The following pages were taken from the Official mIRC.com Website

IRC F.A.Q.

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(11) Do I need a password to connect to irc?

Normally you do not need a password to use an IRC server. Most servers allow anonymous access. If you do not have a password for an IRC server then leave the password entry field blank. If you are prompted for a login or password and you dont know what to type, try to connect to another server.

(12) Do I have to give my real name?

No, you do not -have- to give your real name. However, simply filling in nonsense will not make you anonymous. IRC is not inteded to keep you hidden from your friends or enemies. Keep this in mind if you are tempted to behave maliciously. A fake "real name" can be a good way to mask your gender from all the nerds out here ;o) but the PC you use can always be traced so you will never be truly anonymous.

(13) Do I have to fill in my E-mail address in the setup?

Assuming you have an E-mail account somewhere you should fill in the address you can be reached at by mail. In case you do not have an E-mail address you can just fill in your name.

(14) What is a nickname?

On IRC you are known to others by a nickname. You are free to choose any nickname you like, up to 9 characters long. Do not use spaces and avoid unusual ASCII characters in your nickname. It is also very common to find people that use the same nickname and you may be asked or choose to switch nicknames to avoid confusion.

(15) What is my IP Address?

Your IP Address is the address your PC uses on the Internet. It is usually a set of 4 numbers or its equivalent IP Name. Some providers offer you a unique IP Address (static IP) or they assign a different one every time you connect (dynamic IP) to them. With Dynamic IP addresses you have to make sure your client automatically looks up your current IP Address and your Local Host name each time you connect to IRC.

(16) What is my Local Host name?

The Local Host name is the name you or your provider assigned to your PC. It can be a single word or a name equivalent to your IP Address.

(17) I tried to connect to a server and received a "Connection refused," "Connection timed out" or "Unknown host" message.

First of all, always try some other IRC servers when you are unable to access your favorite one. The server, its machine or the route to the server may just be down or broken. When using a new server name you should make sure a server with the specified name actually exists. The server name you specified could be wrong. If the server exists, you can then try the numeric address of the server rather than its symbolic one (e.g 131.174.124.9 for irc.sci.kun.nl). This will solve problems if your Domain Name Server is down, slow, does not understand the name you gave it or cannot translate it into a numeric address.

(18) When I connect I get a "Not enough user parameters" error?

A "Not enough user parameters" error will occur if you try to connect to a server but you did not have the Local Host name filled in, or had it filled in incorrectly. Check your entry in your client's setup menu. Also check if you supplied your client with a valid E-Mail address.

(19) How do I solve the "You haven't registered" error?

This is a server message to you, it has nothing to do with registering or paying for your IRC client. If you receive this message or if you get disconnected very quickly, your Local Host name or IP Address may be wrong, or not filled in at all. Look in your client's setup dialog and check if the Local Host is correct and if the IP Address is filled in correctly. An easy way to solve an incorrect IP Address is to set the 'On connect, always get' "IP Address" and "Local Host" to "ON" and restart your client. If this does not help you could be trying to connect to a NON-public server. Try another server to be sure.

(20) I get disconnected at startup.... What does "*** Ghosts are not allowed on IRC." mean? What does "*** You are not welcome on this server." mean?

"Ghosts are not allowed on IRC" means that you are banned from using that server. You cannot be completely banned from IRC. Banning exists only on a per-server basis (being banned on one server does not mean you are automatically banned from another). When you're banned you can not use a server. Alternatively IRC servers can accept you under resticted access only. Banning is in one of three forms:

* You are banned specifically, you yourself. Only you can be responsible for this (if you are using a shared account or dynamic IP addressing, this obviously does not apply). The responsibility lies completely with you and you have no one to complain to.
* Your machine is banned. Chances are, you did committed no wrongdoing. Try using another machine on the network if you have one and seeing if you can use that particular irc server.
* Your whole site is banned (where "site" is a "school", "company", "country" or "provider"). This almost certainly is not your fault. Chances of geting the server-ban lifted are slim. Try using another server.

The most general answer is "use another server", but if it bothers you, try writing to the irc administrator of that site (type /admin servername). Be polite in explaining your case.

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