NickServ

NickServ is DALnet's means for registering a nickname, hence it's name, Nickname Registration Service. This allows a user connecting to a DALnet server to register and effectively "own" nicks. NickServ has the ability to protect those nicknames from other users who are not registered to use them

NickServ has a variety of commands, but firstly you must register your nickname (assuming no one else has it registered). To register a nickname type the following command:

/ns REGISTER {nickname_password}

Once you have successfully completed this command you should get the following notice back from NickServ.

-NickServ- "AysTesting" is now registered under your account: AMO@*.magna.com.au
-NickServ- Your password is test - please write it down for later use.

If you've not successfully registered the Nickname you were using, likely there will be one of the following messages:

-NickServ- This nick is owned by someone else. Please choose another.
-NickServ- If this is your nick, type: /msg NickServ IDENTIFY <password>
-NickServ- You have 60 seconds to comply before I send a nick collide.

or

-NickServ- Nick already registered

The former means the owner of the nickname has kill set on (explained later) the latter that while kill isn't set on the nick is still registered and not useable by yourself. You'll have to find a new nickname to use, many times that is just a modification of what you were already using such as Bob1, instead of Bob.

Once you've registered to NickServ the following commands are available for you to use to "customise" the feel of your nickname and how services enforces you nickname.

Identifying to NickServ

When you register you nickname with NickServ it adds the current address you are using to your ACCESS list (explained later). If you log onto DALnet from some other place, say a friends, NickServ will not think you are who you are supposed to be and thus ask you to either identify or change your nickname.

At other times you may wish to do some modifications to the general setup of how NickServ treats your nickname, most of those commands require you to identify before it will permit you to use them. To identify to NickServ that indeed you are the owner of the nick, type the following command:

/ns identify {nickname_password}

If you've done this successfully you'll get the following response from NickServ:

-NickServ- Password accepted for nick Aystest

Obtaining Information on a Registered Nickname

To find out information on a nickname such as, last seen address, last seen time URL information etc, type the following command:

/ns info {nickname}

The SET Command

The format for the SET command is generally as follows:

/ns SET {command} {value/variable}

Usages

/ns SET PASSWD <password>
/ns SET KILL [ON|OFF]
/ns SET URL [<url>]
/ns SET NOMEMO [ON|OFF]
/ns SET NOOP [ON|OFF]

ACCESS LISTS

An ACCESS list is a list of host masks NickServ holds to view if you are from the correct address to be yourself. Say you have two ISP's. ISP1 {Bob@ISP1.net}and ISP2 {Bob@ISP2.net}. If you register your nickname while using ISP1 NickServ only knows of that address. So when you join using ISP2, NickServ thinks you are a fake since you ACCESS list doesn't show this second ISP. Now you could identify to NickServ continously each time you use that ISP but this will get annoying especially when you've got nick kill set on. So you add this second ISP so NickServ knows you are really the owner of that nickname. To do this type the following command:

/ns ACCESS ADD {user@host.mask}

Removing an ACCESS Mask

Sometimes it is necessary to remove access masks from your list, this would be considered nickname maintenace which is a good idea. This will be needed to be done if you for instance change ISP's. You no longer wish your old ISP account in your ACCESS list as it is unsecure. Remove unwanted masks with the following command:

/ns ACCESS DEL {user@host.mask}

ACCESS Mask Listing

To list all of the current masks NickServ holds for your registerred nickname type the following:

/ns ACCESS list {nickname_if_not_current_nickname}

Dropping a Nickname

For whatever reasons you have, if you ever deciede to drop a nickname use the following command:

/ns DROP {nikcname_if_not_current_nickname}

Recovering "Lost"/Stolen Nicknames

Often the nickname you choose will be used by someone else at some stage, unless you have some rare nickname. The user using your nickname could very innocently not mean to be using it thinking it free, or not understanding the registration proces. Of course the user may also be trying to use your nickname for some ulterior motive. In any case you can recover your "lost" nickname with some ease, with the following commands to nickserver:

/ns RECOVER {nickname} {password}

This tells NickServ to disconnect the user using this nickname, and put in its place an 'enforcer' so te user can't autorejoin the server using your nick before you get a chance to use it yourself. You'll see something like the following if you /whois nickname after you do the recover command:

Anthony!enforcer@dal.net NickServ enforcement
Server: services.dal.net
Time is: Mon Nov 10 11:13:51 1997
End of /WHOIS Anthony

NickServ will hold this nickname for 60 seconds, if I recall correctly, before it stops using the nickname. To get the nick free of NickSer use the following command:

/ns RELEASE {nickname}

Another way to get a nickname back from a user or "yourself" is the ghost command. Sometimes you'll get disconnected by your ISP, don't worry it happens to all of us, and due to not signing off properly your "ghost stays on DALnet till it times out. You can either wait for this or use the following command to speed the process up (especially since the ghost could stay around for a while):

/ns GHOST {nickname}{password(optional - when using a mask contained in ACCESS list)}

There are other NickServ commands but these should do you for now :) If you feel the desire try looking at the DALnet services pages which should have the majority, if not all, of the commands available. From time to time I'll also try to keep this page up to date by adding newly released commands to my update page. And I won't add all commands just the commands which are MUSTS to know...

If you have any problems you can catch me online, I'm usually on host.dal.net, so best to try that server first and then a /whois Aysmonte, to make sure I'm on then a /msg Aysmonte hey I need some help about services!, or something similar ;) I get busy from time to time so I may pass you onto someone else but hey that's the way of the world *grin* A channel you may wish to visit that will always attempt to help you is #DALnetHelp. Just type /join #DALnetHelp to gain access to that channel.

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Last Update: 10 November 1997