The NewNet IRC Network: Technical Support & References, Important Documentation, Client & Scripts Downloads, Etc.

NewNet Support

Technical Help, Software Downloads, Descriptions, Definitions, and More

The original "IRC FAQ" defines IRC in the following words:

IRC is Internet Relay Chat. It was originally written by Jarkko Oikarinen (jto@tolsun.oulu.fi) in 1988. Since starting in Finland, it has been used in over 60 countries around the world. It was designed as a replacement for the "talk" program but has become much much more than that. IRC is a multi-user chat system, where people convene on "channels" (a virtual place, usually with a topic of conversation) to talk in groups, or privately.

So...you would like to use IRC?...

There is a lot of information here to assist you. Continue reading this page or use the "quick pick" menu below to jump to another section.

Clients, Servers & Networks

The first thing you will need is an IRC "client." RFC 1459 - the "Request for Comments" for the IRC protocol - defines a client in the following words:

A client is anything connecting to a server that is not another server. Each client is distinguished from other clients by a unique nickname having a maximum length of nine (9) characters. See the protocol grammar rules for what may and may not be used in a nickname. In addition to the nickname, all servers must have the following information about all clients: the real name of the host that the client is running on, the username of the client on that host, and the server to which the client is connected.

What that means, in plain English, is that the client is basically the software you use to connect to an IRC network, like NewNet. When you use this software, you can connect to an IRC server.

An IRC server is defined by the IRC RFC as follows:

The server forms the backbone of IRC, providing a point to which clients may connect to to talk to each other, and a point for other servers to connect to, forming an IRC network.

This means that in order to connect your client with the clients of others, thus enabling you to chat with other people, you need to connect your client to a server. This does not mean that you will only be able to talk with people connected to the server you connect to. If that server is connected to other servers, that server is part of a network...like NewNet. Connecting to that server gives you the opportunity to talk with others on the server you connect your client to - and to other people who have connected their clients to other servers that are part of that network. (For a list of NewNet servers, click here). Servers are run and maintained by server Administrators (or "admins") and Operators (or "opers"). If you would like to see the web sites of some of NewNet's servers, administrators, and opers, go here.

When you connect to the network using your client, you will be recognized by a nickname which you can choose...and by an address which shows your username@hostname (your "Internet Address").

To choose a client, you will need to know what OS (operating system) you are using. There are several IRC clients available to the general public. Each of these clients only works with a certain OS...or specific OS's as decided by the author of the client. Once you know what your OS is, you can select it from the list below to be pointed to the appropriate link.

NOTE: The client pages also include screen shots, links to client sites, and links to help sites for specific clients.

NOTE: If you use WebTV, you'll want to go here.

If this already sounds a little too complicated, you can IRC directly from this site by using our Java Chat site.

Nicknames

Nicknames were mentioned in the last section, but one fact was left out. On NewNet, nicknames can be "owned." If you chose a nickname that was already "owned" by someone else, that means that the nick has been registered with the NewNet Nick Service, or "NickServ." This means that you will need to choose another nickname. Once you find a nickname that has not already been registered, your best bet is to register it. If you need assistance, please feel free to check the NewNet Services Site for information, or visit #Services or #NewNetHelp on NewNet.

You may also choose to attend a NickServ Class. These classes are designed to help beginners learn how to use NickServ. The classes are held on Tuesday nights at 10 PM AST, 9 PM EST, 8 PM CST, 7 PM MST, 6 PM PST, etc. in #ChanOp. For more information, please contact {Merc}, LadyBear, or GoBoom on NewNet.

Connection Trouble

You've got an IRC client. You have selected and/or registered a nickname. You have tried to connect to a server, but failed. What could be wrong? There are several things which may have caused this.

Please take a look at the Connection Trouble Helpfile put together for NewNet by moof.

If you tried that and you still haven't found the problem, you may wish to email the administrative contact of the server you are trying to connect to.

