link = Wikipedia:IRCThis user monitors channels on IRC, under the nickname FlightTime.

See also

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Channel connections

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Channel Description
##FlightTime connect My private channel. Anybody is welcome to stop in and say Hi  
#wikimedia-rename connect Global renamers and stewards may contact each other via the IRC channel or via the private mailing list.
#wikimedia-otrs connect A public channel for matters related to the Volunteer Response Team (was OTRS, now VRT) and its volunteers.
#huggle connect Support for the tool Huggle.
#wikipedia-en-help connect Help channel for Wikipedians. Helpers are voiced, a setting that lets what they say be seen by everyone in the channel. Request a cloak to be voiced automatically (if you have autovoice on your account already, identify to NickServ by typing /msg NickServ identify <nick> <password> to activate it). More information can be found on its page.
#wikipedia-en connect General chat focusing more on the English-language Wikipedia.

IRC / Commands

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IRC / Commands
  • /msg nickserv identify password - You only have to register your nickname once. Every other time you connect from that point on, you need to prove who you are, with this command. Use /msg NickServ identify FlightTime <password>
    • /msg chanserv op #wikimedia-rename FlightTime ** /mode #wikimedia-rename -o FlightTime
  • /msg chanserv op #chatroom nickname Sets you as channel operator. Use /msg chanserv op ##FlightTime FlightTime
  • /msg chanserv flags #channel yournick +O This command will auto-op you in channels you have operator status. Also see why this set might not be a good idea. Use /msg chanserv flags ##FlightTime FlightTime +O

Operator commands

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Various IRC clients have different commands. Most of the commands in this list should work on all popular IRC clients, but there may be additional commands available or alternate syntax for these commands. If there are multiple commands listed and one command fails to work, try using another to accomplish the same result. Consult your IRC client's manuals, help files, or a general IRC reference for more information about these commands and other command interfaces.

To set as operator
/msg chanserv op #wikimedia-rename FlightTime
To remove op status
/msg chanserv deop #wikimedia-rename FlightTime
To voice permanently
/cs flags #wikimedia-rename +V nickserv_name
To kick a user (either)
/kick #wikimedia jwales
/kick jwales
To ban a user[1]
/mode #wikimedia +b nick!user@host
To quickly kick and ban a user[2]
/kickban jwales
Ban a specific hostname of an unregistered nickname, regardless of current nickname
/mode #mychannel +b *!*@*.bar.example.org
/mode #mychannel +b *!*@foo.bar.example.org
To silence a user
/mode #wikimedia +q nick!user@host
To lock the topic[3]
/mode #wikimedia +t
To switch to "moderated" channel mode[4]
/mode #wikimedia +m
To voice a user in moderated channel mode
/mode #wikimedia-rename +v nickname
/voice jwales
/msg chanserv voice #wikimedia jwales
To remove operator privileges
/mode #wikimedia -o jwales
/deop jwales
/msg chanserv deop #wikimedia YourNickname
To verify that a user is registered, and determine their account name
/msg nickserv info Nickname
To permanently invite a user to a private channel (channel mode +i, invite-only)
/mode #wikimedia-staff +I $a:NickServAccountName
To revoke a permanent invitation in a private channel
/mode #wikimedia-staff -I $a:NickServAccountName
To add someone to a channel's access list (helps with management of permissions especially in large channels)

NOTE: On Libera.chat the "access" command is not a valid chanserv command. You need to use the "flags" command instead!

/msg chanserv flags #wikimedia-staff NickServAccountName +Aeiotv
To revoke a user's access to a channel
/msg chanserv flags #wikimedia-staff NickServAccountName -*
To rename & redirect a channel to a new name[5]
/msg chanserv op #oldchannel
/msg chanserv op #newchannel
/topic #oldchannel We have moved to #newchannel, please type /join #newchannel to get to us
/msg chanserv SET #oldchannel GUARD ON
/msg chanserv SET #oldchannel MLOCK +tnsmif #newchannel
/msg chanserv SET #oldchannel TOPICLOCK ON
/msg chanserv SET #oldchannel PRIVATE ON

All channel modes will remain set until removed, with the exception of voice status and operator privileges, which will also be removed if the user in question leaves the channel. Modes can be un-set by using a – instead of a +, or by using an IRC client command such as /unban.

