Not sure on how to use IRC? Then read through this detailed guide below! Not all commands are required by the average chatter. Use this page as both a beginner's reference and an advanced guide too!

These commands should work on most IRC clients, both downloadable and browser types.

How to Log On

1) IRC Client - If you need a client, visit our Clients page to find links to popular programs. To log on, type: /server irc.diasporagames.com 6667

2) Webchat Login - Alternatively, you may want to log on without the use of an IRC client. A java applet is available on the DiasporaGames website on the "Java" link on the left. This is easier if you are unfamiliar with IRC, as you will not have to learn how to use a program in addition to IRC itself.

Basic IRC Commands

Once logged on, there are several basic commands which a person needs to know in order to navigate IRC.

/nick <newnick>
Changes your IRC nickname.
Example: /nick JohnDoe will change your name to JohnDoe
NOTE: Nicks cannot have spaces in them. Words can be separated with an underscore "_" or hyphen "-" instead.

/join #channel
Joins a channel. All channels on IRC start with the # symbol.
Example: /join #diaspora makes you join the channel #diaspora

/part #channel
Leaves a channel.
Example: /part #diaspora makes you leave the channel #diaspora

/whois <nick>
Displays information regarding the supplied nick if it is online, including the person’s host address, what channels they are in, what server they are on, an away message (if one is set), and their idle time if they are not active. If the nick is not online, the server will tell you so.

/msg <nick> <message>
Sends a private message to another user on the network.
Example: /msg Jeren Hello! Sends a message to Jeren saying "Hello!"

/me <emote>
Sends an emote to the channel.
Example: /me is admiring how nice the channel looks today. Will appear as "<Yournick> is admiring how nice the channel looks today."
NOTE: You must be on a channel to use this command.

/ctcp <user> ping
Pings a user to determine their lag time. A ping sends a packet of data to the individual’s computer and back again, calculating the time in seconds. In other words, if the ping time turns out to be 4 seconds, it would mean that it takes your messages 4 seconds to reach the individual. A ping time under 10 seconds is considered good.
Example: /ctcp Jeren ping Pings Jeren with the results displayed in the window.

/stats p
Will display a list of network staff available to assist you.

Services Commands

Services are automated network nicks (names) that stay online 24 hours a day and perform various functions for the network. There are 2 services on IRC that you need concern yourself with. They are called ChanServ and NickServ. The following are the commands you need to become familiar with.

NickServ:

/nickserv register <password> <e-mail>
Registers your current nick name so that only you may use it. In the password field, you enter the password you want to use to identify to your nick. For the e-mail address, enter your primary address in case you forget your password so that it may be e-mailed to you.
Example: /nickserv register password123 me@myhost.com
NOTE: Do not share your nick password with anyone.
*NOTE: Passwords are cAsE sEnSiTiVe.

/nickserv identify <password>
Identifies you as the owner of the nick you are currently using through the use of the password you used to register it.

/nickserv set enforce on
Prevents anyone from using your nick without identifying to it. If they don’t identify within 60 seconds, their nick will be forcibly changed to a random one.
NOTE: This command is usually recommended for channel operators and Network staff.

/nickserv set secure on
Sets additional security features on your nick.

/nickserv ghost <nick> <password>
Terminates your ghost if you drop from IRC and return to find your nick still in use. Sometimes when an individual loses their internet connection or drops for whatever reason, their nick remains on IRC for an extended period of time. This command will terminate the ghost nick from the server through the use of the password used to register the nick.
Example: /nickserv ghost JohnDoe mynickpassword123

Other NickServ commands, including helpfiles for them, can be found by typing /nickserv help

ChanServ:
NOTE: To use these commands, you must have a registered nickname (as mentioned above in the Nickserv area).

/chanserv register #channel <password> <description>
Registers a channel using a specific password. Note that this password does not have to be the same as the password used to register the individuals nick name. The only requirement for registering a channel is that the nick being used to register the channel is registered itself. For example, if your IRC nick is JohnDoe, but it isn’t registered, then ChanServ will not be able to register the channel for you.
Example: /chanserv register #mychannel mychannelpassword123 A fun place to chat! Will register the channel #mychannel using the password mychannelpassword123. The description for the channel would be "A fun place to chat!", which would appear in the channel registry info.
NOTE: Passwords are cAsE sEnSiTiVe.

/chanserv identify #channel <password>
Identifies you as the founder of a specific channel through the use of the password used to register it.
NOTE: Do not share your channel password with anyone.

