About NickServ

NickServ allows you to register your nickname on EsperNet. Registration grants you exclusive use over your nickname as long as you maintain a regular presence on EsperNet. With a nickname registration, you can register channels and be added to channel access lists with ChanServ, and send and receive memos with MemoServ.

Nickname registrations expire after 30 days of inactivity, so be sure to IDENTIFY yourself to NickServ whenever you signon!

For a list of commands from NickServ, type: 

/MSG NickServ HELP COMMANDS

The following commands can be used with NickServ:

Command Description
REGISTER

Register your nickname.
IDENTIFY

Identify yourself with your password.
DROP

Cancel the registration of a nickname.
AUTH

Authenticate your nickname registration.
SENDAUTH

Send yourself the nickname authentication code.
REAUTH

Set a new code if you forget your password.
RESTOREMAIL

Restore the last authenticated E-mail address
LINK

Link another nickname to your own.
UNLINK

Cancel your linked nickname.
LISTLINKS

List all nicknames you have linked.
ACCESS

Modify the list of authorized hostmasks for your nickname.
SET

Set options, including kill protection.
UNSET

Unset nickname options.
RECOVER

Kill another user who has taken your nickname.
RELEASE

Regain custody of your nickname after RECOVER.
GHOST

Disconnect a "ghost" session.
INFO

Display information about a nickname.
LISTCHANS

List all channels you own.
STATUS

Check whether a given nickname is identified.
These commands are available to Services Administrators:
DROPNICK

Drop any nickname.
DROPEMAIL

Drop all nicknames matching an E-mail address.
GETPASS

Show the password for a nickname (if encryption is not active).
FORBID

Prevent a nickname from being used/registered.
SUSPEND

Prevent a nickname from being identified for.
UNSUSPEND

Cancel a nickname suspension
LIST

List all nicknames matching a given mask.
LISTEMAIL

List nicknames by E-mail address.
SETAUTH

Set a new authentication code for a nickname.
GETAUTH

Show the authentication code for a nickname.
CLEARAUTH

Clear the authentication code for a nickname.
Services admins can also use the following commands on any nickname without needing to identify for that nickname:
SET, ACCESS LIST, INFO ALL

NickServ Command Details

REGISTER

REGISTER password email

Passwords should not be easily guessable. For example, using your real name as a password is a bad idea. Using your nickname as a password is a much worse idea and, in fact, NickServ will not allow it. Also, short passwords are vulnerable to trial-and-error searches, so you should choose a password at least 5 characters long.

Registers your nickname in the NickServ database. Once your nickname is registered, you can use the SET and ACCESS commands to configure your nickname's settings as you like them. Make sure you remember the password you use when registering; you'll need it to make changes to your nickname later. (Note that case matters! FIDO, Fido, and fido are all different passwords!) You must include a valid E-mail address when registering your nickname; NickServ will send a message with an authentication code to this address, which you must use with the AUTH command to complete your registration. You can prevent your E-mail address from being shown to other users with the SET HIDE command (type /msg NickServ HELP SET HIDE for more information).

Example:

/msg NickServ REGISTER ASecretPassword me@mydomain.com

IDENTIFY

IDENTIFY password

Tells NickServ that you are really the owner of this nickname. Many commands require you to authenticate yourself with this command before you use them. The password should be the same one you sent with the REGISTER command.

Example:

/msg NickServ IDENTIFY MyGoodPassword

DROP

DROP password

De-registers (drops) your nickname from the NickServ database. A nickname that has been dropped is free for anyone to re-register.

Note that when you drop a nickname, all nicknames linked to it will be dropped as well. To remove a single linked nickname, use the UNLINK command.

To prevent accidental use of this command, you must enter your password in order to drop your nickname.

Example:

/msg NickServ DROP MyGoodPassword

AUTH

AUTH code

Authenticates registration or change of E-mail for a nickname. To ensure that your E-mail address is correct, NickServ will send an message containing an authentication code to the E-mail address given when you register your nickname or change your E-mail address with the SET EMAIL command. This command allows you to confirm that you have received the message and continue using your nickname normally. Replace code in the command with the nine-digit authentication code given in the E-mail message.

Example:

/msg NickServ AUTH 123456789

SENDAUTH

SENDAUTH

Sends you a copy of the authentication code for your nickname after a REGISTER or SET EMAIL. If you accidentally delete or otherwise lose the message with the authorization code, you can use this command to have an extra copy sent to you.

To prevent abuse, this command may only be used once every 24 hours.

Example:

/msg NickServ SENDAUTH

REAUTH

REAUTH

Sets an authentication code which you can use to identify for your nickname. If you forget your nickname password, use this command to generate a new authentication code, then give that code (which will be mailed to you) with the AUTH command to identify for your nickname; you can then change your password with the SET PASSWORD command as usual.

