Wikipedia:IRC tutorial

Please make sure you have firewall and antivirus software installed before following the tutorial below.

This tutorial is specifically for the freenode IRC network, the network that Wikipedia uses for IRC communication. Some features on this network aren't necessarily on other networks, and features on other networks aren't necessarily here.

The Basics

What do I need to connect?

To access the freenode IRC servers, you'll first need an IRC client. Text clients include ircII, BitchX, epic, and sirc. Graphical clients include xchat for Unix and GNU/Linux, mIRC for Windows and Colloquy for Mac. Finally, regardless of your OS of choice, if you are browsing the Internet with Mozilla, you may use the ChatZilla plug-in. Packages for various IRC clients may be included on your operating system install CDs and links to web sites for the client software can be found here. Trillian also has an IRC client but you have to click the text box for plug ins.

How do I connect?

Once you have a client, you'll need a server. You can simply use irc.freenode.net to reach the main rotation of servers; or, you can find a more geographically-local server here.

But I'm having problems connecting!

After you've obtained your client and the name of a server, you may still need a bit of help in getting connected. Take a look at this tutorial or this IRC primer on irchelp.org, which contains a variety of other useful information as well.

About the network services

Nickname registration

If you want to use a certain nickname on the network and don't want anyone else to take it, you must register it with the network.

You can do so by typing (in any window): /msg nickserv register , of course substituting for any password of your choosing, and with your email address. Try not to make your password too predictable or guessable, but also avoid using any password you use elsewhere since it's very easy to accidentally type your password into an IRC channel revealing it to others. You should now check your email for the confirmation message from freenode, and complete the steps it contains.

Registering your nick will also allow you to be added to a channel's access list; for example, some of the people in #wikipedia-en-help have +'s beside their nicknames (to identify "helpers").

Note: You only have to register your nickname once. Every other time you connect from that point on, you need to prove who you are, with this command: /msg nickserv identify

Some IRC clients allow you to set performs (this is: command or commands that will automatically be performed on connect) so this would be an ideal command to put in your perform list. On mIRC, you can find the perform list at: File | Select Server.. | Options | Perform.

There are some other options you can set (as well as privacy options), you'll want to get a list by typing: /msg nickserv help

Setting your IRC client to identify upon connect

Some IRC clients allow you to automatically issue commands when connecting to a server:

mIRC

1. Go to File, Select Server, Options, Perform
2. Go to Network, click Add, find 'freenode' in the list and click OK.
3. In the Perform Commands section, add:
   • /nick nickname_you_want
   • /msg nickserv identify yourpassword
4. Click OK as many times as you need to get out of the menus and you're all done.

ChatZilla

1. Go to ChatZilla, Select Preferences.
2. Click Add and add a server with these settings:
   • Type: Channel
   • Network: irc.freenode.net
   • Target: One of the channels from the list below.
3. Highlight the Network name (irc.freenode.net) and select the Lists tab.
4. In the Auto-perform commands section, add:
   • /nick nickname_you_want
   • /msg nickserv identify yourpassword
5. Click OK to get out of the ChatZilla Preferences notebook dialog and you're all done.

Applying for a host cloak

If you're concerned about your hostname/IP address being visible or would like to advertise that you're a proud member of Wikipedia, there's also the option of cloaking your host.

Put simply, this means your hostname/IP address won't be shown when someone does a /whois on you.

The names of the host cloaks are not solely limited to 'wikipedia'. There are a few others, including 'wikimedia'. More info is on the pages listed below.

The steps to do this are very simple:

1. Read this page first so that you're clear on what it is you're doing.
2. Then register your nickname.
3. Talk to whoever's listed on that page and ask for a cloak.
4. Go to IRC cloak verifications and add yourself to the list to be processed.

When your host is successfully changed, you'll see a message in your status window.

"Unaffiliated" cloaks

If you'd like a cloak that doesn't advertise Wikipedia, please follow the instructions at http://freenode.net/faq.shtml#cloaks. If you're looking for a member of freenode's staff, this is how you find them. A current list of freenode staffers is listed here.

IRC Channel List

Channels on freenode include but are not limited to:

• #hrwiki - for users of HRWiki
• #mediawiki - for users/questions about MediaWiki, the software that makes Wikipedia possible
• #wiki - About wiki software and culture
• #wikia - About Wikia (the new name for WikiCities)
• #wikibooks - About Wikibooks (in English).
• #wikimedia - Wikimedia Foundation
• #wikimedia-commons - Wikimedia Commons
• #wikinews - Wikinews
• #wikipedia - Wikipedia
• #wikipedia-en-help - Channel for new Wikipedians to join and ask questions.
• #wikipedia-en - English Wikipedia
• #wikipedia-esperanza - channel for members of Esperanza
• #concordia-wp - channel for members of Concordia
• #memory-alpha - channel for users of Memory Alpha

IRC Client Settings

• The realname (or Full Name) field can be set to anything you want.
• The ident setting should ideally be turned on, and again set to anything you want.

But I'm not running Windows!

You have to define a portrange in your IRC client, add an exception in any firewall software you may be using and allow that portrange in your router. Or just go to portforward.com and ask them for help.

What are some basic commands?

Here are some basic commands for IRC: (as taken from Wikibooks)