First off you have to determine what type of system that you are currently running i.e. Win 3.1, 3.11, or 95. After that you will be able to see just what type of mIRC program you will be able to run i.e. mIRC16, mIRC32, or the latest beta version Pirch32. If your running Win 95 (like me) I suggest the mIRC32 program being that the beta version (Pirch32) has a tendency of crashing. When all of the above is decided upon, you need now to download mIRC, to do that you need a zip program.To use mIRC you will need a Winsock.dll of which several versions exist (both commercial and shareware) and a connection to the Internet. If you don't have either of these, ask someone about them! To check whether you have the most recent version of WinZip, please check the WinZip home page at http://www.winzip.com, send email to info@winzip.com, or download the file winzip.txt from the "WinZip Support" library in the GO WINZIP area on CompuServe. When you have downloaded the latest version of WINZIP, and have set it up (which is a rather simple thing to do for it sets up itself, you just play follow the leader) go to this web page address to find mIRC: http://www.mirc.co.uk This web site is owned by Khaled Mardam-Bey, the author of mIRC, and is maintained by Tjerk Vonck, the author of the mIRC homepage and FAQ. The above page has links to Official mIRC homepage mirror sites: http://www.sbcomp.com/mirc/index.html http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/1822/index.html http://www-2.nijenrode.nl/software/mirc/index.html The mIRC package that you have decided to use will be found at those various web sites. The one that I use (mIRC32) consists of the following files: mIRC.exe 16-bit version mIRC32.exe 32-bit version mIRC.hlp the help file readme.txt intro text file versions.txt version history mIRC.ini the main ini file aliases.ini the aliases ini file popups.ini the popups ini file remote.ini the remote ini file Just select the version of mIRC and then download the program, depending on the modem size (14.4 or 28.8) this could take up to as much as 30-40 mins to download. When the downloading has finally finished the WINZIP window will appear, just click I Agree and then WINZIP will open, click the Setup icon (or with some this icon is called Check Out). Place all of these files together in a directory (the WINZIP will either create one itself or you can do so which is rather simple for what I did was place mIRC into the C: and named the folder mirc). To use the 32-bit version you will need to have either Win32s installed on your system or you must be using a 32-bit operating system. Once you have installed mIRC, run it from windows, fill in the required setup information, and connect to the IRC server. Now thats a mouthful so I will break it down assuming that you are running Win95, for that is what I am running. After you have set the directory (C:mirc) and have followed the step by step setup information, you have to then configure mIRC, again an easy thing to do. mIRC will appear showing a fellow by the name of Khaled Mardam-Bey, close that window by clicking the x in the right corner, immediately after you do that another window will appear called mIRC setup. You will notice: IRC Servers, Local Info, Options, Identd, and Firewall along the top of the window, click "IRC Servers" and you will see a list of names such as: us.undernet.org irs.chris.com (Efnet USA) etc etc. These are servers (or connections) that will connect you to mIRC so you can talk to all of us. Scroll down to the bottom of the server names until you find one that is close to your own local, this is the one that you will connect with, remember to talk to me in our channel you need to connect with the server that has undernet in its name. Before you connect you need to do the following: At the bottom of the same window you will also see Real Name: E-mail: Nick Name: Alternate: Just fill them is like this example: Real Name: Jane Doe E-mail:use your real e-mail address, not a false one Nick Name:Fly1 Alternate:Bugu Now click "Local Info" and in the space beside "Local Host" type in your e-mail address that is before the @ For example, my e-mail address is mcunning@ciaccess.com so all that would be typed in the space provided would be mcunning. You will also see another space provided beside "I.P Address", leave this blank put do click in the little space provided beside "On Connect Always Get: Local Host". To finish this up all you have to do now is click in the space at the bottom called "IP Method: Quick" This Local Info window is finished, now off to Options right beside it. Click Options and then click in the first two spaces that are provided besides the names of "Popup Setup Dialogue On Startup", and, "Show About Dialogue On Start Up". This Options windows is finished, now off to "Identd" again found right beside "Options" which is right beside "Local Info". Click "Identd" and then click in "Enable Identd Server", in "User ID" type your first name and in "Listen On Port" type in 113. This Identd window is finished, off to the final window called Firewall. Click "Firewall" and at the space provided besides "Port", type the number 1080, that is all you have to do, now just click OK and the entire window will close. Now what we want to do now is set the "Options" of mIRC. To do that all you have to do is go to File menu and then scroll down to "Options" which you will then click. You will then see a window popup with many tool commands at the top, click "IRC switches" and click in all of these spaces that are provided besides these names, which are: Actions in purple Highlite Own Messages Iconify Query Window User Addresses Quits in channel Joins/parts in channel Modes in channel Now with that finished click OK and the entire window will close.You have set the very fundamentals of mIRC and have now configured your mIRC to be able to connect and to join in with the conversations in the channel called #Christian-Jehovah's-Witnesses, which again I remind you is on the undernet.org server, just connect through the closest undernet.org server near you on the server list which is found in the File menu under "Setup" in which you will see "IRC Servers", select the appropriate server and then click "Connect" provided that you have made your connection already with your local Internet provider. After that it takes a few seconds (approx.20-30) to make the connect with undernet, you will notice a lot of information scroll rather fast when you have made such a connect. This is normal and is informative if you care to scroll up and read it. When all of this information has finished a window will appear with some names of channels in it and along the top a blank space will appear with the cursor blinking. This is called a channel folder popup menu. To go to a channel that is in the window, highlite and then click "Join", to go to #Christian-Jehovah's-Witnesses, just type this at the space provided at the top and then click "Join", remember you must type the name of the channel accurately. After clicking "Join" you will be taken to the channel, you will notice on the right of the screen varies names including your own, these are the people in the channel. To talk just type in the bottom of the channel window where you will notice a space provided and then when finished with your message press the "Enter" on your keyboard to send it to the others in the channel. If there happens to be no one in the channel, go to this channel called #Bibletalk by just typing /join #Bibletalk and then press "Enter" on your keyboard. You will be taken to the channel where you will, more than likely, see the name cunninham, which is me. If you don't see my name that doesn't necessarily mean that I am not on mIRC, could just mean that I am in another room. To locate me just type this /query cunninham and then once again press the "Enter" key on your keyboard. Another window will appear, just type your message i.e "Hi Mark" in which, if I am connected to mIRC, I will get and then respond in turn. From there I will show you the toys/tips/tricks of mIRC. Hope I was of some help in making the matter of downloading/setting up/connecting mIRC a little least intimidating and complicated, but I must warn you, mIRC can and is addicting. Many have become IRC addicts, unable to disconnect until the wee hours of the morning, being pulled off by their spouse/partner/friends/or whatever Take care and hopefully we may be able to "talk" on mIRC. God bless Mark Cunningham of the morning, being pulled off by their spouse/partner/friends/or whatever Take care and hopefully we may be able to "talk" on mIRC. God bless Mark Cunningham