STEP ONE: Download mIRC 6.02. or whatever one is newest at the time.
mIRC is distributed in a self-extracting file; a small program that will unzip and install mIRC on your PC. You don't need any external programs to install and setup mIRC on your PC, just follow the instructions below.
In these instructions we assume you are using Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME, XP, NT or newer. In the unlikely event you are using a very old version of Windows, like Windows 3.1, 3.11, or Windows for Workgroups, an older 16 bit version of mIRC is available. This file is named mirc591s.exe
Now you're ready to download the mirc 6.02 file from one of the addresses on the download sites and save it to your hard drive. The file is named mirc602.exe
To download a file and save it to your harddisk instead of viewing it, click on the link to the file while holding the SHIFT key on your keyboard down.
In several web-browsers (IE, Netscape, Mosaic) you can also right-click on the link and select 'Save this link as...' from the popup menu that will show. When your web-browser asks where to place the file, select a directory on your harddisk where you can find it back later.
Sometimes your web-browser will confront you with a warning message like :
"Unknown File-type. No external viewer configured for this file.
Do you want to configure a viewer now OR save file to disk ?"
In these cases select "Save file to disk"
STEP TWO: Installing mIRC
Once you have downloaded mIRC, you are ready to install it. During the install procedure mIRC's files will be automatically extracted from the file and all necessary steps for starting mIRC will be taken. If you're upgrading an older version of mIRC you will be able to keep all your old settings.
Open the Windows File Manager or Explorer with which you can see what files are found on your PC's hardisk. You can find its icon in the 'Start' menu, under 'Programs'.
Locate the mIRC 6.02 file which you just downloaded and saved to your harddisk. It is named mirc602.exe
To start the installation process just double click on the file. The installation program will be started automatically.
Determine the place on your harddisk where you want mIRC to be installed. Normally the proposed c:\program files\mirc will do fine. Upgraders just browse to the directory where their current mIRC version is found and select that as destination directory.
If you want the installer to keep backup copies of all eventual older files, keep the "Make backups" option selected.
If you want the installer to add a mIRC program group to windows and set up the mIRC icons, keep the "Add icons" option selected.
Select 'OK' and you're done! The installer will take care of all the work.
STEP THREE: Setting up mIRC
Now that mIRC is installed on your PC and the program group and mIRC icon are available in the program manager, this is what is required to set it up:
First make sure you have an active connection to Internet. Normally you just have to start up the modem connection to your Internet provider to do so. Make sure you always first start your modem first and then mIRC.
Double click the icon (shortcut) to start up mIRC.
mIRC will start and show the Options Dialog and require you to fill in some information:
In the mIRC Options dialog (as above) you see an options tree structure. You can expand a branch of the tree (a Category) by selecting an item (Connect, IRC, Sounds,..) and clicking on the little 'plus' sign. A list of sub-items will unfold. At first only the main 'Connect' menu item seen above, has to be filled in. Select this item and enter the following information in the fields
Real Name: Your real name (don't use your real name for security purposes)
E-Mail: Your email address (ditto)
Nick Name: A one to nine character alias to use on the chat system (ie, RedBEERd)
Alternate: If someone else is already using the Nick Name you you've chosen on IRC(I will be using the name RedBEERd because it is my nick on IRC), you will be known by this alternate name instead. (ie, Ziffle)
You also have to select a local or nearby IRC server. A long list of servers is available by default. Just select one. At first a default Random US EfNet server will do fine! If you cannot connect to any servers at all, go to www.efnet.org and click on the server link. It has a current list of all efnet servers. Once connected, you can also type /links in any window and a list of current efnet servers will popup in a new window.
Once you have connected to a server , you can change your nick to anything you like as long as someone else is not using it. On other nets such as DalNet, the nicks are registered so you cannot use some names if they are registered to someone else. There is no Chanserv or Nickserv on efnet. YAY !!! We like it that way.
Next, you could select the Local Info sub-item. Normally you dont have to fill in anything here. Just make sure the boxes under 'On Connect, Always get :' Local Host and IP Address are Checked (selected). For various Internet Providers and PC setup's you might need other settings here. Dont worry too much for now, if you get problems later just read the help provided on this topic in the mIRC Help file (mirc.hlp) or mIRC FAQ.
Now select the Identd sub-item and Enable the Identd Server. Your User ID should already be filled-in there. The System should allways be set to UNIX and the port is always port 113. 'Show Ident requests' can be left Off, 'Enable only when connecting' can be set On.
Once this is all set, click on the OK button to close the mIRC Options Dialog.
mIRC is now set up and totally ready to use.
STEP FOUR: Using mIRC
Click on the File menu and select Connect. Or select the lightning button in the Toolbar for the same effect.
After a short wait (up to 20 seconds) you will see some meaningless blurb appear in the status window.
The last line will say something like "End of MOTD command".
You are on IRC now !! Congratulations.
The mIRC Channels Folder will pop up. It shows a selection of the most popular IRC Channels available all over the world. You might want to try some of them? You can double-click on any channel suggested in the list. Or you can select more channels and hit the Join button.
Alternatively, to join a conversation, type the /join {#channel_name} command in the single line box at the bottom of the Status window. Popular channels are #mirc4dummies, #friendly, #mirc, #teen, #texas, #amsterdam, #newbies, #help, #england, #usa : well there are tens of thousands. To get a listing of all available channels you might try the /list command. Be careful. This powerful command can actually disconnect your modem and flood you off if you are not on a fast connection. Also, some servers do not allow this command to work, as it generates a large volume of data from them to you. And some servers will disconnect you if you use this command. Experimant with it if you want, but remember it might bump you.
When you join a channel, a new window will appear on your screen.
The names on the right or left (depending on how you have mirc configured) side column are those people who are currently joined in the channel.
The left hand side (or right) is where everyone's conversation takes place.
To say things to the people joined to the channel, just type your comments in the single row box at the bottom of the channel's window.
To leave a channel, just click on the close box ( the X ), which is located at the top right hand corner of the channel name's window.
If you have difficulties connecting to an IRC server, because of errors like "No Authorisation" or "Cannot Resolve IRC Server name" try using a different IRC server or read the mIRC FAQ for more info.
icon (shortcut) to start up mIRC.