| Setting Up mIRC for DALnet Chats STEP-BY-STEP |
|
Download the latest version of mIRC at mIRC Once you’ve downloaded the file, double click it, and it will install itself. After the program is installed, open it. You will see the following screen. Click continue to proceed with the setup. |
| The mIRC options window will pop-up. Fill in the boxes with full name and email (if you don't want to use your full name, just put your LOL handle there.) For your nickname, we advise you to use the same name you use on LOL. It makes it easier for others to know who they're talking to when chats get crowded. Put anything you want in the "Alternative" box. |
| What you need to do is change the default server to a specific DALnet server. Click on the sun icon. This will open a different window. Click on the arrow next to the IRC network box and scroll down until you see DALnet. Highlight it. |
| Now you need to pick a server. Click on the arrow next to the IRC server box. Highlight a server close to you but don't worry if it's 1/2 way across the country. |
| Once you've chosen your new server, the window will look like this: |
| Now click on the "Connect To Server" button. |
| You'll get a bunch of stuff scrolling across your mIRC status window. Occasionally it will take a bit of time to connect with a server, or it will take a couple of tries. A window called "mIRC Channels Folder" or "mIRC Favorites" will pop up. Add the room name, #lallygabbers (directions below), or select your room name from the channels (or favorites) folder if you've added it before. |
| One of two things should now happen. If you happen to get to chat before a moderator has arrived, you'll get a message stating that you've been kicked from the channel. In the event that happens, please wait a few minutes and try again. |
| If a moderator has opened the room, you'll see a message stating that you are unable to join channel (invite only). |
| Dinna fash. In the long horizontal box at the bottom of the window, type in /msg LOL_HOST Can I come in please? Then click the "enter" key on your keyboard to send the message. |
| You may hear some sound effects. A new tab will appear at the top of your window. Click on it to begin a dialogue with one of the moderators. |
| This is what the new window will look like. The moderator will extend the invitation or perhaps ask a question or two first to identify you as a hoser if your name isn't recognized right off. Just type your answers in the box at the bottom of the window and click "enter" as before. |
| Once the moderator has identified you, she'll extend the invitation. Your screen should look like the following: |
| To enter the chatroom, type in /join #lallygabbers. |
| This will open the chatroom window and you can begin chatting by typing in that same box at the bottom of the window. |
| That gets you in to chat. Now here are a few other tidbits that might be useful. To change nicknames, use the following command: /nick Jamie'sLove. Of course, you don't have to choose Jamie'sLove; you can choose whatever nickname you'd like, so long as it's not been taken by another DALnet user. If the nickname is already in use, DALnet will inform you. You'll have 60 seconds to choose another, or DALnet will choose one for you. Just keep trying until you find one that is not in use already. Sometimes when you're chatting, you'll get the feeling that you're participation is lagging. Either you reply to something and no one notices, or a long time will go by without any new conversation appearing in the window. This means you are probably lagged. The server you've connected through is having trouble. The way to check this is to either "ping" another chatter, or "ping" yourself. The ping reply is the lapse of time between you and someone else. How many seconds it takes for something you write to be seen by the other person. To check this, right click on a person's name in the chatters list on the right (you can choose yourself). Choose CTCP, then Ping. The ping reply appears on the Status Window (this is the main reason why it's a good idea to resize the Status Window when you first enter a chat. It makes keeping track of ping replies much easier). If this number goes over 20 secs, it makes participation in the chat difficult. However, before you disconnect and reconnect with a different DALnet server, check it a few times. Your initial ping could be 20 seconds but the next will be only 5 secs. And that is probably just about everything you ever wanted or did not want to know about mIRC and DALnet :-D |