IRC stands for Internet Relay Chat and is a pretty old protocol (in terms of the internet) used to connect multiple IRC servers together and provide a stable and quick chat environment for a potentially large number of users.

Also, compared to options such as AOLIM chat rooms, IRC provides many more security and channel management features. The Dextroverse IRC server supports SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) client connection, thus providing an encrypted chat platform that is incredibly secure and easy to use.

The Dextroverse IRC network is designed to provide real-time communication for users of the Dextroverse.org community. The official Dextroverse chat room is #dextroverse, but Dextroverse IRC is a general purpose IRC network with no restrictions on the types of channels allowed. Another important channel to remember is #entrance, which is a starting point for new people who need help registering a nickname, joining a channel, etc. Staff members, as well as helpful users, will idle in #entrance to answer any questions you may have.

Please use irc.dextroverse.org instead of dextroverse.mine.nu for connecting if you haven't been on irc in a while, thanks.

There is an easy way to get on IRC that was recently added: use the IRC Chat link at the top (between User CP and Blogs, in the top links). If you prefer to use a stand-alone client, continue reading this section:

In order to be able to connect to the server, you will need an IRC client. There are many available depending upon what operating system you are using and what features you prefer. Here is a list of some of the most widely used IRC clients:

mIRC (highly recommended for first time users/Windows users)
mIRC is by far the most popular IRC client for Windows. It is stable, easy to use, and has a pretty feature-rich scripting language. Versions of mIRC prior to 6.14+ do not have SSL native to them; however, any versions 6.14 and newer do have native SSL support. If your version is older than 6.14, please download a new one, as stunnel and other fixes are now very obsolete.

You can download mIRC here: http://www.mirc.com/

XChat (free, highly recommended for Linux users, or Windows users if you don't like mIRC)
XChat is an IRC client for UNIX operating systems; however, binaries do exist for MacOS X and Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP. The source is available under a GNU General Public License, so if you want to, you can compile it yourself to your own specifications. XChat has native SSL support. Silverex also offers a free version for windows, linked under.

You can download XChat here (linux): http://www.xchat.org/
Xchat for Windows (FREE): http://www.silverex.org/download/

Ircle
Ircle is a client for MacOS X. SSL support is not native to this client and on Ircle’s website, they recommend the use of Stunnel. The download is available as shareware for 30 days; after the trial period, you must pay a fee if you wish to continue using it.

You can download Ircle here: http://www.ircle.com/

Irssi
Irssi is another UNIX client with Perl scripting support. Irssi has many available features and also works with Windows operating systems now.

You can download Irssi here: http://www.irssi.org/

BitchX
BitchX is one of the most popular clients for UNIX systems, but can also be used on a Windows operating system (though the developers don’t seem to like that idea). One of the most complex IRC clients available.

You can download BitchX here: http://www.bitchx.org/

Okay, now that you’ve downloaded and installed your IRC client, how do you use it to connect the Dextroverse server?

You first need to tell your client where the Dextroverse IRC server is. The settings will differ based on which program you have selected, so you may want to read the helps files if you can not figure out how to set the server connect information.
You will be connecting to: irc.dextroverse.org. (DO NOT use dextroverse.mine.nu anymore, it is dead)
Ports available for use are 6667, 7000, 6697 or 9999 (6697 and 9999 are SSL ONLY).

Name: irc.dextroverse.org Location: NJ, USA
Ports: 6660-7000, 6697 (SSL), 9999 (SSL)

Absolutely, but it is contingent upon whether or not the client you have selected supports it. We encourage our users to be as secure as possible.

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, and it is a method of encrypting TCP/IP connections over the internet. Historically, IRC has been an insecure “plaintext” protocol, and anyone with sufficient technical knowledge (and enough lonely nights at home to put forth the effort) could “listen in” on a user’s IRC connection to oversee conversations the user was having, collect passwords, etc. The Dextroverse IRC server supports SSL connections from clients in order to help protect user information so that users can chat securely with an encrypted connection to the server.

Keep in mind, however, that while your connection may be secure, this does not mean that the person you are talking to is using a secure connection. If this is the case, the secure client cannot consider their chat secure because the insecure client in which they are engaged with is, in effect, broadcasting all the happenings of the channel over the internet (via their plaintext, insecure connection). You can determine whether the other users you are speaking to are using a secured connection by utilizing the /whois command. If the user is using a secured connection, it will appear in their /whois information. For example:

/whois Nismo
Nismo is QUANTUM@ navy.mil ENTANGLEMENT
Nismo is using modes +owghrsxWt +kcfveGnNqso
Nismo is connecting from *@ip52-110-101-12.ks.ks.cox.net 52.110.101.12
Nismo is a registered nick
Nismo is on #entrance #polyamory ~#dextroverse ~#opers
Nismo is using irc.dextroverse.org Dextroverse IRC Server
Nismo is available for help.
Nismo is using a Secure Connection
Nismo is an IRC Operator
Nismo is not dumb enough to expose his real IP here
Nismo is idle 156, signed on Thu May 06 02:19:51 2010
End of /WHOIS list.

