IRC for starters

Introduction

This starter guide will explain how to use the MobileRead chat. Don't get confused if we sometimes use the terms chat and IRC interchangeably - it has to do with the fact that IRC is the underlying network protocol that makes our chat work.

Read our introduction guide before you continue here. It contains valuable information, some of which we will repeat in a moment.

Getting Started

Nickname Registration

Our chat network is tightly integrated with the MobileRead forum. First make your forum username known to our chat network, by following this link:

• Register your username

Your username is now permanently registered on the chat network. On the chat, we call it nickname. From here, nobody else can use your nickname (and impersonate you).

Option 1: Chat Widget

If you don't want to download a third party software, you can access our chat network through a web-based chat client. The easiest way is to use the integrated chat widget in the MobileRead forums, by following this link:

• Integrated Chat Widget

It's easy because you won't have to enter any credentials - the system automatically identifies you as who you are and uses that information to log onto the chat network. All you have to do is click on the "Connect" button.

Option 2: Full-Screen Web Chat

There is another web-based option which is a full-screen web client. Before you can use it, you must write down the password that was automatically created for you during the nickname registration to log onto our chat network.

Don't attempt to use your forum password. It won't work. For security reasons we use separate passwords for the forum and for the chat.

First lookup your chat credentials - nickname and password - by following this link:

• Chat Credentials

Now go to the full-screen web chat, where you can enter your credentials, by following this link:

• MobileRead Web Chat

* Where is says "Nickname" write your nickname
* Click on "Login"
* Where it says "Password" write your password
* Where it says "Channel" make sure it says #mobileread

Click Connect! That's it.

Option 3: Third Party Clients

MobileRead's chat network is based on the IRC protocol. For the best experience, you are encouraged to use a standalone IRC client to participate in the chat. Clients exist for virtually any system, both mobile and non-mobile. Since the number of available clients can be quite intimidating, here is a brief (and by no means complete) list of popular clients for popular operations systems:

Windows

• mIRC (Shareware)
• KVIrc (Freeware)
• HexChat (Freeware)
• NetTalk (Freeware)

Mac OS

• Colloquy (Freeware)
• Textual (Trial)
• KVIrc (Freeware)

Linux

• KVIrc (Freeware)
• WeeChat (Freeware)
• irssi (Freeware)
• HexChat (Freeware)
• BitchX (Freeware]
• Konversation (Freeware)

iOS (mobile)

• LimeChat (Commercial)
• Colloquy Mobile (Commercial)
• IRChon (Freeware)

Android (mobile)

• Yaaic (Freeware)
• Androirc (Freeware)

Web Browser

An IRC can also be added as an app for a Web Browser

• Chatzilla for Firefox or Seamonkey

For more information regarding the use of third party clients, please refer to our advanced users guide.

More Information

• Chat Advanced Users Guide
• Chat Commands Overview
• Chat Frequently Asked Questions
• Chat Privacy Policy

External Links

• Chat Credentials
• Integrated Chat Widget
• Full-Screen Web Chat
• Comparison of IRC clients (Wikipedia)
• Comparison of mobile IRC clients (Wikipedia)