Information

NickServ is the nickname database that holds all of your nickname information such as stored email, password, and such. Registering is optional, not required. (Unless your a staff member and wish to have auto-op, auto-hop, and stuff like that on your name.) Registering your nickname also tells others that the name they have chosen is already taken and that they should change nicknames. It also helps to identify just that one person on the channel so we know it’s not a bogus ID.

Commands

NickServ, on ShadowHime, has three possible commands. In this tutorial, we use the shortest term, but all point to the same point.

  • /msg NickServ command parameter – The most common used.
  • /nickserv command parameter – Lesser known, same as the first, but without ‘msg’.
  • /ns command parameter – Shortest and is more known to be used whenever possible.

Registering

To register with the IRC NickServ database, it’s very easy. There is only two steps into registering your nickname. One, is to register the name itself, and the other is to confirm the registration.

To register, use the following command:
/ns register password email
Example: /ns register mypass some@email.net
You will not get a confirmation email from this. The email is required for verification purposes in case staff need to confirm something.

Identifying

To identify with NickServ, it’s simple, just use this command:
/ns identify password
Example: /ns identify mypass
The user with the nick that has the password ‘mypass’ will then be identified after issuing that command.

Protecting

Protecting your nickname might be essential on IRC. Some people have the ability to take over names in IRC, and there are a couple safeguards to protect the name.
/ns set kill on
/ns set kill quick
When you issue either of those commands, it will give the user 60 seconds to switch nicknames or the server will force change the name. However, if you use ‘quick’ instead of ‘on’, then the user will only have 20 seconds to change before the server force changes the name so that you can re-claim the name.
/ns set secure on
When you use this command, no one, even on your access list (explained below), will be able to use your name unless you know the password.

These two protection methods will ensure that you will be able to get your nickname back if someone ends up taking it.

Group Access

Group access allows you to set different nicks to be grouped to one particular nickname. A few examples: TwinShadow (main), TwinShadow|away, TwinShadow|bed, TwinShadow|brb… etc. The additional nicknames will be auto-registered with NickServ, so if you use them, you can issue the /ns identify password command even with those nicks and you’ll still be identified. (that is for some reason if you end up still on that name if you’re disconnected)
/ns group target password
The target is the nickname you are trying to join the group of. You MUST be on some other nickname in order to join your main nickname’s group. Password is the password used on the target nickname. Examples of use:

Current nickname: TwinShadow|away (that means TwinShadow is not the active nickname)
/ns group TwinShadow mypass
This would allow “TwinShadow|away” to join TwinShadow’s group of nicknames.