Example:

/msg NickServ REAUTH

RESTOREMAIL

RESTOREMAIL password

Restores the last authenticated E-mail address for your nickname. If you accidentally use the wrong E-mail address in a SET EMAIL command, you can use this command to restore the previous E-mail address and clear the authentication code for your nickname, allowing you to identify for the nickname again. You must give your nickname's password with this command.

RESTOREMAIL can only be used after SET EMAIL and before entering the new authentication code with the AUTH command.

/msg NickServ RESTOREMAIL MyGoodPassword

LINK

LINK nickname

Links a new nickname to the nickname you are currently using, creating a new "alias" for your nickname. The new nickname will be equivalent to your current nickname in terms of access privileges and memos; for example, you can read memos sent to one of your linked nicks from any other one, and if one of your nicks has auto-op privileges in a channel, you will get auto-opped no matter which linked nick you use.

To cancel a link, use the UNLINK command.

In order to use this command, you must identify for your current nickname (using the IDENTIFY command), and the nickname to be linked must not currently be in use.

Example:

/msg NickServ LINK Ketju

UNLINK

UNLINK nickname [FORCE]

Removes a link (alias) to your nickname created with the LINK command. You cannot unlink the nickname you are currently using; change to another linked nick first before using this command.

If you unlink the "main nickname" you have selected using the SET MAINNICK command, your current nickname will automatically be selected as the main nickname.

Services admins may add the FORCE option, which allows removal of a link to a nickname other than their own.

Example:

/msg NickServ UNLINK Ketju

LISTLINKS

LISTLINKS [nickname]

Lists all nicknames which are linked to your nick. The main nickname for the group of linked nicks will be indicated by a "*" to the left of the nick. Services admins may list links for any nick by specifying the nick in the command.

Example:

/msg NickServ LISTLINKS Ketju

ACCESS

ACCESS ADD mask
ACCESS ADD mask
ACCESS DEL mask
ACCESS LIST

Modifies or displays the access list for your nickname. This is the list of user@host addresses which will be automatically recognized by NickServ as being allowed to use the nickname. If you connect to IRC with an address on this list, you will not be affected by the nick's SET KILL setting, and if the SECURE option is disabled, you will be able to receive auto-op and other privileges in channels without using the IDENTIFY command.

The mask given to the ADD and DEL commands may contain wildcards (* or ?).

Services admins may give a nickname parameter to the LIST command to display the access list for any nickname.

Example:

/msg NickServ ACCESS LIST

UNSET

UNSET {URL | INFO}

Allows you to clear the URL (URL) or information text (INFO) associated with your nickname.

Services admins may use the UNSET command on any nickname by including the nickname before the option name, as with the SET command.

Example:

/msg NickServ UNSET URL

RECOVER

RECOVER nickname [password]

Allows you to recover your nickname if someone else has taken it; this does the same thing that NickServ does automatically if someone tries to use a kill-protected nickname.

In order to use the RECOVER command for a nickname, you must supply the correct password for the nickname, or you must already have identified to a nick linked to the given nick.

When you give this command, NickServ will bring a fake user online with the same nickname as the user you're trying to recover your nick from, causing the IRC servers to disconnect the other user. This fake user will remain online for 1 minute to ensure that the other user does not immediately reconnect; after that time, you can reclaim your nick. Alternatively, use the RELEASE command (/msg NickServ HELP RELEASE) to get the nick back sooner.

Example:

/msg NickServ RECOVER foobar MySecretpassword

RELEASE

RELEASE nickname [password]

Instructs NickServ to remove any hold on your nickname caused by automatic kill protection or use of the RECOVER command. By default, such holds last for 1 minute; this command gets rid of them sooner.

In order to use the RELEASE command for a nickname, you must supply the correct password for the nickname, or you must already have identified to a nick linked to the given nick.

Example:

/msg NickServ RELEASE Ketju MyGoodPassword

GHOST

GHOST nickname [password]

Terminates a "ghost" IRC session using your nickname. A "ghost" session is one which is not actually connected, but which the IRC server believes is still online for one reason or another. Typically, this happens if your computer crashes or your Internet or modem connection goes down while you're on IRC.

In order to use the GHOST command for a nickname, you must supply the correct password for the nickname, or you must already have identified to a nick linked to the given nick.

Example:

/msg NickServ GHOST Ketju MyGoodPassword

INFO

INFO nickname [ALL]

Displays information about the given nickname, such as the nickname's owner, last seen address and time, and options. If you are identified for the nick you're getting information for and ALL is specified, you will be shown all the information, regardless of whether it's hidden or not.

If the nickname's E-mail address has not yet been confirmed with the AUTH command, it will not be shown to anyone except the nickname owner and Services administrators, regardless of the nickname's SET HIDE EMAIL setting.