IRC / Instructions

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IRC / Instructions

This page explains how you connect to the libera.chat IRC network and join the Wikimedia IRC channels. You'll find some basic and more advanced commands here.

Obtain an IRC client

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IRC clients vary in their features and commands. A list of clients is available in the Wikipedia article about IRC. Most dedicated IRC clients typically have features which are not available on "combination" clients that also perform instant messaging functions. Matrix.org can also be used as an IRC client.

Connect to the IRC network

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You can also connect by hand:

  1. Obtain and run an IRC client.
  2. Connect to irc.libera.chat. Typically, this can be accomplished with the command /server irc.libera.chat
  3. If your client has not provided you with the option already, select a nickname. You can typically change your nickname with the command /nick NewNickname.
  4. If you have registered this nickname, identify yourself to the Libera servers (see below).
  5. Join one or more channels: For instance, /join #wikipedia – see IRC channels for which channels exist.

After you've done this, you are able to hold conversations with the people in the channels or open private conversations, using the command /query Nickname.

For details, consult your IRC client's documentation for detailed instructions on how to connect to a server. You can usually set up your client to perform many of these tasks automatically when you launch it.

Register your nickname, identify, and enforce

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If you connect frequently, you should register your nickname with the NickServ service. This helps you establish "ownership" over a nickname: you can remove other users who are using the nickname, and it also provides a small amount of protection against people impersonating you using the nickname. Registration is also a prerequisite for obtaining an IRC cloak and for obtaining operator access to channels.[6]

For instructions on how to register, type /msg nickserv help register. This will inform you that the syntax for registration is /msg nickserv register YourPassword your@email.address.com

Choose a hard-to-guess password. Also, it is a bad idea to use a password you regularly used on other sites as your IRC password. For instance, it is easy to accidentally type your password into a channel during nick verification (e.g. if you add a space before /msg nickserv identify YourPassword the message will be sent out as a regular IRC chat message instead of going to NickServ). If all goes well, check your inbox for a message from Libera.

To take advantage of your registration you must identify yourself with NickServ every time you connect. The syntax for this is

/msg nickserv identify YourPassword

Your IRC client should provide an option to automatically identify to NickServ when you connect. Consult its documentation for more information, or refer to Libera Chat's guides to authenticate with SASL for common clients. If you do not identify with your account occasionally, your registration might be removed by libera staff if someone else wants the nickname (typically after a period of 20 weeks).

To change your password, use the command (after identifying)

/msg nickserv set password NewPassword

IRC clients typically have an option to use an 'alternate nickname' to use if the primary nickname is in use when you connect (for example, if someone else is using it, or if you have been abruptly disconnected and a "ghost" of your original connection remains). Libera recommends that you group this alternate nick (/msg nickserv help group) to your primary nickname. This "alternate" grouping is also required in order to obtain IRC channel cloaks.

Once your nick is registered, you can enable 'enforce'. This will force any user claiming the nick to identify with the password within 30 seconds. This protects you from imposters taking your nick while you're offline. Since you configured your client to automatically identify, nothing changes for you (except being protected). Use /msg nickserv set enforce on.

Further information: libera guide on Nickname Registration

Forgotten passwords

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If you forget your nickserv password and need a reminder, use

/msg nickserv sendpass YourNickname

This will email a temporary one-time key to your email address, which you can use with /msg nickserv setpass Nickname Key NewPassword to set a new password.

Instructions for channel ops

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See also w:en:Wikipedia:IRC/Channel access and configuration guide

Libera channel guidelines suggest that you should hide your operator privileges when you are not using them[7]. As such, the channel services interface ChanServ can be used to grant yourself operator privileges for a brief period of time. You should relinquish these privileges when you are done with them.