Channels

You've got an IRC client. You have selected and/or registered a nickname. You have connected to an IRC server. What do you do now? If you don't already know someone to whom you can send a private message (e.g. /msg nickname hi!) - you probably want to join a channel. The IRC RFC (that same source mentioned earlier) defines a channel in the following words:

A channel is a named group of one or more clients which will all receive messages addressed to that channel.

Your client probably has a "list" command. This is a very good starting point. The "list" command allows you to see a complete list of available channels, which is not advised because there are typically thousands. However, there are also ways of using "variables" to narrow your search for a channel. The basic command to list channels according to a specific word is:

/list *word*

To list the channels with a minimum number of users, you can do something like this:

/list -min 25

The command example given above with allow you to see a list of all of the channels with a minimum of 25 people...or "users." The command and variables you use may differ according to the client you are using.

For your convenience, we offer a very comprehensive set of instructions for channels and channel op status.

Some NewNet users also offer classes designed to help beginners master the "art" of using commands to maintain control of their channels. Classes are held on Tuesday nights at 10 PM AST, 9 PM EST, 8 PM CST, 7 PM MST, 6 PM PST, etc. in #ChanOp.

On NewNet, channels can be registered. If you would like more information on channel registration, please feel free to check the NewNet Services Site for information, or visit #Services or #NewNetHelp on NewNet.

There are also classes to help beginners with ChanServ. These classes are held on Thursday nights at 10 PM AST, 9 PM EST, 8 PM CST, 7 PM MST, 6 PM PST, etc. in #ChanOp. For more information, please contact {Merc}, LadyBear, or GoBoom on NewNet.

General Help

If it all seems a little confusing, you may want to consult one of the many resources available for you to obtain IRC help.

Command List
IRC requires the knowledge of many commands. Some clients do not require you to type in every command you wish to use and offer more of a "point-and-click" environment. However, it is always good to have a general knowledge of IRC commands. There is a command reference guide here for your reference.

IRC Help FAQ
Odds are, even after you have connected to IRC and have used it for a day...a week...a month...or even longer, you still may have some questions about it. Hopefully you will find the answer(s) you are looking for in this set of frequently asked questions and answers.

NewNet Help Channels
There are several help channels on NewNet. NewNet Help Channels are groups of people coming together to give or to obtain help. To join a NewNet Help Channel, use the /join command. Just type "/join #channelname" (again, without the quotes :) NewNet Help Channels include:
If you would like to submit your channel to this list, fill out the Channel Submission Form.

NewNet Classes
The channel #Chanop hosts 3 classes that are useful to IRC users on NewNet. Two classes deal with running your own channel and how to be an effective channel operator (have an @ next to your nickname). A third class deals with the use of NickServ, our NickName Service Bot.
For additional help with the class, you can contact {Merc}, LadyBear, or GoBoom on NewNet.

IRC Help Web Sites
There are thousands of IRC Help Web Sites in existence. These are just a few. The following sites are designed and/or maintained by NewNet users.
http://www.irchelp.org is not maintained by any NewNet users, but I need to include it here because it is a huge compilation of help resources for novice and advanced IRC users.

NewIRCusers.com is another excellent help site. It comes highly recommended.

If you would like to submit your help site to this list, fill out the Help Site Submission Form.

Your Client's Help Command
Most clients have a way to obtain help while using the client. This should be something easy to find in your particular client. For example, many clients allow you to use the /help command. Some clients have built-in buttons, bells, and whistles, but they also allow you to type your commands in manually. IRC commands are prefaced by the / key. When I say "use the /help command"...what I mean is to type "/help" (without the quotes, of course :) Some IRC clients also offer help on their web sites. The IRC client web sites are listed on our IRC Client pages:

Books About IRC
Yes, that's right...people have written books about IRC. Use the search box below to seach for those books.

Use the keywords entered below
or enter your own keywords:

Well, that's a start! Hopefully you have successfully gotten on NewNet and have started to chat in a channel. If you would like to expand the capabilities of your IRC client, try our Scripts Site.

Good Luck!