 WDYWFM |
 | WDYWFM |
WDYWFM |
| WDYWFM |
STEP ONE: Download
Download the proper mIRC program for your computer. The best places to download are from the original programers homepage or Tucows. With any program please run a virus check on all downloaded programs to insure safety for your computer.
mIRC is distributed in a self-extracting program that will install mIRC on your PC. You don't need any external programs to install and set up mIRC on your PC, just click the exe file you download and it will run its own setup program.
mIRC is available in a 16 bit program, for a 16 bit operating system like Windows 3.1. And a 32 bit program if you're running Windows 95, 98, NT or Windows 3.11 with Win32 package.
To download a file and save it to your hard drive, click the file you want to save. A window will open and you will be instructed where you want to save it.. If you "lose" your file you have downloaded and can't find it.. go to windows explorer, click on tools, find and put in the name of the file and search your hard drive to find it.
STEP TWO: Installing mIRC
Once you have downloaded a mIRC program, you are ready to install mIRC in Windows. During the install procedure mIRC's files will be automatically extracted from the program and all necessary steps for starting mIRC will be taken.
Open the Windows File Manager or Explorer with which you can see what files are found on your PC's hard disk. You can find its icon in the Main group in Windows or under the 'Start' button. Locate the mirc program which you just downloaded and saved to your hard disk.
To start the installation process just double click on the file. The installation program will be started automatically. You do not need winzip to extract this file, it is self extracting and all you need to do is double click on the file.
Determine the place on your hard disk where you want mIRC to be installed. Normally the proposed c:\mirc will do fine.
Select 'OK' and you're done! The installer will take care of all the work.
STEP THREE: Setting up mIRC
Now that mIRC is installed on your PC and the program group and mIRC icon are available in the program manager, this is what is required to set it up:
First make sure you have an active connection to Internet. Normally you just have to start up the modem connection to your Internet provider to do so. To anticipate any problems in the future always first start your modem and then mIRC.
Double click the icon (shortcut) to start up mIRC.
mIRC will show the Setup Dialogue and require you to fill in some information:
In the mIRC Setup select the IRC Servers tab and enter the following information in the fields:
Real Name: Your real name (i.e., Pinkie )
E-Mail: Your email address (i.e., t.r.vonck@student.utwent.nl)
Nick Name: A one to nine character alias to use on the chat system (i.e., Falcon)
Alternate: If someone else is already using the Nick Name you've chosen on IRC, you will be known by this alternate name instead. (i.e., Pinkie`)You also have to select a local or nearby IRC server. To join #PinkFloyd&Co. you will need to choose an UNDERNET IRC server. The server of choice is NewYork.NY.US.Undernet.Org...if it's not listed you can add by selecting the add tab and filling in the blanks such as:
Next, select the Local Info tab. Normally you don't have to fill in anything here. Just make sure the boxes under 'On Connect, Always get :' IP Address and Local Host are checked (selected). For various Internet Providers and PC setups you might need other settings here. Don't worry too much for now, if you get problems later just read the help provided on this topic in the mIRC Help file (mirc.hlp).
Now select the Ident tab and Enable the Ident Server. Your User ID should already be filled in there. Eventually fill in your Account Name in this field. (Your account name is the part before the @ in your email address, like t.r.vonck in my case) The system should always be set to UNIX and Listening on port 113.
Once this is all set, click on the OK button to close the mIRC Setup Dialogue.
mIRC is now set up and totally ready to use.
Click on the File menu and select Connect. (Or select the lightning icon in the Toolbar)
After a short wait (up to 20 seconds) you will see some meaningless blurb appear in the status window. The last line will say something like "End of MOTD command".
You are on IRC now !! Congratulations.
STEP FOUR: Joining In
To join a conversation, type the /join {channel_name} or /join #PinkFloyd&Co. (don't forget the .) command in the single line box at the bottom of the Status window.
When you join a channel, a new window will appear on your screen. The names on the right side column are those people who are currently joined in the channel.
The left hand window is where everyone's conversation takes place. To say things to the people joined to the channel, just type your comments in the single row box at the bottom of the channel's window. Hit the enter key to send the message to the channel.
To leave a channel, just double click on the close box, which is located at the top-left hand corner of the channel name's window.
There are many more commands available on IRC, and we recommend you do some further reading in one of the widely available info files. These www pages offer an IRC Intro page in case you need more info on IRC, and the mIRC FAQ mIRC FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) to help you solve any possible problem you might encounter now or in the future.
If you have difficulties connecting to an IRC server, because of errors like "No Authorization" or "Cannot Resolve IRC Server name" try using a different IRC server or read the mIRC FAQ for more info.
Some helpful sites where you can get a variety of help with your mIRC program are:
#mIRC Homepage
Chat-IRC-mIRC
mIRC in a Nutshell
The IRC Cave
#mIRC on Dalnet Homepage
Always remember there are real people behind each nickname, please treat people as you would like to be treated with respect and courtesy. Word of caution...Do not accept any files from anyone you don't know. Always make sure the dcc 'auto get' is unchecked in your dcc set up.
And above all enjoy meeting and making new friends around the world!
