IRC services

This page was designed to show and explain the commands that our IRC services support, there are detailed sections on NickServ ChanServ and MemoServ.

For further support with our IRC services or for password-related problems please contact a Services Administrator in our IRC help channel.

IRC services are powered by Anope.

NickServ

HELP

NickServ allows you to "register" a nickname and
prevent others from using it. The following
commands allow for registration and maintenance of
nicknames; to use them, type /msg NickServ command.
For more information on a specific command, type
/msg NickServ HELP command.

    REGISTER   Register a nickname
    GROUP      Join a group
    IDENTIFY   Identify yourself with your password
    ACCESS     Modify the list of authorized addresses
    SET        Set options, including kill protection
    DROP       Cancel the registration of a nickname
    RECOVER    Kill another user who has taken your nick
    RELEASE    Regain custody of your nick after RECOVER
    SENDPASS   Forgot your password? Try this

Other commands: GHOST, ALIST, GLIST, INFO, LIST, LOGOUT,
                STATUS, UPDATE

NOTICE: This service is intended to provide a way for
IRC users to ensure their identity is not compromised.
It is NOT intended to facilitate "stealing" of
nicknames or other malicious actions.  Abuse of NickServ
will result in, at minimum, loss of the abused
nickname(s).

REGISTER

Syntax: /msg NickServ  REGISTER password [email]

Registers your nickname in the NickServ database.  Once
your nick is registered, you can use the SET and ACCESS
commands to configure your nick's settings as you like
them.  Make sure you remember the password you use when
registering - you'll need it to make changes to your nick
later.  (Note that case matters!  ANOPE, Anope, and
anope are all different passwords!)

Guidelines on choosing passwords:

Passwords should not be easily guessable.  For example,
using your real name as a password is a bad idea.  Using
your nickname as a password is a much worse idea ;) and,
in fact, NickServ will not allow it.  Also, short
passwords are vulnerable to trial-and-error searches, so
you should choose a password at least 5 characters long.
Finally, the space character cannot be used in passwords.

The parameter email is optional and will set the email
for your nick immediately. However, it may be required
on certain networks.
Your privacy is respected; this e-mail won't be given to
any third-party person.

This command also creates a new group for your nickname,
that will allow you to register other nicks later sharing
the same configuration, the same set of memos and the
same channel privileges. For more information on this
feature, type /msg NickServ HELP GROUP.

GROUP

Syntax: /msg NickServ  GROUP target password

This command makes your nickname join the target nickname's
group. password is the password of the target nickname.

Joining a group will allow you to share your configuration,
memos, and channel priviledges with all the nicknames in the
group, and much more!

A group exists as long as it is useful. This means that even
if a nick of the group is dropped, you won't lose the
shared things described above, as long as there is at
least one nick remaining in the group.

You can use this command even if you have not registered
your nick yet. If your nick is already registered, you'll
need to identify yourself before using this command. Type
/msg NickServ HELP IDENTIFY for more information. This
last may be not possible on your IRC network.

It is recommended to use this command with a non-registered
nick because it will be registered automatically when
using this command. You may use it with a registered nick (to
change your group) only if your network administrators allowed
it.

You can only be in one group at a time. Group merging is
not possible.

Note: all the nicknames of a group have the same password.

IDENTIFY

Syntax: /msg NickServ  IDENTIFY password

Tells NickServ that you are really the owner of this
nick.  Many commands require you to authenticate yourself
with this command before you use them.  The password
should be the same one you sent with the REGISTER
command.

LOGOUT

Syntax: /msg NickServ  LOGOUT

This reverses the effect of the IDENTIFY command, i.e.
make you not recognized as the real owner of the nick
anymore. Note, however, that you won't be asked to reidentify
yourself.

DROP

Syntax: /msg NickServ  DROP [nickname]

Drops your nickname from the NickServ database.  A nick
that has been dropped is free for anyone to re-register.

You may drop a nick within your group by passing it
as the nick parameter.

In order to use this command, you must first identify
with your password (/msg NickServ HELP IDENTIFY for more
information).

