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What is Chat?
Internet Relay Chat - IRC - is a technique for allowing several users on the internet to join in a real-time text conversation. To start with you must all be connected to the same server - the server acts to distribute the text messages. Secondly, each server manages several conversations, known as channels or chatrooms - you must join one of these channels. Thereafter, you will receive messages from others in the same channel as they are sent and anything you send will be received by all of the others.
In addition, separately from the main channel conversation, you can have a private chat with any individual in the channel.
How do I get started?
Firstly you need a program called an IRC client. This will usually store settings to allow easy access to your most frequently used server and channel(s). It will usually allow you to enter and edit text before sending it and provide other features such as file sending and receiving and video conferencing.
The clients will also allow you to set up your own channel on a server and configure the behaviour of that channel whilst you are connected to it. Such things as determining who is allowed to join a channel and who might be kicked off, possibly for offensive behaviour, are determined by the Channel Operator who is usually the person who set the channel up.
The three clients considered in this FAQ are Microsoft Chat, pIRCh98 and mIRC. These are available as downloads from
What's the difference?
All pieces of software have their advocates and there is no harm in downloading all and trying them, though you will have to set them up separately. You will be able to use the same settings in each so that as far as others on a channel are concerned they will not readily be able to tell which you are using.
All allow for basic chatting with the inclusion of easily used features such as changing the colour and attributes of text, privately chatting to others, sending and receiving files. pIRCh also has a video conferencing facility but, in its present release, this is a little quirky.
Install the software.
Once you have downloaded the software you need to run the install program. Notably, two of the above programs offer to install in a directory in the root of the C:\ drive - you might wish to alter that so that it installs in its own directory within the Program Files directory. In the mIRC installer choose Browse and double-click on the Program Files folder then OK - it will offer to install in a mirc folder within the Program Files folder. In the pIRCh98 installer you will have to edit the location by inserting porgra~1\ before the pirch98 folder name. - if you type program files it will work but will not give icons on the shortcut symbols.
Running the program and connecting to a server.
The following will describe how to set up and join the chat channel for blueyonder users. The same principle applies for setting up any chat channel link. At the end of the description for the initial setting up of the software is a description of how to connect to the channel next time you run the program.
Running and configuring Microsoft Chat v2.5
Run Microsoft Chat from the Start > Programs menu.
You will see a window entitled Chat Connection. Unless you just want to experiment by joining any chat channel available you should chose Cancel and then OK to work offline until you have set up your desired chat room settings. Choose File > Close to close the current offline connection window.
Now choose View > Options to set up your client.
The first tab is labelled Personal Info. Fill in your name, an alias that you will be known by whilst in the chat channel and your email address. Many chat servers require some sort of email address by which you might be identified.
Next click on the Settings tab. For general purpose use check the box labelled "Don't Send Microsoft Chat Specific Information".
Now, click on the Servers tab. Double click in Network and type Blueyonder Chat Server then click the Add Network button. In the upper Servers box type chex.thew3rd.co.uk and click Add. Finally click OK.
Choose File > New Connection. The Chat Connection dialogue box will appear.
Select Blueyonder Chat Server from the Servers list. You now have three options:
i) in Go to Chat Room type #byuserschat and click OK to connect directly with that chat room
ii) click Show All Chat Rooms to get a menu of all chat rooms available - you will then be able to see a list of members and join the chat room
iii) select Just Connect to Server for expert use.
You should now be ready to chat.
Next time you run the program it will have remembered all of the server settings and your identity details. You will be presented with a Chat Connection dialogue box with the last used server and Personal Info already entered. You can select the Blueyonder Chat Server from the dropdown list if it was not the last one you used. You will have the same final three options as before: Go to Chat Room, Show all available chat rooms, and Just connect to server.
Running and configuring pIRCh98.
Run pIRCh98. You will get a Tip of the Day window which you can read and then close.
Click the IRC menu and choose New Server Connection.
Click on Edit Server List.
Click on Add Network (icon with two little screens and a plus sign)
Type in the name BYUSERS or similar.
Click on Add Server (icon with small single screen and a plus sign)
Enter a description of by users chat server or similar.
Server name is chex.thew3rd.co.uk
Port is 6667
Then click on OK.
Now there is a quirk in the program: you have to click Cancel to exit the Server Connection dialogue and the choose File > New Server Connection for your Blueyonder Chat Server to appear in the list.
Choose the BYUSERS entry in the IRC Network list.
The chex.thew3rd.co.uk:6667 server entry should appear in the Server list.
Next you need to fill in your Personal Information: Name and Username which should be an email address.
You should then choose a Nickname which will be used to identify your messages whilst in chat.
You should also choose an alternative nickname in case the first is being used by somebody else.
Click Connect.
Will be logged onto server with window that lists commands sent to the server and responses from the server.
Now it is time to pick a channel to chat on. Either click on the Channels button in the middle at the top of the connection window, then double click on #byuserschat (if its not listed then there is nobody else on the channel to chat to), or choose Channel > Join Channel from the menus at the top of the main window and type in #byuserschat then click OK.
You are now ready to chat.
The next time you run the program it will have remembered your last used server and personal information details. Close the Tip of the Day dialogue and click on the Login button at the top left of the window. Click on Connect to connect to the last used server - you can choose BYUSERS from the IRC Servers list if it was not the last one used. Next use the Channels button as before or the Channel > Join Channel menu item.
Running and configuring mIRC
When you run the program unregistered you will get a splash screen which can be closed with the X at its top right.
mIRC then starts with the Options dialogue box starting with the Connect section (as shown in the tree on left of the box).
Click Add and you will se the mIRC Add Server dialogue.
Enter a Description e.g. Blueyonder Chat Server.
In the IRC Server box enter chex.thew3rd.co.uk
In the Port box put 6667.
Click Add
Back in the mIRC Options dialogue enter Full Name, email address, a Nickname by which your messages will be identified while you are on the chat channel and an alternative nickname in case the first is being used y somebody else when you connect to the server.
Still in the mIRC Options dialogue, under the Connect section in the tree on the left, there is the Options subsection - in there you can untick Pop up Connect dialogue on start-up (if you want to leave unticking this till later at least you will be more in control of what the machine is doing - you can always change it later from the File > Options menu) You can also tick Connect on start-up and Move to top of list on connect (again you can leave this to later if you want).
Finally click OK to confirm the Options changes.
Next choose File > Connect from the menus at the top.
You will see the mIRC Channels Folder.
Click Add.
In the Channel box type #byuserschat
Type a suitable Description e.g. Blueyonder Users Chat.
Click OK.
In the mIRC Channels Folder dialogue, you can untick popup on connect if you don't want this folder list to appear each time you connect to a server. You can always get this folder back later - the Channels Folder button is third from the left on the toolbar.
If you click on the channel name you can then click on the Names button to see a list of who is on the channel. You can click on Join to join the channel and you are ready to chat.
Next time you run the program you will get the same splash screen which you can dismiss.
If you ticked the Connect on Start-up option as described above you will automatically be connected to the last used server. You can always disconnect using the disconnect button an the left of the toolbar. You can choose the File > Options menu item and click on the Connect category to specify which server to connect to - the Blueyonder Chat server will be listed there. You can manually connect using the Connect button on the left of the toolbar (a golden zigzag symbol). Once connected you will get the mIRC Channels Folder from which you can select your desired channel. If you unticked its Pop up folder on connect box then you will have to manually display this folder by clicking the third button from the left on the toolbar. You can then select your desired channel.
Last Amended : 2003-03-31 by elfin
Original Author : Berni Lowe
This page was last updated at