IRC
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Internet Relay Chat, or IRC, is basically what ED calls it: multiplayer Notepad. To win in IRC, you go and talk, be popular, make friends, and get ops. Now for most things in life, you can just go read Wikipedia, but IRC is confusing as fuck, so let me break it down for the new /i/nsurgents to learn.
IRC is a valuable tool for planning raids. Dox and other sensitive information can be shared with less risk of spais, and orders can be issued in real time. However, because everyone has a name, IRC drama can result.
Many raid targets have IRC channels as well. This opens up another avenue for trolling and information gathering, but be sure to blend in.
Clients
There are quite a few options to consider when choosing an IRC client. Here are a few. Note that most of these are freeware or open source unless otherwise specified.
mIRC is one of the most popular clients on Windows. It has the features you'd expect from an IRC client: logging, scripting, etc. It's shareware, but finding a cracked version shouldn't be difficult.
ChatZilla (Cross-platform, Firefox extension)
A simple client in the form of a Firefox extension. It's easy to set up and use, but it's very basic. You're better off with another client unless you're just staying on IRC for a little while.
KVIrc (Cross-platform)
This client is best known for its customizability; nearly every aspect of its theme can be changed. It has a little "Activity Monitor" feature that shows how much a person has been talking. This is useful for weeding out spais and lurkers. It can be scripted using its own language.
irssi (Cross-platform)
Console-based IRC client. Despite that, it's one of the best clients out there, if you know what you're doing. It uses Perl as its scripting language. Being console-based, you can put irssi on a shell and run it from any SSH client. It will take some learning if you're spoiled by GUI clients.
XChat (Windows, Linux, OS X [as XChat Aqua])
Nice, clean client with a good amount of features. Fairly popular in the IRC world. It can use Perl, Python, and Tcl for scripting. Note that the Windows version of the original XChat is shareware, so look for another Windows build; HexChat looks like the most recently-updated build.
Guide for new users
- Type '/server (server)' or use the connect to connect to a new IRC server (use '/server -m (server)' to connect in a new IRC window without disconnecting from the current server. There are several large networks like EFnet (irc.efnet.net) and Rizon(irc.rizon.net, aka animu central). Some places, like Rizon or really any place except stone-age EFnet, have a NickServ. Register with NickServ (type '/ns register passwordhere realemailhere') and then '/ns identify password' to be identified. Some channels, like #4chan on Rizon, require you to be registered with NickServ to join.
- Type '/j #channel' or '/join #channel' (it's the same) to join a channel. To part, just close the channel's tab or window, or type '/part #channel somemessage' if you want to be fancy.
- To change nick, type '/nick (newnickhere)'. There is a limit on how long the nick can be; some networks only allow a maximum of 9 characters, while others let you go up to 30.
- To send a private message, use '/msg (nick) (message)'. In most clients, private messages appear in a little new window.
People on IRC
- Channel founders, +q, have a ~ by their name, and are the creators of the IRC channel. They can change all channel settings and modes.
- Super-ops, aka +a or admins, have a & by their name, have the same powers as ops, can access some ChanServ commands, and cannot be kicked by normal ops.
- Ops, aka +o, have an @ by their name. They can ban, kick, add and remove ops, change the topic, and make your life hell.
- Half ops, aka hops or +h, have a % by their name. They can ban and kick, add and remove voice, change the topic and set a few modes.
- Voiced, or +v, have a +. They are just regular users who we trust for the most part and have been there a while. Also, if the channel is set +m (moderated, basically mute) they and the +o, +h and +v people can talk, while regular users can't.
- A few channels set +v on join, usually if it's +m so that ops can remove voice from people who spam or whatever.
A user without a ~, &, @, %, or + is just a regular person. They may feel as clueless as you. Just use IRC, and you will learn. Weeaboos, check out irc.rizon.net, gamers, irc.gamesurge.net, and really just join random channels to see what's going on. On efnet, basically any word has a channel for it, so explore and lurk.
Note about lurking: SAY SOMETHING EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. Many channels get sick of people just joining and watching, at least let them know who you are so someone doesn't kick you or something. So lurk, but be sure to talk occasionally. The IRC world is extremely intolerant of newfags.
Tips for more experienced users
Secure noticing
To send a message to everyone on a channel with a certain level or higher, type this:
- /notice (~|&|@|%|+)#channel message
where the symbol represents the minimum level to send the message to (see "People on IRC").
Use this to share sensitive information without spais finding out. Nobody below the specified level will see the message or even know that you sent it. Think of it more like a mass /msg to all ops/voices/etc. on a channel, except that (for most clients) it shows up in the channel's window.
Services
There are IRC services on most servers, save for stone-age EFnet.
NickServ
Use NickServ to keep others from using your nick and to keep ops/voice/etc. on channels.
- /ns register password email - Register your nickname.
- /ns identify password - Identify yourself. On some servers, your nick will be automatically be changed if you do not identify within a few minutes.
- /ns ghost nick password - Get someone who's using your nick to quit. It can also be used in case you disconnect, but your old nick hasn't pinged out yet.
- /ns help - List all commands.
Use "/ns" instead of "/msg nickserv". If services are down, someone can impersonate NickServ and steal all passwords that are /msg'd to him. If you use /ns, your command will be sent to NickServ only if services are up; otherwise, the command will be discarded.
If you get an "unknown command" error while trying to use /ns and services are up, use "/raw ns (command)", "/quote ns (command)", or whatever your client uses to send raw commands.
ChanServ
With a registered and identified nick in an unregistered channel where you are an op:
- /cs register #channelname (password) (brief description)
Like with NickServ, it's much safer to use "/cs" instead of "/msg chanserv".
ChanServ allows you to manage channel access. You can have services automatically op/voice/etc. people, depending on which system you use. Note that when giving a user access, that user must be registered with NickServ. There are two different ways to manage access:
XOP system
- /cs xop #channelname add nick
Where "xop" is either:
- "vop" for auto-voice
- "hop" for auto-halfops
- "aop" for auto-ops
- "sop" for auto-superops
You can also change "add" to "del" to delete someone from your list.
Access level system
- /cs access #channelname add nick level
- Adds a user to the access list with that level. If a user is already on the list, their level will simply be changed to the specified level.
- /cs access #channelname del nick
- Deletes a user from the access list.
By default, the following access levels are defined:
- Founder - Gives +qo upon entering, allows full access to ChanServ commands. Only one user may have this status.
- 10 - Gives +ao upon entering, allows access to akick.
- 5 - Gives +o upon entering.
- 3 - Gives +v upon entering.
- 0 - Nothing.
- <0 - User cannot be opped.
ChanServ kick
You can use ChanServ to kick people if you aren't opped up but still op privileges from ChanServ. If a channel doesn't have signkick enabled (which it usually does), you can have ChanServ kick people anonymously.
- /cs (kick|ban) #channelname nick reason
HostServ
With a registered nick, you can replace your plain old hostname with a vHost, which is basically just a fake hostname. To request a vHost, type:
- /msg HostServ request vhost@goes.here
You will then have to wait for your vHost to be approved. Some networks do it automatically after about a few hours, while other nets have it to where it must be manually approved.
You can also use "/hs" if you really want to, but HostServ isn't as important as the other services.