ACCESS

Syntax: /msg NickServ  ACCESS ADD mask
        ACCESS DEL mask
        ACCESS LIST

Modifies or displays the access list for your nick.  This
is the list of addresses which will be automatically
recognized by NickServ as allowed to use the nick.  If
you want to use the nick from a different address, you
need to send an IDENTIFY command to make NickServ
recognize you.

Examples:

    ACCESS ADD anyone@*.bepeg.com
        Allows access to user anyone from any machine in
        the bepeg.com domain.

    ACCESS DEL anyone@*.bepeg.com
        Reverses the previous command.

    ACCESS LIST
        Displays the current access list.

SET

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET option parameters

Sets various nickname options.  option can be one of:

    DISPLAY    Set the display of your group in Services
    PASSWORD   Set your nickname password
    LANGUAGE   Set the language Services will use when
                   sending messages to you
    URL        Associate a URL with your nickname
    EMAIL      Associate an E-mail address with your nickname
    ICQ        Associate an ICQ number with your nickname
    GREET      Associate a greet message with your nickname
    KILL       Turn protection on or off
    SECURE     Turn nickname security on or off
    PRIVATE    Prevent your nickname from appearing in a
                   /msg NickServ LIST
    HIDE       Hide certain pieces of nickname information
    MSG        Change the communication method of Services

In order to use this command, you must first identify
with your password (/msg NickServ HELP IDENTIFY for more
information).

Type /msg NickServ HELP SET option for more information
on a specific option.

SET DISPLAY

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET DISPLAY new-display

Changes the display used to refer to your nickname group in
Services. The new display MUST be a nick of your group.

SET PASSWORD

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET PASSWORD new-password

Changes the password used to identify you as the nick's
owner.

SET LANGUAGE

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET LANGUAGE number

Changes the language Services uses when sending messages to
you (for example, when responding to a command you send).
number should be chosen from the following list of
supported languages:

SET URL

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET URL url

Associates the given URL with your nickname.  This URL
will be displayed whenever someone requests information
on your nick with the INFO command.

SET EMAIL

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET EMAIL address

Associates the given E-mail address with your nickname.
This address will be displayed whenever someone requests
information on the channel with the INFO command.

SET HIDE

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET HIDE {EMAIL | STATUS | USERMASK | QUIT} {ON | OFF}

Allows you to prevent certain pieces of information from
being displayed when someone does a NickServ INFO on your
nick.  You can hide your E-mail address (EMAIL), last seen
user@host mask (USERMASK), your services access status
(STATUS) and  last quit message (QUIT).
The second parameter specifies whether the information should
be displayed (OFF) or hidden (ON).

SET ICQ

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET ICQ number

Associates the given ICQ number with your nickname.  This
number will be displayed whenever someone requests
information on your nick with the INFO command.

SET GREET

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET GREET message

Makes the given message the greet of your nickname, that
will be displayed when joining a channel that has GREET
option enabled, provided that you have the necessary
access on it.

SET KILL

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET KILL {ON | QUICK | IMMED | OFF}

Turns the automatic protection option for your nick
on or off.  With protection on, if another user
tries to take your nick, they will be given one minute to
change to another nick, after which NickServ will forcibly change
their nick.

If you select QUICK, the user will be given only 20 seconds
to change nicks instead of the usual 60.  If you select
IMMED, user's nick will be changed immediately without being
warned first or given a chance to change their nick; please
do not use this option unless necessary.  Also, your
network's administrators may have disabled this option.

SET SECURE

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET SECURE {ON | OFF}

Turns NickServ's security features on or off for your
nick.  With SECURE set, you must enter your password
before you will be recognized as the owner of the nick,
regardless of whether your address is on the access
list.  However, if you are on the access list, NickServ
will not auto-kill you regardless of the setting of the
KILL option.

SET PRIVATE

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET PRIVATE {ON | OFF}

Turns NickServ's privacy option on or off for your nick.
With PRIVATE set, your nickname will not appear in
nickname lists generated with NickServ's LIST command.
(However, anyone who knows your nickname can still get
information on it using the INFO command.)

UPDATE

Syntax: /msg NickServ  UPDATE
Updates your current status, i.e. it checks for new memos,
sets needed chanmodes (ModeonID) and updates your vhost and
your userflags (lastseentime, etc).