Some commands use a hostmask to identify a user. This consists of three portions: nick!username@address. The 'nick' refers to the user's current nickname (which can be changed by the /nick command), the 'username' refers to the user's currently set IRC username (a parameter which the user gives the IRC server when the user connects), and the 'address' portion is the person's IP address, hostname, or cloak, as determined by the IRC server. Any one of these sections may use an asterisk (*) as a "wild card" character: for example, jwales!*@* matches any nickname 'jwales' at any host, while *!*@wikipedia/* matches any user with a wikipedia IRC cloak.

In general, bans should be set by hostname unless you have a reason to do otherwise. It is trivial to change nicknames while remaining online. Changing a username is more tedious, but to change a hostname the user typically needs to connect from another machine or IP address (users who do this generally are on a dial-up connection, which must be reset, or abusing some sort of proxy). If it is really necessary, you may wish to use a wildcard in the domain name as well.

New channel setup

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If you create a new public channel, please consult one of the group contacts first then you should do these commands as the channel op:

To formally register the channel, and set yourself as Founder.
/msg chanserv register #CHANNEL_NAME
To invite the libera bot (ChanServ), who will preserve channel settings if everyone else leaves.
/msg chanserv set #CHANNEL_NAME guard on
To utilize the 'global bans list'. Please also notify an op in #wikimedia-bans of the channel's creation.
/mode #CHANNEL_NAME +b $j:#wikimedia-bans
Lastly, add the new channel to the listing at IRC/Channels

If a channel is having problems, and you are not an op there, do this to get a list of people to contact: /msg chanserv flags #CHANNEL_NAME

ChanServ commands

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To use these commands, you need to be identified to nickserv, and be granted access to the channel. See how to register your nickname and identify. Additionally, in some IRC clients you can use /chanserv or /cs instead of /msg chanserv for these commands.

To give yourself operator status
/msg chanserv op #wikimedia
To remove operator status from yourself
/msg chanserv deop #wikimedia
To give someone else operator status
/msg chanserv op #wikimedia user
To remove operator status from someone else
/msg chanserv deop #wikimedia user
To set a user to be automatically removed
/msg chanserv flags #wikipedia nick!user@host +b
To delete a channel from the ChanServ database
/msg chanserv drop #wikipedia

Channel operator commands

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Various IRC clients have different commands. Most of the commands in this list should work on all popular IRC clients, but there may be additional commands available or alternate syntax for these commands. If there are multiple commands listed and one command fails to work, try using another to accomplish the same result. Consult your IRC client's manuals, help files, or a general IRC reference for more information about these commands and other command interfaces.

To kick a user (either)
/kick #wikimedia jwales
/kick jwales
To ban a user[8]
/mode #wikimedia +b nick!user@host
To quickly kick and ban a user[9]
/kickban jwales
Ban a specific hostname of an unregistered nickname, regardless of current nickname
/mode #mychannel +b *!*@*.bar.example.org
/mode #mychannel +b *!*@foo.bar.example.org
To silence a user
/mode #wikimedia +q nick!user@host
To lock the topic[10]
/mode #wikimedia +t
To switch to "moderated" channel mode[11]
/mode #wikimedia +m
To voice a user in moderated channel mode
/mode #wikimedia +v jwales
/voice jwales
/msg chanserv voice #wikimedia jwales
To remove operator privileges
/mode #wikimedia -o jwales
/deop jwales
/msg chanserv deop #wikimedia YourNickname
To verify that a user is registered, and determine their account name
/msg nickserv info Nickname
To permanently invite a user to a private channel (channel mode +i, invite-only)
/mode #wikimedia-staff +I $a:NickServAccountName
To revoke a permanent invitation in a private channel
/mode #wikimedia-staff -I $a:NickServAccountName
To add someone to a channel's access list (helps with management of permissions especially in large channels)

NOTE: On Libera.chat the "access" command is not a valid chanserv command. You need to use the "flags" command instead!