Services admins may use the ALL parameter with any nickname.

Example:

/msg NickServ INFO Ketju

LISTCHANS

LISTCHANS

Lists the names and the total number of channels you have registered under your nickname.

Services admins may list channels for any nickname by giving the nickname with the command (for example, /msg NickServ LISTCHANS OtherNick).

Example:

/msg NickServ LISTCHANS

STATUS

STATUS nickname

Returns whether the user using the given nickname is recognized as the owner of the nickname. The response has this format:

[nickname status-code], where nickname is the nickname sent with the command, and status-code is one of the following:

Up to sixteen nicknames may be sent with each command; the rest will be ignored. No error message is generated if no nickname is given.

Example:

/msg NickServ STATUS Ketju

DROPNICK

DROPNICK nickname

Drops the given nickname from the NickServ database, as well as any linked nicknames.

Limited to Services admins.

Example:

/msg NickServ DROP Ketju

DROPEMAIL

DROPEMAIL pattern

DROPEMAIL-CONFIRM pattern

Drops all nicknames with an E-mail address matching the given pattern. If pattern is the single character "-", drops all nicknames without an E-mail address.

To prevent accidentally dropping nicknames via this command, it must be given twice: first using the DROPEMAIL command name, then using DROPEMAIL-CONFIRM with the same pattern. The DROPEMAIL-CONFIRM command must be given within 10 minutes of and by the same person who gave the DROPEMAIL command. If more than 4 DROPEMAIL commands are given in a row, the oldest will be discarded and no longer recognized for a DROPEMAIL-CONFIRM command.

Limited to Services admins.

Example:

/msg NickServ DROPEMAIL-CONFIRM ketju@*

GETPASS

GETPASS nickname

Returns the password for the given nickname. Note that whenever this command is used, a message including the person who issued the command and the nickname it was used on will be logged and sent out as a WALLOPS/GLOBOPS.

If encryption is in use, this command may not be available depending on the type of encryption used.

Limited to Services admins.

Example:

/msg NickServ GETPASS Ketju

FORBID

FORBID nickname

Disallows a nickname from being registered or used by anyone. May be cancelled by dropping the nickname.

Limited to Services admins.

Example:

/msg NickServ FORBID Ketju

SUSPEND

SUSPEND [+expiry] nickname reason

Prevents a nickname, and all nicknames linked to it, from being used or identified for by anyone. The nickname can be unsuspended with the UNSUSPEND command, which will allow it to be used as before. The expiry parameter is interpreted in the same manner as for the OperServ AKILL command.

Limited to Services admins.

Example:

/msg NickServ SUSPEND +30d Ketju NickServ Abuse

UNSUSPEND

UNSUSPEND nickname

Allows people to use and identify for a previously suspended nickname.

Limited to Services admins.

Example:

/msg NickServ UNSUSPEND Ketju

LIST

LIST pattern [FORBIDDEN] [NOEXPIRE] [SUSPENDED] [NOAUTH]

Lists all registered nicknames for which either the nickname itself or the last seen address (in user@host format) match the given pattern. Nicks with the PRIVATE option set will only be displayed to Services admins. For Services admins, nicks with the NOEXPIRE option set will have a ! prepended to the nickname, those that are suspended will be prepended by a *, and those that have not yet been authenticated (with the AUTH command) will be prepended by a ?.

If the FORBIDDEN, SUSPENDED, NOEXPIRE, or NOAUTH options are given, only nicks which, respectively, are forbidden, suspended, have the NOEXPIRE option set, or have not yet been authenticated will be displayed. The options can be used in any order and in any combination. These options are limited to Services admins.

Lists all registered nicknames which were last used by joeuser@foo.com.

Lists all registered nicknames with Bot in their names (case insensitive).

Lists all registered nicknames which have been set to not expire.

Limited to IRC Operators

Example:

/msg NickServ LIST * NOEXPIRE

LISTEMAIL

LISTEMAIL pattern [FORBIDDEN] [NOEXPIRE] [SUSPENDED] [NOAUTH]

Lists registered nicknames like the LIST command, but matches on E-mail addresses instead of user@host addresses. See the LIST command help (/msg NickServ HELP LIST) for more information.

Example:

/msg NickServ LISTEMAIL *@aol.com

SETAUTH

SETAUTH nickname

Sets a new authentication code for the given nickname. The nickname's owner will have to use the AUTH command for the nickname before being allowed to identify again. If the nickname is currently in use, a notice will be sent to the user of the nickname and they will no longer be treated as identified for the nickname.

Limited to Services admins.

Example:

/msg NickServ SETAUTH Ketju

GETAUTH

GETAUTH nickname

Retrieves the authentication code associated with nickname, if one exists.

Limited to Services admins.

Example:

/msg NickServ GETAUTH Ketju