SET HIDE

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET HIDE {EMAIL | STATUS | USERMASK | QUIT} {ON | OFF}

Allows you to prevent certain pieces of information from
being displayed when someone does a NickServ INFO on your
nick.  You can hide your E-mail address (EMAIL), last seen
user@host mask (USERMASK), your services access status
(STATUS) and  last quit message (QUIT).
The second parameter specifies whether the information should
be displayed (OFF) or hidden (ON).

SET MSG

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET MSG {ON | OFF}

Allows you to choose the way Services are communicating with
you. With MSG set, Services will use messages, else they'll
use notices.

RECOVER

Syntax: /msg NickServ  RECOVER nickname [password]

Allows you to recover your nickname if someone else has
taken it; this does the same thing that NickServ does
automatically if someone tries to use a kill-protected
nick.

When you give this command, NickServ will bring a fake
user online with the same nickname as the user you're
trying to recover your nick from.  This causes the IRC
servers to disconnect the other user.  This fake user will
will remain online for one minute to ensure that the other
user does not immediately reconnect; after that minute, you
can reclaim your nick.  Alternatively, use the RELEASE
command (/msg NickServ HELP RELEASE) to get the nick
back sooner.

In order to use the RECOVER command for a nick, your
current address as shown in /WHOIS must be on that nick's
access list, you must be identified and in the group of
that nick, or you must supply the correct password for
the nickname.

RELEASE

Syntax: /msg NickServ  RELEASE nickname [password]

Instructs NickServ to remove any hold on your nickname
caused by automatic kill protection or use of the RECOVER
command.  By default, such holds last for one minute;
this command gets rid of them sooner.

In order to use the RELEASE command for a nick, your
current address as shown in /WHOIS must be on that nick's
access list, you must be identified and in the group of
that nick, or you must supply the correct password for
the nickname.

GHOST

Syntax: /msg NickServ  GHOST nickname [password]

Terminates a "ghost" IRC session using your nick.  A
"ghost" session is one which is not actually connected,
but which the IRC server believes is still online for one
reason or another.  Typically, this happens if your
computer crashes or your Internet or modem connection
goes down while you're on IRC.

In order to use the GHOST command for a nick, your
current address as shown in /WHOIS must be on that nick's
access list, you must be identified and in the group of
that nick, or you must supply the correct password for
the nickname.

INFO

Syntax: /msg NickServ  INFO nickname [ALL]

Displays information about the given nickname, such as
the nick's owner, last seen address and time, and nick
options. If you are identified for the nick you're
getting information for and ALL is specified, you will
be shown all the information; regardless of whether
it's hidden or not.

LIST

Syntax: /msg NickServ  LIST pattern

Lists all registered nicknames which match the given
pattern, in nick!user@host format.  Nicks with the
PRIVATE option set will not be displayed.

Examples:

    LIST "*!
joeuser@foo.com"
        Lists all nicks owned by 
joeuser@foo.com.

    LIST "*Bot*!*@*"
        Lists all registered nicks with Bot in their
        names (case insensitive).

    LIST "*!*@*.bar.org"
        Lists all nicks owned by users in the bar.org
        domain.

ALIST

Syntax: /msg NickServ  ALIST [level]

Lists all channels you have access on. Optionally, you can specify
a level in XOP or ACCESS format. The resulting list will only
include channels where you have the given level of access.
Examples:
    ALIST Founder
        Lists all channels where you have Founder
        access.
    ALIST AOP
        Lists all channels where you have AOP
        access or greater.
    ALIST 10
        Lists all channels where you have level 10
        access or greater.
Channels that have the NOEXPIRE option set will be
prefixed by an exclamation mark.

GLIST

Syntax: /msg NickServ  GLIST

Lists all nicks in your group.

STATUS

Syntax: /msg NickServ  STATUS nickname...

Returns whether the user using the given nickname is
recognized as the owner of the nickname.  The response has
this format:

    nickname status-code

where nickname is the nickname sent with the command, and
status-code is one of the following:

    0 - no such user online or nickname not registered
    1 - user not recognized as nickname's owner
    2 - user recognized as owner via access list only
    3 - user recognized as owner via password identification

Up to sixteen nicknames may be sent with each command; the
rest will be ignored. If no nickname is given, your status
will be returned.