/msg chanserv flags #wikimedia-staff NickServAccountName +Aeiotv
To revoke a user's access to a channel
/msg chanserv flags #wikimedia-staff NickServAccountName -*
To rename & redirect a channel to a new name[12]
/msg chanserv op #oldchannel
/msg chanserv op #newchannel
/topic #oldchannel We have moved to #newchannel, please type /join #newchannel to get to us
/msg chanserv SET #oldchannel GUARD ON
/msg chanserv SET #oldchannel MLOCK +tnsmif #newchannel
/msg chanserv SET #oldchannel TOPICLOCK ON
/msg chanserv SET #oldchannel PRIVATE ON

All channel modes will remain set until removed, with the exception of voice status and operator privileges, which will also be removed if the user in question leaves the channel. Modes will also be lost if the channel ever becomes empty, but this can be avoided by registering the channel and configuring ChanServ to join the channel. Modes can be un-set by using a – instead of a +, or by using an IRC client command such as /unban.

Libera Chat also has a guide for new channel operators: https://libera.chat/guides/quickops

Notes

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  1. ^ Banning a user only prevents their entry. They must be kicked separately.
  2. ^ Depending on your client, the ban may be set on the user's nickname, host, or username+host combination. You may be able to adjust this. (For example, in irssi, /set ban_type host.) Consult your IRC client's documentation.
  3. ^ Locking the topic prevent non-ops from changing it (useful if a topic war is ongoing)
  4. ^ In a moderated channel, no one can talk unless they are an operator or are voiced (mode +v). This is usually an extreme measure, since it prevents people from using the channel. Use with discretion.
  5. ^ Copied from https://wiki.ubuntu.com/IRC/MovingChannels
  6. ^ It is theoretically possible to be a channel op without registration; however, this is potentially insecure and a minor hassle to set up. All Wikimedia-related channels should accept only users registered with Libera as channel operators.
  7. ^ https://libera.chat/guides/catalyst
  8. ^ Banning a user only prevents their entry. They must be kicked separately.
  9. ^ Depending on your client, the ban may be set on the user's nickname, host, or username+host combination. You may be able to adjust this. (For example, in irssi, /set ban_type host.) Consult your IRC client's documentation.
  10. ^ Locking the topic prevent non-ops from changing it (useful if a topic war is ongoing)
  11. ^ In a moderated channel, no one can talk unless they are an operator or are voiced (mode +v). This is usually an extreme measure, since it prevents people from using the channel. Use with discretion.
  12. ^ Copied from https://wiki.ubuntu.com/IRC/MovingChannels

Wikipedia:IRC

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Wikipedia:IRC

The Libera Chat network has "chat rooms" dedicated to Wikipedia 24 hours a day, in which Wikipedians can engage in real-time discussions with each other. Many Wikipedians have chatting open in one window and hop back and forth between it and other windows in which they are working on Wikipedia. The chat rooms most relevant to English Wikipedia are listed hereafter; a more complete list of channels (for other language Wikipedias, other languages, and recent changes feeds) exists at m:IRC/Channels.

"Chat room" is a name for an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channel. IRC chat takes place on a network of servers; the network that hosts the Wikimedia channels is known as Libera Chat. To participate in the chat, you need a type of program or plug-in called an IRC client. Popular clients are listed below.

Use and anonymity on IRC are covered in more detail below. Note that IRC needs more care to maintain anonymity than Wikipedia editing does. Anyone can see your IP until you become cloaked, and the process to become cloaked is not immediate.

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Wikipedia IRC is not owned or controlled by Wikipedia/Wikimedia. It is a project run by volunteers of their own accord. The Wikipedia channels on Libera Chat were designed by users of Wikipedia as places for Wikipedians to chat using IRC. They are casual and not logged publicly. As far as their influence on Wikipedia goes, IRC is equivalent to a conversation in a pub – the discussion may be conducted between a small number of people but may be overheard by hundreds, or more if the logs are published.

When the channels are used to attack Wikipedians, or when IRC discussions are cited as justification for an on-wiki action, the resulting atmosphere is very damaging to the project's collaborative relationships.

