Once you open mIRC, you should get a dialog box titled "mIRC Options" which allows you to configure mIRC. Enter a name, and your email address. Next enter a nickname (most likely your CyberArmy nick) and an alternative nickname.
b. Next you will need to load irc.cyberarmy.net in the server list. Therefore, you need to do the following:
(1) Click on the Add button. Type the following in:
Description: CAIRC
IRC Server: irc.cyberarmy.net
Port(s): 6667
(2) Then click the OK button.
3. Then click the "Connect to IRC Server" button. If you typed everything correctly, it should connect and you will see the Status window connecting to irc.cyberarmy.net. A small window will pop up titled "mIRC Channels Folder" showing a list of default channels the mIRC preloads. But #cyberarmy channel, as most other CyberArmy channels aren't there. You have to add them.
a. In the mIRC Channels Folder window, click on the Add Button, type #cyberarmy in the Channel edit box and then CyberArmy in the Description edit box. If you want to autojoin this channel each time you connect to the CyberArmy server, then check the "Auto-join channel on connect" check box. Then press the OK button. #CyberArmy will now be listed with the other channels.
b. Repeat the process and add the following channels and their descriptions:
Channel Description
#CAUniversity CyberArmy University
#Class CyberArmy University Classroom
#Help CyberArmy Help Channel
#Brigades CyberArmy Brigades
#Recruiting CyberArmy Brigades Recruiting
c. Each CyberArmy Brigade has one or more channels that you can join and there are many other channels on the CyberArmy server as well. You can see the channels by typing /list in any window.
These channels you have added will now be available in the channels folder when you log on to irc.cyberarmy.net.
4. Next, you need to register your name with the cyberarmy.net irc server. Once this is done, you can prevent people from using your nickname. After you login to the cyberarmy.net irc server and join the #cyberarmy channel, you will have two windows open; Status and CyberArmy.
a. Click on the Status window. Never type passwords into a channel or chat window.
b. In the text window, type the following:
/NickServ REGISTER password email
/NickServ REGISTER is the NickServ command to register a nickname.
password is the password that you will use to log in. DO NOT use your Cyberarmy password.
email is the email address cyberarmy.net will use to send you your password if you ever forget it.
5. Once your nickname is registered, you will need to identify yourself to the cyberarmy.net irc server upon entering the server. Just go to the Status window and type the following:
/nickserv IDENTIFY password
/IDENTIFY is the NickServe command to identify you.
password is the password you used when you registered your nickname.
For clarification, you don't need to enter your nickname because when you logged into cyberarmy.net, your nickname was already set in the window where you clicked the button "Connect to IRC Server".
SECTION II:
Mini-FAQ
Q. How do I find out additional information about mIRC.
A. Initially, you can go to the www.mirc.com web site. Next, there are several help and text files located in the Help menu of the mIRC program itself. Please, PLEASE, try to find your answer before asking on one of the channels. Email your commander if necessary. People get tired of answering questions that are readily available if you just look.
Q. How do I find other channels?
A. You can type in /list to get a list of channels.
Q. Now that I'm logged into a channel, how do I log into other channels?
A. From the list of channels window, you can double click on a channel, or you can type in /join #ChannelName
Q. I noticed that some folks have little signs by there names (@, %, and +). What are they for?
A. Those signs identify channel operators with varying degrees of authority. DO NOT ask to be "oped" or to receive "op rights". Each of the cyberarmy channels have rules for authorizing operator rights. If you're not sure, ask your commander. The following is a description of the signs:
@ ChanOP or Op, these folks are the rulers of the channel. They have the authority to /kick and/or /ban you from a channel. In #cyberarmy, these folks are normally Marshalls and selected Generals, however that may vary from time to time due to various reasons.
% Hops or Halfops. These folks are Half Operators, with limited authority to assist the channel operators. In #cyberarmy, these folks are chosen by Channel Operators to assist with running the channel.
+ The individual is "voiced". This means they have limited authority to assist the channel operators.
In different channels, different rules are established by the founder of the channel and it's operators for assigning Op, Halfop and Voice. Remember, don't ask for these privledges.
Q. How do I type commands on IRC?
A. All commands are preceded by a forward slash ( / ). Below is a list of commands and an explanation for them.
HELP shows general help or help on the given command.