/chanserv set mlock #channel +nt-ki
Sets the modes for a specific channel. The "n" flag sets it so that you must be in the channel in order to send a message to it, otherwise someone who is not in the channel can disrupt it. The "t" flag sets it so that you must be a channel operator in order to change the topic. +nt ensures that these modes can never be unset by channel operators - only the founder can remove them. The -ki portion will prevent anyone from every password protecting the channel, or setting it to invite only.

/chanserv set #channel keeptopic on
Instructs ChanServ to remember the topic in the channel so that when it becomes empty, the topic will be restored the next time someone joins.

Channel Staff Structure

The hierarchy in a channel goes as follows:
Founder - Owns and runs the channel. Can create SOPS or AOPS and change channel settings. Is automatically oped by ChanServ when they join the channel.
SOP - Short for Super Operator. Can instruct ChanServ to autoban certain individuals from the channel. Can also create AOPS. Is automatically oped by ChanServ when they join the channel.
AOP - Short for Auto Operator. When an AOP joins the channel, they will be automatically oped by ChanServ.
Temp Operator - Is not oped by ChanServ whey they join the channel. Instead, they are created temporarily by an AOP or higher in the channel.

(All operators have a @ symbol next to their name.)

Voice - A user with a plus "+" sign next to their name. This in of itself does not mean anything, but in the channel a voice may be assigned a value. If a channel has moderation (+m) set, then only voiced or oped users may speak.
Basic User - Can chat in the channel, but has no operator access whatsoever.

/chanserv sop #channel add <user>
/chanserv sop #channel del <user>
/chanserv sop #channel list
Adds or deletes a user from the Super Operator list. The user being added must have a registered nick in order for this to work. The "list" option displays a list of AOPS assigned to the channel.
NOTE: You must be the channel founder and be identified as the founder of the channel (scroll up to see how to identify to a channel) in order to do this.

/chanserv aop #channel add <user>
/chanserv aop #channel del <user>
/chanserv aop #channel list
Adds or deletes a user from the Auto Operator lst.The user beind added must have a registered nick in order for this to work. The "list" option displays a list of AOPS assigned to the channel.
NOTE: You must be a channel founder or SOP in order for this to work.

Non-Services Commands for Operators

TO TEMP OP SOMEONE:
/mode #channel +o <user>
Ops someone in the channel. A @ symbol will appear next to their name.
/mode channel -o <user>
Deops someone in the channel. The @ symbol will disappear from next to their name.
NOTE: You must be an operator in the channel in order to op or deop someone. Additionally, if the user is not on the AOP or SOP list, he or she will lose op privalleges upon parting the channel.

TO VOICE SOMEONE:
/mode #channel +v <user>
Voices someone in the channel. A + symbol will appear next to their name.
/mode channel -v <user>
Devoices someone in the channel. The + symbol will disappear from next to their name.

TO SET A CHANNEL TOPIC:
/topic #channel <newtopic>
NOTE: You must be an operator to perform this command.

TO KICK A USER:
/kick #channel <user> <reason>
This is usually used as a warning method, since a kick is not a permanent removal. The user will be able to rejoin.

TO BAN A USER:
/ban #channel <user>
This will ban the user’s hostname from the channel. This command is typically followed by the kick command since the act of banning itself will not remove the user.

TO UNBAN A USER:
/mode #channel -b <user>
If the ban wasn’t set on a user, but was instead set on a specific host name, the host name will have to be supplied in the place of <user>.

TO OBTAIN A LIST OF BANNED ADDRESSES:
/mode #channel b
A list will appear on the screen. If you are an mIRC user, double clicking in the channel window will display a command box with options.

AUTO-KICKING:
/chanserv akick #channel add <user>
/chanserv akick #channel del <user>
/chanserv akick #channel list
This is the most permanent solution for the removal of an individual from a channel. With this command, the user will be autobanned and kicked by ChanServ if he or she tries to enter the channel. So even if their host is not on the ban list, ChanServ will ban them. The "list" option will display a list of all akicked addresses or users for the channel.
NOTE: You must be a channel SOP to use this command.

CHANNEL MODES:
t - Only operators change the topic
n - No outside messages.
s - Secret. Channel doesnt show up in /lists or nick /whois
k - Lock channel with key.
l - Set limit to users in channel.
m - Sets channel to Moderated, only those with Ops or Voice may speak
i - Sets channel to Invite only

TO SET MODES:
/mode #channel +<mode>
/mode #channel -<mode>
Sets or unsets a mode.
Example: /mode #channel +ntsl 20 Sets the channel to have no external messages, only ops can change the topic, secret and to a limit of 20 people.
Example: /mode #channel -tsm Allows anyone to change the topic, unsets secret, and unsets moderation.
NOTE: If a mode lock is in place (refer to mlock), certain modes may not be changeable.