IRC tutorial and host masking

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Server

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Wikimedia uses the IRC server irc.libera.chat, port 6697. Connect to this server, then join some channels that interest you, such as #wikipedia-en.

Register your nickname

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If you want to use a certain nickname on the network and don't want anyone else to take it, and also to be added to a channel's access list, you must register your nickname with the network. You can do so by typing (in any window): /msg nickserv register password email@address.tld, of course substituting password for any password of your choosing, and email@address.tld with your email address. Follow the steps (including sending a confirmation message in an email). Then configure your IRC client to send an identify message upon login, such as /msg nickserv identify password.

Anonymity and masking

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As on Wikipedia itself, you can use IRC with a name that hides your IP address, and allows you to remember your preferred settings. If you have any special access rights to any channel, those will be remembered under your name too. On IRC these are two separate matters – registering a nickname is quick and easy (like on Wikipedia itself), and that name is then password protected for your own use, and cloaking is the request to have the account configured to hide its IP address from other users. These matters are all covered in the IRC tutorial.

To request that your IRC account be cloaked, send the following private message: /msg wmopbot cloak. Group Contacts then process these by hand. Cloaking is optional, but a good idea. Cloak requests typically take several weeks to process.

The following are the requirements necessary to obtain a cloak:

  • User must have a verified e-mail address (throwaway/disposable emails are not acceptable)
  • User must have at least 250 edits on Wikimedia projects
  • User must have a Wikimedia project account registered for at least three months
  • User must not be actively blocked from a project

Note that anonymity is maintained with more difficulty on IRC than on Wikipedia. Without a hostmask, your IP address will be visible, and indexed on some Internet websites. Even with a hostmask, your IP address is at risk of being revealed due to the nature of the IRC protocol (due to the effects of a "ghost" session). If you are concerned about your anonymity, you may wish to consult with someone familiar with IRC.

Another straightforward way of guaranteeing anonymity on IRC (and elsewhere) is to subscribe with a VPN service provider. This will re-route all your Internet traffic and effectively replace your IP address with the service provider's.

Alternatively, Tor may be used to connect. Libera Chat provides an onion service under libera75jm6of4wxpxt4aynol3xjmbtxgfyjpu34ss4d7r7q2v5zrpyd.onion but authentication using SASL EXTERNAL or ECDSA-NIST256P-CHALLENGE is mandatory. Tor access to the clearnet domain (irc.libera.chat) is blocked.[1]

Publicly logged channels

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There are several Wikimedia channels which are purposefully logged. Some of them are listed here:

List of applications and web clients

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Most people needing live help editing Wikipedia can access IRC easily by clicking here: #wikipedia-en-help connect. Web-based IRC is a good choice for first-time IRC users, for portable use, and for those who cannot, or prefer not to, install separate software.

The usual way to access IRC is by downloading an IRC client. These are more full-featured and make it easy to watch multiple chats at a time. Scripts to enhance IRC clients are available online at Wikipedia:Scripts. From the long list of IRC clients, some popular options are:

IRC error: Unable to join channel (invite only)

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This error occurs when you attempt to join a non-public channel (see non-public channels, below). If you know that you have access to a non-public channel and you still receive this error, the simplest fix is to ask ChanServ for an invite (see /msg ChanServ help invite for more info). If you have a cloak, you can ask a channel op to add an invex (+I) on your cloak so that you do not need to ask ChanServ for invites each time you need to join the channel.

If, however, you know you both have access to the non-public channel and you know that you have an invex (+I) on your cloak for that channel, your client might be automatically joining the channel before authenticating. Double-check to make sure your client is set up according to Libera Chat's connection guide, and configure your client to log in when you connect.

Use of IRC

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Once you are connected to the Libera Chat IRC network, you can choose which public channels you join and which chats you engage in. If you are authorized to join non-public channels then you can take part in those too. Consider also requesting a cloak to mask your IP address and give other users confidence that you are the Wikipedia user you claim to be.