Remember that versions of mIRC that are older than 6.14+ do NOT support SSL natively. You can upgrade your version of mIRC to one that does, or if you wish to keep an older version, you can follow these guidelines in order to use mIRC’s internal SSL abilities.

The easiest way to get the required SSL files on your system is to download and run the OpenSSL installer from Shining Light Productions (this version is recommended by the creators of OpenSSL).

You can download the installer here: http://www.slproweb.com/products/Win32OpenSSL.html

Follow all the prompts and leave everything as default during the installation and there should be no problems.

After running the OpenSSL installer, you need to get into mIRC and edit the entry you have for the Dextroverse IRC server. Open mIRC and get to the mIRC Options window (it should pop up when you open mIRC but you can also get to it via the menu: both Tools->Options and File->Select Server will get you to the correct window).



Make sure Servers is selected, as it is in the screenshot above, and then find the entry in the IRC Server list box for the Dextroverse IRC server. Alternatively, you can click “Add” to add a new entry for the Dextroverse server.

The only real change is in the Port(s) field. Make sure the port is +9999 (the + indicates SSL and 9999 is the SSL port used on the Dextroverse IRC server).
That's it. Now when you first connect to the server, you'll probably see this message:



Don't worry, that's normal!
Technical note: the reason mIRC displays this warning is because the Dextroverse IRC server uses self-signed digital certificates. Since they aren't signed by a 3rd party, mIRC is warning you of this. Just click accept and you're good to go.

First of all, be sure to visit these two URLs before you connect to the server:
*General server rules:
http://irc.dextroverse.org/ircrules.txt
*Specific channel rules:
http://dextroverse.org/wiki/dextrove..._channel_rules
And once you have connected to the Dextroverse server, you may type /rules for a full list of all the updated rules.

IRC Operators

IRC operators are users on the server that have certain abilities to help enforce the rules of the server/channel. They are there mostly as mediators, but when there is a large amount of disruption or uncooperative behaviour, it is the responsibility of the IRCops to handle the situation as quickly and smoothly as possible. How an IRCop takes control of a messy situation depends on several factors, such as what level s/he is (half-op, op, services administrator, network administrator) and whether s/he is in charge of one or more channels or the entire server. There are small actions such as /kills which simply disconnect a user from the server, to larger actions such as akills, which ban a user from the server. In the case of bans, an Oper may ban permanently or temporarily one IP address or a range of IP addresses, hosts and hostmasks in an attempt to deny access to the Dextroverse server to any user in question. However, while we take every precaution not to ban users who have done nothing wrong, sometimes the tactics that we have to use will have a broad effect on the entire user group.

If you ever find yourself in this position, and believe it is in error, please contact the IRC staff at [email protected] in order to settle the issue. You may also make a post in the Talk to Staff forum on the Dextroverse Bulletin Board. If you ever find yourself in this position, but know that the ban was fully intended for you, yet you feel it is unwarranted, you are also welcome to contact the IRC staff at [email protected] or create a Talk to Staff post. The one thing you DO NOT want to do is reconnect to the Dextroverse server using a proxy in order to speak with an IRCop as this is considered ban evasion and you will be further penalized.

Remember, you can find the rules for the server and for channels at each of these websites respectively:
http://irc.dextroverse.org/ircrules.txt
http://dextroverse.org/wiki/dextrove..._channel_rules
REMEMBER, when you connect to the server, you can type
/rules
and you will be given a list with all the current and updated rules.

If you have an problems, questions, concerns, or suggestions, please be sure to e-mail the Dextroverse IRC staff at [email protected]. Again, there is also the option to post in the Talk to Staff forum. However, if you can connect to the server, there are several channels with staff members who can help you. You can try:

#entrance for any help needed with registering your nickname, learning how to identify with NickServ, and joining the main channel.

Also, if you find that you can connect to the Dextroverse server, but you are lost from there, you may type /ircops to get a list of all Opers who are currently on the server, and if you /whois him/her and it says s/he is available, go ahead and type /msg OperNick (where OperNick is the name of an active IRCop) and try to ask your question via the private message you have just initiated. PLEASE BE PATIENT with questions and requests - we’re only people, too!