LIST lists all current channels.
JOIN to join a channel
PART to leave a channel (same as LEAVE)
QUIT exits your IRC session, (same as BYE and EXIT)
NICK changes your nickname
AWAY leaves a message saying you're away or not paying attention
WHOIS displays information about someone
INVITE sends an invitation to another user
KICK gets rid of someone on a channel (You have to be an Op to do this.)
TOPIC changes the topic of the channel (You have to be an Op to do this.)
ME sends anything about you to a channel or QUERY
Additional Information on Commands
/HELP [command]
Shows general help or help on the given command.
/LIST [[{flags}] {channel mask}] Lists all current channels.
In the list you will see all channels (see below), except for those that are secret, with their number of users and the topic. The displayed list may be quite long, so you can limit it using flags. "/LIST -MIN n" for instance removes channels with less than 'n' users from the output.
/JOIN {#channel} Sets your current channel to the supplied channel.
Upon entering a channel, you are given useful details about it: a list of users talking in that channel, channel mode settings and the topic... Joining a channel does not cause you to leave your previous channel and you can normally join as many channels as your connection can handle or that the IRC server allows.
/JOIN #windows
*** Now talking in #windows
/PART [#channel] Makes you leave a channel. (same as LEAVE)
/PART #windows
*** You have left #windows
/QUIT [reason] Exits your IRC session. (Also BYE and EXIT.)
If a reason is supplied, it is displayed to other people on your channels.
/QUIT Lunch Time!
/NICK {nickname} Changes your nickname to whatever you like.
Everyone who wants to talk to you sees this name. Nicknames are limited to 9 characters max. If your intended nickname clashes with someone else's as you enter IRC, you will not be able to enter until you change it to something else. Duplicate nicknames are not allowed; this is enforced by the IRC servers. Under some circumstances, two individuals may temporarily have the same nick but once discovered, both of them will be killed; a nick collision kill.
/NICK Guru
*** Newbie is now known as Guru
/AWAY [away message] Sets your status as away with some info.
Sets a message explaining that you are not currently paying attention to IRC. Whenever someone sends you a MSG or does a WHOIS on you, they automatically see whatever message you have set. Using AWAY with no parameters marks you as no longer being away.
/AWAY Gone to get a cup of coffee.
*** You have been marked as being away
/AWAY
*** You are no longer marked as being away
/WHOIS {nickname} Shows information about someone.
/WHOIS Guru
*** Guru is master@some.network.net (Nuclear free)
*** on channels: @#Windows @#Windows95 #mIRC
*** on via server irc.server.net (The best server)
*** Guru is away (making dinner)
/WHOIS Newbie
*** Newbie: No such nickname
/INVITE {nickname} {#channel} Invites another user to a channel you are on.
If you want a friend to join your channel you can invite him. He will see a message such as ***Guru invites you to #channel. This is required if your channel is 'invite only'.
/INVITE Friend #windows
*** Inviting Friend to #windows
If you receive an INVITE message, you can type "/JOIN {#channel}".
/KICK {#channel} {nickname} Kicks a user off a given channel.
Well, you guessed it, if there is a way to invite someone on a channel, there is also the ablility to KICK someone out of it. For example ,if a person is behaving in an offensive manner by annoying people or flooding the channel with unwanted information, they can be forced out of the channel. Only 'channel operators' are privileged to use this command.
/KICK #windows Lamer
*** Lamer has been kicked off channel #windows by Guru
/TOPIC {#channel} {topic for channel} Changes the channel's topic.
Channels have topics, that indicate the current topic of conversation. You can change this topic on a channel with the TOPIC command.
/TOPIC #windows Lets discuss OS/2
*** Guru has changed topic to "Lets discuss OS/2"
/ME {action description} Tells people about what you are doing.
At times, you may want to send a description of what you are doing or how you are feeling or just anything concerning you on the current channel or in a query.
/ME slaps Newbie with a large trout.
* Guru slaps newbie with a large trout.
This document is not meant to be all inclusive. It is meant to give new users the ability to get online and a sense of direction. All efforts should be made to answer questions using www.mIRC.com or the help files located in mIRC. Comments or suggestions concerning this tutorial should be directed to: shepherd@university.cyberarmy.net
This article was originally published by CyberArmy.net in the CyberArmy Library.
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