In general on IRC, each channel operates autonomously and each has its own norms and policies—these may cover conduct (including civility, appropriate topics, and language), on/off-topic chat, who may join, and who may be asked to leave. Each channel is autonomous and in general there is no appeal from a decision by the operators of that channel to an outside body (which may have any or no reason), so it is worth checking the channel norms and rules before accidentally making a mistake of conduct. That said, in general most channels used by Wikimedia communities are friendly and do have people you can contact in case of problems. (See problems and help below.)

Once connected, some users stay logged-in to the chatrooms whenever they are on Wikipedia, and check in on the discussions from time to time, to read what has been accumulating there and to participate. Some programs used for chatting notify you whenever there is activity in a chat room so you will not miss anything. Often, users jump onto a chat room to draw the attention of others there of something on Wikipedia that needs attention.

Non-public channels

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A number of non-public channels exist, to which access is limited. The best known of these on English Wikipedia is the administrators' channel, but others exist also for groups such as the arbitration committee, checkuser and account creator collaboration. Access to these channels requires use of a registered account, described previously. If you are part of a given group that has a non-public channel, you can request access so that you can join.

Steps to getting access to non-public channels:

  1. Request it — Post a new request under pending requests for access, at the end of this page, providing your registered IRC account and links evidencing access.
  2. Get it — A channel operator will then drop by to give you access to the channel. Alternatively, ask in #wikimedia-ops, using the !ops keyword to get attention.
  3. Use it — Once your request is complete, you can invite yourself to the channel using ChanServ's INVITE command as long as you've identified to NickServ. (See /msg NickServ HELP IDENTIFY and /msg ChanServ HELP INVITE for more information.)
  4. (Optional) In order to gain automatic access to a non-public channel (i.e. without having to use the ChanServ's INVITE command each time), you should first obtain a cloak. From there, simply ask an op on the channel to add an invex (+I) for your cloak. If you already have a cloak when requesting access, ops will typically add an invex for you at the same time they're giving you access, but if you obtain a cloak after gaining access or you change your cloak after gaining access, you can typically reach the channel's ops by using either the !ops keyword or requesting assistance in #wikimedia-ops.

The IRC instructions page may also be helpful for getting around.

List of useful channels

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Non-public channels listed with a blue padlock icon ( ) require additional user access in order to join them. See non-public channels and pending requests for access for more information. See meta:IRC/Channels for a more extensive list.

General channels

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The main general-purpose channels relevant and related to English Wikipedia are:

Channel Description
#wikipedia connect General Wikipedia related chat.
#wikipedia-en connect General chat focusing more on the English-language Wikipedia.
#wikipedia-en-help connect Help channel for Wikipedians. Helpers are voiced, a setting that lets what they say be seen by everyone in the channel. Request a cloak to be voiced automatically (if you have autovoice on your account already, identify to NickServ by typing /msg NickServ identify <nick> <password> to activate it). More information can be found on its page.

User groups

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Functional groups

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Channel Description
#wikipedia-en-admins connect   Used by admins and some other users. I.e.: stewards and Wikimedia Foundation staff. (See #wikipedia-en-admins below for more information.)
#wikipedia-en-functionaries connect   Used by English Wikipedia functionaries and global stewards.
#wikipedia-en-arbcom-clerks connect   Used by clerks and members of the Arbitration Committee.
#wikimedia-admin connect   Used by admins across all Wikimedia projects for cross-wiki admin co-ordination. (See the page IRC/wikimedia-admin on Meta-Wiki for more information.)
#wikipedia-en-BAG connect Used by the Bot Approvals Group for coordination and discussion/monitoring of Wikipedia:Bots/Requests for approval. BAG members are voiced (i.e. typically shown in IRC clients by a "+" next to their nickname); anybody is welcome.
#wikimedia-vrt connect A public channel for matters related to the Volunteer Response Team and its volunteers. This channel is for co-ordination and collaboration, and to find a VRT user to speak to in private; it is not suitable for confidential discussion. VRT agents are voiced (i.e. typically shown in IRC clients by a "+" next to their nickname).
#wikipedia-en-editfilters connect Used by edit filter helpers, edit filter managers, and administrators for semi-private discussion relating to edit filters.