SENDPASS

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SENDPASS nickname

Send the password of the given nickname to the e-mail address
set in the nickname record. This command is really useful
to deal with lost passwords.

May be limited to IRC operators on certain networks.

This command is unavailable when encryption is enabled.

EXPIRES

Nicknames that are not used anymore are subject to
the automatic expiration, i.e. they will be deleted
after  days if not used.

SERVADMIN HELP

The following commands are available to Services admins:

    GETPASS    Retrieve the password for a nickname
                   (only if encryption is disabled)
    GETEMAIL   Matches and returns all users that
                   registered using given email
    FORBID     Prevents a nickname from being registered

Services admins can also drop any nickname without needing
to identify for the nick, and may view the access list for
any nickname (/msg NickServ ACCESS LIST nick).

SERVADMIN LOGOUT

Syntax: /msg NickServ  LOGOUT [nickname [REVALIDATE]]

Without a parameter, reverses the effect of the IDENTIFY
command, i.e. make you not recognized as the real owner of the nick
anymore. Note, however, that you won't be asked to reidentify
yourself.

With a parameter, does the same for the given nick. If you
specify REVALIDATE as well, Services will ask the given nick
to re-identify. This use limited to Services admins.

SERVADMIN DROP

Syntax: /msg NickServ  DROP [nickname]

Without a parameter, drops your nickname from the
NickServ database.

With a parameter, drops the named nick from the database.
You may drop any nick within your group without any
special privileges. Dropping any nick is limited to
Services admins.

SERVADMIN SET

Services admins can also set the option NOEXPIRE, with
which nicknames can be prevented from expiring.
Additionally, Services admins can set options for any
nickname without entering a password, using the format
SET nickname option parameters.

SERVADMIN SET NOEXPIRE

Syntax: /msg NickServ  SET [nickname] NOEXPIRE {ON | OFF}

Sets whether the given nickname will expire.  Setting this
to ON prevents the nickname from expiring.  If no
nickname is given, sets the no-expire flag for your nick.

Limited to Services admins.

SERVADMIN LIST

Syntax: /msg NickServ  LIST pattern [FORBIDDEN] [NOEXPIRE] [UNCONFIRMED]

Lists all registered nicknames which match the given
pattern, in nick!user@host format.  Nicks with the PRIVATE
option set will only be displayed to Services admins.  Nicks
with the NOEXPIRE option set will have a ! appended to the
nickname for Services admins.

If the FORBIDDEN, NOEXPIRE or UNCONFIRMED options are given, only
nicks which, respectively, are FORBIDden, UNCONFIRMED or have the
NOEXPIRE flag set will be displayed. If all three options are
given, all three types of nicks will be displayed. These options
are limited to Services admins.
Examples:

    LIST *!
joeuser@foo.com
        Lists all registered nicks owned by 
joeuser@foo.com.

    LIST *Bot*!*@*
        Lists all registered nicks with Bot in their
        names (case insensitive).

    LIST * NOEXPIRE
        Lists all registered nicks which have been set to
        not expire.

SERVADMIN ALIST

Syntax: /msg NickServ  ALIST [nickname] [level]

With no parameters, lists channels you have access on. With
one parameter, lists channels that nickname has access
on. With two parameters lists channels that nickname has
level access or greater on.
This use limited to Services admins.

SERVADMIN GLIST

Syntax: /msg NickServ  GLIST [nickname]

Without a parameter, lists all nicknames that are in
your group.

With a parameter, lists all nicknames that are in the
group of the given nick.
This use limited to Services admins.

SERVADMIN GETPASS

Syntax: /msg NickServ  GETPASS nickname

Returns the password for the given nickname.  Note that
whenever this command is used, a message including the
person who issued the command and the nickname it was used
on will be logged and sent out as a WALLOPS/GLOBOPS.

Limited to Services admins.

This command is unavailable when encryption is enabled.

SERVADMIN FORBID

Syntax: /msg NickServ  FORBID nickname [reason]

Disallows a nickname from being registered or used by
anyone.  May be cancelled by dropping the nick.

On certain networks, reason is required.

Limited to Services admins.

SERVADMIN INFO

Services admins may use the ALL parameter with any nick.