IRC - CHAT

If you're interested in chatting, but you don't know what it is all about, you can start with A/I's, ECN's or indivia's java application (the latter offers the possibility of using an encrypted chat). If you find IRC chat interesting, you can try some more sophisticated client such as Xchat or Gaim.

The main information you need for chatting is the following:

  • configuration parametres;
  • the channel where you wish to chat (channel names begin with the # symbol, e.g.: #indymedia or #etc). You can choose whatever channel you prefer. The most popular channel on irc.autistici.org is #hackit99, but the network hosts italy indymedia's channel as well -- #indymedia);
  • your nick, that is the name you want to use while chatting (you can use your real name or a nickname you like). If you want to be sure that your nick isn't used by someone else, register it (if you want to know more about this and other services, read this howto).

The main commands you'll need in IRC -- contained in specific menus in graphic clients such as Xchat -- are the following:
  • /nick followed by the nick you want to use for changing your nick
  • /join followed by the name of the channel you wish to access (e.g. /join #hackit99);
  • /part followed by the name of the channel you wish to log out from;
  • /quit to quit IRC;
  • /msg followed by someone else's nick in order to start a private conversation (a socalled 'private message' or 'query') with her.

There are of course many more commands: if you wish to learn more, you'll find several howtos in the Web.

A/I's IRC server offers some additional services called 'IRC Services'. To learn more about them, read this howto.

Technical Info


Server address ai.irc.mufhd0.net
User port 6667
SSL user port 9999
SSL certificate authority downloadable from: ca.autistici.org


You can also connect to the server via the SSL-encrypted 9999 Port.
Moreover, by importing the authority certification by which our SSL have been created, you can ascertain that the SSL certificate is genuine thus avoiding any man-in-the-middle attacks.
For client configuration, read the howtos on X-Chat and Gaim (for Linux e Windows), and on xchataqua (for Mac OS X).
Since the mufhd0 network is managed together with ECN and Indivia, should the A/I servers have problems you can connect with these other servers.

Contacts about IRC


If you have any problems or questions about our IRC service and/or about the possibility of linking other servers, write to: irc@autistici.org.