Welcome to ASL's mIRC 101

mIRC Set-Up Instructions

If you are a very visual person and need pictures
to understand the directions, then please look here:
http://robinb.mystarband.net/mircstarband.html

Otherwise just follow the simple directions below:

It will be easier for you if you print these instructions out so you will
have them to look over while you're configuring everything.

Ok, you've downloaded mIRC....now go to your Windows Explorer
(not to be confused with Internet Explorer!) You can find this on your
computer very easily by going to your START button, then perhaps it
is under one of your PROGRAMS...everyone has theirs in a different
place so you'll have to look around for it. If all else fails, you can go to
START--->FIND--->FILES AND FOLDERS--->
then in the NAME AND LOCATION box, put the name mirc.exe
in the first box where it says "NAMED:" Don't worry about filling out
any other box, just click on the button that says: "FIND NOW".
Then your computer will look to see where your download of mirc.exe went to.

After you have found it, double click on it to start the program up so that
you can configure it. When you open mIRC for the first time you're going
to be very overwhelmed...it looks so hard to use. But it's not! There are
many things that you can configure, but for now I'm just going to give you
the basic instructions that will allow you to connect to the chatrooms.
Don't be intimidated by all the bells and whistles! When you learn more
about mIRC over the next few months, you can go back in and set some
other stuff up (like changing your fonts and colors and stuff like that)

Ok here we go: At the very top left of your screen you'll see these words:
FILE VIEW FAVORITES etc. Look under those and you'll see some yellow icons (pictures) Click on the yellow one that is a folder and a hammer. This is the OPTIONS.
This will bring up a mIRC OPTIONS box. The first category you'll see is "CONNECT." Then click on "SERVERS."

Click on "ADD" and add these things here (type them in):
Description: A Silver Lining
Irc Server: irc.infinitychat.net
Port: 6667
(Ignore the blank spaces that ask for GROUP and PASSWORD
and ignore the EDIT DELETE and SORT buttons!)

Now in the middle of that box where you've been doing all this
configuring, you'll see where it asks for your
FULL NAME, EMAIL ADDRESS, NICKNAME and ALTERNATIVE
and you'll see a little box that you can check "INVISIBLE" in.
DO NOT give your real name, as others can see this!
Just put in a nickname there, and either your real or fake email
addy in the next box or leave this blank (only use your real email
addy if you don't mind others having it!)
Where it says "ALTERNATIVE" I'd put your nickname there
with an hyphen after it. Let's say your nick is Gidget....
so in the alternative nick area, you'd put Gidget-

Hey we're almost done! Now all you have to do is look to the left
of that box. See a long narrow list of words? The first word is CONNECT.
Click on the plus sign that is next to the word CONNECT.
That will bring up a list of four words: OPTIONS, LOCAL INFO,
IDENTD, and FIREWALL. The only one of these words that you
need to click on is the one that says IDENTD. Click on it and that will
change the box that you're looking at. Look at the middle of that box.
See where it says ENABLE IDENTD SERVER? Checkmark that box.
Now where it says USER ID, put any old word in there. (which ever word
you use, others will see it so make sure that it's ok for others to view.
A lot of people just put their nick there)
Ignore the rest of the things there that you can fill out! Don't worry about it!
DO NOT click on the OK button yet!

Now look at that long narrow list again. See where it says IRC? Click on the
PLUS SIGN next to the word IRC. That will bring up another list of words.
Now click on the word PERFORM. That will change the box to show something
different this time. At the top you'll see a box that says ON CONNECT
PERFORM THESE COMMANDS. Click in that little box to checkmark it.
Now, look at the blank window there, that is in the middle of this box.
Type this into that box:
/join #ASL
Make sure that the slash is a FORWARD SLASH-----> /
And make sure you type in the word JOIN right after that forward slash with
NO spaces in between the SLASH and the word JOIN! And then make sure
that there IS a SPACE before you type the # sign (pound sign) and then make
sure that there is NOT a SPACE between the # sign and the word ASL.
Again, it should look like this: /join #ASL

You're done! Now click the OK button. Look over to the upper left of your screen
and you'll see a yellow lightning bolt. That is the button that you'll be using to
connect you to the chatroom. Click on it and it'll take you to the chatroom!