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Help Newsgroup FAQs - Chat
This document contains the AT&T Worldnet Help Chat Newsgroup FAQs posted to the worldnet.help.faqs newsgroup mentioned below every 30 days.
FAQs about:
If you have additional chat questions and are unable to find the answers in our Chat FAQ and the Chat Newsgroup FAQ, please post them in one of the following AT&T Worldnet help newsgroups. Be sure to mention the application that you're using and the version of that application. If you're new to newsgroups, please read our Newsgroups Tutorial for a brief introduction to newsgroups and instructions on how to participate in them.
For the AT&T Worldnet help newsgroups, click the newsgroup name if you're dialed into AT&T Worldnet Service. If you would rather use your browser than a newsreader to view these newsgroups, click the webnews link and the newsgroup will open in a new browser window. If you've enabled accessing your account from another ISP, use a newsreader that supports SSL and have configured your newsreader to access the iNetNews servers, click the iNetNews link to the right of the newsgroup name.
Note: When you open the software, make sure you expand the plus (+) signs next to the messages listed. By doing this you will be able to view the messages and responses of others as well as see the answer to your particular question.
For a list of all of the AT&T Worldnet help newsgroups, see Getting Help Through Newsgroups.
Chat Room and Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
Question:
What are chat rooms and Internet Relay Chat (IRC)?
Answer:
Anyone with Internet access can obtain and install a chat software program, and connect to any number of Internet Relay Chat servers so that they can chat on channels. IRC, short for Internet Relay Chat, is a worldwide system that allows users to meet and chat privately or in groups.
This communication is done in real-time, just like a telephone, however, instead of talking audibly, you communicate with other people by typing on a keyboard what you want to say. These conversations take place on what are known as channels, which are very similar to chat rooms.
It's a great way to stay in touch with friends and family and even meet people from all around the world. One of the best things about IRC is that there are no additional charges to use it other than your regular Internet access charges.
There are many IRC networks that people use to communicate. Each network carries many different channels. The Big Three networks are EFNet, Undernet, and DALnet, but there are many others.
An option not requiring an IRC client, but just a Web browser, is Web-based chatting, which occurs over the Big Three IRC networks as well as private networks. AT&T Worldnet also has its own Web-based chatting service called AT&T Worldnet Service Community Port Chat.
For more information on IRC with especially helpful tutorials and FAQs, visit:
The Worldnet User's Reference Desk (WURD) on Chat contains excellent information by fellow Worldnet members in clear, understandable instructions, some with screen shots, covering the fundamentals of downloading, installing, and configuring many different chat programs.
Below are some IRC programs that will enable you to chat with others. Be sure to get the one suited for your operating system (16-bit for Windows 3.x or 32-bit for Windows 95/98). There are chat programs for Macintosh users as well, and they are mentioned on the WURD site on our Chat Clients page.
Additional, helpful IRC Web sites may be found at:
- mIRC home page
Scroll down to the hyperlinks Intro to IRC and FAQ about IRC. - mIRC home page mirror site
- IRC FAQ
- IRC Help page
- IRC AddiCt Web site
Tons of great information, including the history of EFNet, Undernet, and DALnet. - Undernet IRC Network
- DALnet IRC Network Help site
For newsgroup assistance with chat, post your question in the worldnet.users.chat group with:
Web-Based Chat
Question:
What is Web-based chat, and how does it differ from other kinds of chat?
Answer:
When using Web-based chat you are using your Web browser to chat with others. There are many Web-based chat areas you can access to communicate with others. Sometimes people notice when using Web-based chat that it seems a bit slower than pure Internet Relay Chat (IRC). This can be attributed to many factors such as the speed and memory of your computer system, your Web browser, and the speed of the chat server itself. If you encounter this type of problem, try choosing the Java Light version or HTML version of the chat interface. Also, make sure you are using a relatively new version of a Web browser, as older versions may cause problems. Also be sure that you have Java enabled in your Web browser, or you will not be able to use this type of chat.
One of the benefits of using Web-based chat is that you don't have to download and install an entire IRC program. Whereas, with chat software clients (IRC programs), you must download a separate program in order to chat.
AT&T Worldnet offers its own Web-based chat area called AT&T Worldnet Service Community Port Chat where people's interests and activities come together on the 'Net. It is an online chat community for AT&T Worldnet members and everyone else on the Internet to pursue interests, express ideas, or learn something new at:
If you become a regular user of Web-based chat rooms, you may want to check out Internet Relay Chat (IRC), which allows you to chat in multiple rooms at the same time. Please see the FAQ posted to this group entitled FAQ - Chat and Internet Relay Chat (IRC) for more information.
Please note that if you have difficulty with non-AT&T Worldnet Web-based chat sites, we will not be able to provide advice, as the technology and programming these sites use are different than ours. You will have to refer to the Help areas of these particular sites if you experience problems.
For the best in online assistance, ask the worldnet.users.chat group with: