IRC

IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is a form of direct (live) communication that is used quite some times by the Wii homebrew Scene. To connect to the IRC service, you need an IRC client.

You can basically compare it to MSN messenger. The only difference is that IRC focuses on group discussions, rather than communications between 2 persons (Although this is also possible).

If you’d like to make use of this service, all you have to do is to follow one of the guides below. It will explain how to set everything up and gives some more info about commands.

In the guides below, I connect to the USB loader GX IRC channel as example.

Using mIRC (Windows Only)

mIRC is the most popular Windows IRC client. It has the most features from all Windows IRC clients and the free trial lasts forever.

Guide

  1. The first step is of course to download mIRC. The newest version can always be found at http://www.mirc.com/get.html. Once you got it, run the installer and let it install.

  2. Start up mIRC. Keep clicking OK till you see the screen above

  3. Under connect, choose Servers. You will now need to find the server group where the IRC channel you want to join is hosted. Once you found the group, double click it and it will show you the available servers. Double click one of the servers to select it.

  4. Back on the first screen, fill in all boxes. It won’t check if the inputs are correct, so you can fill in about everything you want.

  5. Once you’re done, click the Connect button at the bottom. It will connect to the server. Once it’s done, you’ll get a new screen. Here, you have to give the name of the channel you want to join. The list at the bottom is basically useless, so you can delete its contents if you wish.

  6. Just type (or add) the channel you want to connect to and click Join. That’s all!

Using mibbit (Online client)

mibbit is an online IRC client. It has decent functions, but of course, using a real IRC client is better. If you have no other option, this is still a good choice.

Guide

  1. To connect to Mibbit, go to http://www.mibbit.com/chat/

  2. You will see 3 boxes at the top. In the first one, click “Server”.

  3. Now you need to fill in the server in the form of irc.{SERVER}.{EXT} (in my case, this is irc.abjects.net)

  4. Also fill in your nickname and the channel name, then click Go.

Using ChatZilla (Firefox Add-on)

Another possibility to connect to IRC is by using the ChatZilla add-on for Firefox.

Guide

  1. Download the ChatZilla Add-on. You can find it here: https://addons.mozilla.org/nl/firefox/addon/16

  2. You will need to restart FireFox. If the ChatZilla box doesn’t come up automatically now, go to extra > ChatZilla

  3. First configure the basic settings under the General tab (if you don’t see this, go to File > Preferences). We leave the rest alone for now.

  4. Ok, so now it’s time to connect to a server. To do this, type /attach irc.{Servername}.{EXT} (in my example that’s /attach irc.abjects.net). After you typed that, press CTRL+ENTER.

  5. Wait for a while till it stops loading (check the loading bar at the bottom right). Now all you have to do is to join your channel by using /join {Channel} (in my example, this is /join #gui-usbloader-talk).

Note: to send messages, you have to use CTRL+ENTER.

ENTER alone will just go to the next line.

User modes

Like on forums, some people are more important than other people. In IRC, we call this User modes. This is a list with modes you can get (only Ops and Half-ops can assign modes):

Note: to take away a mode from someone, just use – instead of +.

Q: Do you stay in a Mode when you log out?

A: No, an OP has to assign the mode to you again after you logged in. (Unless the channel is registered and the OPs have enabled auto-promotion for you)

Q: Then what do they do when there are no OPs?

A: In that case, the channel has no ops unless its registered. If someone who registered the channel joins, he will be made an OP automatically.

Q: How do I create a new channel?

A: Join one thats not in use yet.

Q: How do I register a channel?

A: Google knows it all.

Some Commands

Some commands are used a lot when you are connected to IRC. Every command starts with /.

Here are the most common used ones:

Note: {YourName} = the nickname you filled chose to be yourself.

No command

If you just type something and press Enter, it will show like this: <{YourName}> {Message}

/me

This allows you to express an action you are doing.

you type: /me {Message}

shows as: *{YourName} {Message}

example: /me hides behind a wall

/msg

Send a private message to someone

you type: /msg {Name} {Message}

shows as: <{Yourname}> {Message} (in another window that also pops up for the other user)

example: /msg John Hello :)

/nick

Changes your nickname to another one

you type: /nick {NewName}

shows as: * {YourName} is now known as {NewName}

example: /nick {Yourname}|Away (Name will be changed from {Yourname} to {YourName}|Away

note: you cannot choose the name if it’s already in use on any channel of the server!

/mode

Most functions of this command are only for Ops. This command can change both user and channel modes.

you type: /mode {Channel} {Nickname} {Mode}

shows as: {YourNick} sets mode: {Mode} {NickName}

example: /mode #Channel John +v (Gives a voice to John in #Channel)

/leave

Use this to leave a channel

you type: /leave {Channel} {Message}

shows as: * {YourNick} has left {Channel} ({Message})

/quit

Quit IRC (disconnect to every server)

you type: /quit {Message}

shows as: * {YourNick} has quit IRC ({Message}) on every channel