Web Client (Public)

The web interface can be found here (Will open in a new tab/window). If you have not already done so, make sure you read the rules

When you first connect you'll see a screen similar to this one:

Here a close up and explanation of what each field is for:

• Nickname: This is the name you'll be known as in IRC. It defaults to webchat_random numbers, but if you follow the direct link from the board it will show an IRC friendly version of your username. You can change this to whatever you want as long as it only contains letters, numbers, hyphens, or underscores and it must start with a letter.
• Username: this will be shown as part of your hostmask. You should not change it but if you do, letters and numbers only and it must be 10 characters or less (hint: leave it at the default. Much easier on everyone)
• Real name: LEAVE THIS FIELD ALONE! THERE IS LITERALLY NO REASON TO CHANGE IT FROM THE GENERIC ENTRY IT ALREADY HAS!
• Leave Message: Doesn't matter if you change it. Due to issues in the past all users have a static message enforced by the server.
• Channels: DO NOT CHANGE THIS! You'll be forced to join #general no matter what. If you regularly use other channels, please register with NickServ and use the auto-join function there to join additional channels post authentication.
• I have a password: If you are registered with NickServ, tick this box and a server password field will show up. If you set your nickname properly in the first box and enter your NickServ password in the password box after checking this the server will automatically authenticate you to NickServ.

After you click the Connect button, you'll be connected to the chat room and auto-joined to #general as previously mentioned.

To reduce duplication, the rest of this guide is continued here as it applies to both the public and login required versions.

Once you are connected you'll see something similar to the below:

In the above screenshot you can see that I have joined with the settings shown in the connect screenshot. See that line about joining that looks like this? webchat_42571 (webchat@webchat_42571.users.abdlstories.club) Webchat User has joined the channel? Let me break it down for you.

Notice it says webchat_42571 here? that is the NickName from the NickName field. The first one is what users will see you as. The second one is part of the hostmask (I'll explain this in a moment). The webchat@ portion comes from what you enter into the username field. If you are using the public interface this is most likely a version of your forum username as the board generates links that set both the Nick and Username to IRC friendly versions by default. If the board can't determine your username (you're logged out, for example), this defaults to webchat.

So what is a hostmask? It's this: webchat_42571!webchat@webchat_42571.users.abdlstories.club. Note that for privacy reasons your hostmask is set to something fairly generic. Only our IRC Operators (server admins) can see your real IP address/hostmask. Unless you've been granted a custom one they are always in the form of nickname.users.abdlstories.club

An example of a custom one you will see is that all the bots have custom hostnames in the form of ghouls.monsterhigh.edu. You will never see a regular user with that hostname.

Another example you will see is Danni's custom host of diapers.and.pacifiers.

One nice thing about this client is most of the interface once connected is self-explanatory. However, there are some settings you can adjus by clicking on the gear icon in the bottom left column of the interface. These settings include changing the theme and enabling in browser notifications. Feel free to explore the settings, you can't do any permanent harm.

Please do not enable the Advanced Settings checkbox unless you know what you are doing. On the public version it only adds the option to receive notifications of all messages which can get annoying quickly, the nick autocomple postfix (if you press tab to autocomplete a nick, it adds what is in that box after it, and the default is our preferred option), and the Custom CSS box. You can use the latter to customize the interface a little, but it can be a pain to recover from if you screw it up. Please try one of the other themes before using the custom CSS option.

Some changes you may want to make are below:

• Check "Include seconds in timestamp"
• If you're used to 12 hour time, check the "Use 12-hour timestamps" option.
• Under status messages, change it to Show all status messages or you may miss important messages from server, services, or operators

Finally, if you're using a browser based on Chromium (current versions of Edge, Opera, Chrome to name a few) you'll see a button to "install" a native app. This will create a shortcut that will open the chat in a dedicated window that looks more like a native app. I strongly discourage this unless you're the only user of your computer.

Usage note: Never use the /quit command to disconnect from IRC unless you really want to reenter your information. Use /disconnect instead. However, there is a very important feature of the private version. If you don't use either command you can simply close your browser and you'll remain connected server side so that you can see missed messages when you reconnect. This client also allows you to be connected from multiple devices whereas the public version does not support this.