---

title: IRC

date: 2019-06-05T00:20:19.000Z

weight: 40

Create an IRC account and sign into it. After you've signed on, you can use the

_Buddies_ -> _Join a Chat_ menu option on the Buddy List window to join a

channel. In any window, either a conversation or a chat, in which your IRC user

is the sender, you can also use the `/join` command to connect to a new channel.

See the next question.

Try the

[irchelper](https://{{< repo plugin-pack >}}src/default/irchelper/)

plugin from the {{< repo link="1" name="plugin-pack" >}}. This plugin provides

fields to enter the services bot's nickname and your services password. It

also automatically suppresses messages from the services bots sent on

connection. Note that this plugin _does_, in fact, work with Q on Quakenet,

and networks that use AuthServ, not just networks that use NickServ.

Alternatively, see the next question for a way using Pidgin's built in features.

Follow these steps:

* Create (if necessary) and enable your IRC account.

* Add the nick of the services bot to your buddy list using _Buddies_ ->

_Add Buddy_.

* Right-click the new buddy and click "Add Buddy Pounce" to create a new

pounce.

* Make sure "Signs on" is the only checked box in the "Pounce When Buddy..."

section.

* Make sure "Send a message" is checked under "Action".

* Enter the message, such as `identify mypassword` if you're trying to

authenticate.

* Ensure "Recurring" is checked beneath "Options" or the pounce will only

work once.

* Click "Save" to save the pounce.

Note that you do **_NOT_** include `/msg nickname` as part of the message in the pounce.

Absolutely. In the Buddy List window, select _Buddies_ -> _Add Chat_. Use this

dialog to add the chat to your buddy list. Once the chat appears in the buddy

list, right-click the chat and select "Auto-Join". The channel will autojoin

whenever you sign onto your IRC account.

In the Buddy List window, select _Accounts_ -> your IRC account -> _Edit

Account_. Click the "Advanced" tab. Enter a name in the Username field.

In the Buddy List window, select _Accounts_ -> your IRC account -> _Edit

Account_. Click the "Advanced" tab. Enter a name in the Real Name field.

IRC has no comprehension of character sets or encodings. It simply sends

(almost) any random chunk of data a user enters. Pidgin by default assumes

everything is UTF-8. If this is not the case, you will need to edit your account

(in the Buddy List window, select _Accounts_ -> your IRC account -> _Edit

Account_) and change the Encoding setting on the "Advanced" tab. You will need

to enter the correct encoding for your channels there. You can specify multiple

encodings in a comma-delimited list, such as `UTF-8,ISO-8859-15`, to cause

Pidgin to attempt multiple encodings. In this case, each encoding is tried in

succession until a successful decode happens or all encodings listed are

exhausted.

In the Buddy List window, select _Tools_ -> _Plugins_. Find and checkmark

"Join/Part Hiding" and click the "Configure Plugin" button. Configure the

plugin as you like.