Social channels

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Channel Description
#wikimedia-social connect A channel intended primarily for social discussion among contributors to Wikimedia projects.
#Wikimedia-offtopic connect A semi-social channel for conversations that don't really fit into the other Wikimedia project channels.
#Wikipedia-coffeehouse connect A place for relaxing, intellectual on-topic chat related to Wikipedia and other associated topics.
#wikipedia-politics connect A channel to discuss politics.
#wikipedia-trivia connect A fun channel with trivia for both new and veteran editors to polish their Wikipedia knowledge.

Channels for specific tasks

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Channel Description
#wikipedia-en-unblock connect For the discussion and review of blocks and features live updates of CAT:UNBLOCK. Administrators are voiced (i.e. typically shown in IRC clients by a "+" next to their nickname). Not recommended for idling.
#wikipedia-en-accounts connect   Used for coordination and collaboration between members of the account creation team. This channel is invite only (+i).
#wikipedia-en-accounts-admins connect   Used for coordination and collaboration between administrators of the account creation team. This channel is invite only (+i).
#countervandalism connect For requesting voice in restricted channels and technical help running a countervandalism channel. See m:CVN for details about the CounterVandalism Network.
#cvn-wp-en connect For listing and discussing current English Wikipedia vandalism issues (requires confirmation).
#cvn-wp-en-newpages connect For listing new page creations on English Wikipedia that contain possible vandalism.
#wikipedia-en-spam connect A botfeed of all links added to English Wikipedia. Channel is for linkspam reverting. Feeds for other languages and projects also now exist.
#wikipedia-spam-t connect Talk channel associated with #wikipedia-en-spam connect.
#wikipedia-en-csd connect For listing edits that add a speedy deletion tag.
#wikipedia-en-lta connect   Discussion about long-term abuse. Semi-private: All users active on English Wikipedia who either have a wikipedia cloak or are eligible for one are welcome. Users with cloaks are automatically invited.
#wikipedia-en-abuse-log connect For listing recent edits that have tripped the edit filter, as specified in User:DatBot/filters.
#wikipedia-en-abuse-log-all connect A feed of all edit filter hits. You can subscribe to get direct messages when specific filters are tripped. See User:MusikBot/AbuseFilterIRC for documentation.
#wikipedia-en-revdel connect For sending urgent revision deletion requests to administrators. Administrators are opped (i.e. typically shown in IRC clients by a "@" next to their nickname) and are the only ones able to see requests.
#wikimedia-npp connect General discussion regarding new page patrolling.
#wikipedia-en-spi connect Public channel for coordination among sockpuppet investigation clerks and other users.

WikiProjects

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Channel Description
#wikipedia-en-afc connect Used by the AFC project to discuss the backlog, administrative changes (especially to our helper script) and other related tasks.
#wikipedia-chess connect For WikiProject Chess.
#wikipedia-en-ambassadors connect Coordination and collaboration for members of the Wikipedia Ambassadors Team (part of WikiProject: Public Policy).
#wikimedia-lgbt connect Used by WikiProject LGBT studies for cross-project coordination, collaboration and socialization.
#wikiphys connect For WikiProject Physics.
#wikipedia-en-roads connect For WikiProject Highways coordination and collaboration. Retired in favor of WP:DISCORD.
#wikipedia-teahouse connect Used for discussion on the Teahouse by guests and hosts.
#wiki-hurricanes connect For WikiProject Tropical cyclones.
#WikiProject-United-States connect For WikiProject United States and related projects and topics.
#wikipedia-library connect Used for discussion on The Wikipedia Library by coordinators and guests.
#wikipedia-medicine connect Used for discussion and coordination with WikiProject Medicine and related projects and topics.
#wikipedia-en-openproxies connect Discussion and coordination related to the WikiProject on open proxies

Technical channels, and technical support for tools

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Technical

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Channel Description
#wikimedia-tech connect Technical issues related to the Wikimedia systems.
#mediawiki connect Discussion and technical questions related to the MediaWiki software (including template help, and other questions).

Tools, and support for tools

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Channel Description
#AutoWikiBrowser connect General discussion and support requests for AutoWikiBrowser.
#huggle connect Support for the tool Huggle.
#swviewer connect Support for the tool SWViewer.
#wikipedia-userscripts connect Help and discussion of JavaScript tools.

#wikipedia-en-admins

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All current and former English Wikipedia administrators in good standing have a presumption of entry to this channel, subject to appropriate conduct. Stewards and people who currently work for the Foundation are allowed access, too. Access to this channel is set to invite only (+i). Administrators who want to join this channel have to request access to this channel before being able to join the first time. Access can be requested hereafter.

Once an editor is granted access, they retain it unless they are involuntarily de-sysopped or request removal of access to the channel. Formal access to the channel will not usually be long-term revoked unless a participant refuses to abide by the standards of conduct expected of channel members or unless the user is involuntarily de-sysopped. If a user is theoretically unable to ask for and receive their administrator rights from the Bureaucrats' noticeboard, they will not be permitted access to the channel.

The channel has an internal code of conduct and newcomer information. These guidelines set out some "anti-abuse" provisions that consensus agrees the channel operators may draw on, if they are notified of a problem. However, as with all guidelines, they are intended to be for the benefit of the project, with common sense, and not "set in stone".

IRC/wikipedia-en-admins on Meta has more details, including a list of all users who have access to the channel. See also Wikipedia:List of administrators/IRC nicknames.

Help

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Problems and help

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Help for accessing IRC itself is best requested on the talk page, if you have read the tutorial and other information and are still unable to use it. Once you can access IRC by some means, there are help and information channels on most Wikimedia-related topics listed above, type /join #channelname into any window, to join them and ask your question (e.g., /join #wikipedia-en-help). It is customary on IRC to just ask, not to ask whether you can ask. :-)

Within the Wikimedia and English Wikipedia channels, your first recourse if you have difficulty, is to ask to speak to a channel operator, if any are around. You can identify channel operators in most of these channels since they will appear as having the "o" flag in a list of channel users and flags. Type /msg chanserv flags #channelname for a list of users and their access levels (this can sometimes have hundreds of lines). Further help can be obtained as follows:

  • #wikipedia-en: Ask to speak to a channel operator. If needed, you can often address such problems to administrators who are IRC users. (Please see the userlist of #wikipedia-en-admins for information.)
  • #wikipedia-en-admins (the non-public admins channel): Has adopted its own code of conduct that covers problematic situations; please see that channel's guidelines and user information above, for relevant links and userlists.
  • All other #wiki... channels: Speak to a channel operator for that channel.
  • Beyond that, the Wikimedia channels are supervised by the IRC Group Contacts—currently Dungodung (dungodung on IRC), Snowolf (Snowolf on IRC), Az1568 (AlexZ on IRC), Fox (foks on IRC), Stwalkerster (stw on IRC), Matthewrb (Matthew_ on IRC), and AmandaNP (AmandaNP on IRC)—who can advise on serious problems that channel operators cannot resolve.

If the problem relates to user conduct in any channel, your first recourse should be to try and resolve matters with the person involved. If this fails, ask to speak to a channel operator. If your problem cannot be resolved by channel operators, then it may be raised further, as previously mentioned.

It is the policy of some channels that you should not post logs on the wiki, or circulate them without permission from those involved; rather, if a matter requires logs then please obtain permission before circulating or publicizing them, and if in doubt ask a channel operator or other experienced user for advice.

User:FlightTime/IRC/Access requests

See also

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Information

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Tools

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User essays

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Quotes

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Other discussion venues

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References

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  1. ^ "Connecting to Libera.Chat - Accessing Libera.Chat Via Tor". Retrieved 13 July 2021.
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