This command checks if users own the nicknames they are currently using. After using the acc command, services will reply with the user's access level.

Use the acc command to verify that someone is the rightful owner of a nick in use. Access level one does not mean that they do not own the nick, but it doesn't give you enough information to conclude that they do either. If you normally get opped or voiced in a room and services are not doing so, you should check your acc. Identifying will usually fix the problem.

This command is used to add, delete and list access masks. If a user matches an entry in the access list, he/she won't need to identify to use the nick. The person will have acc level 1. If protect is set on, you will still be able to use the nick without identifying, provided you match a mask in the access list.

If you have a static ip address, you should definitely add an access list entry for it. If your address varies, you need to consider what level of security and convenience you want. But you can always add or remove masks if you change your mind.

This command will have NickServ manage your BUDDY list. A Buddy list is the same as a watch list and similar to a notify list. A Buddy list informs you when each of your buddies joins or leaves the chat network.

You can add the nicks of people whom you frequently chat with as buddies. But you might not want to make your buddy list too long, or you may be seeing too many messages about people logging on and off. Add people to your buddy list if you will frequently want to chat with them when they are online and might not otherwise realize they were around.

This is the opposite of register, it releases a nick you own. When you drop a nick you also lose any rooms for which it was listed as the founder. You must identify with the nick's password before you drop it.

If you have gotten tired of a nick and no longer want it, then drop it. A nick is like an identity in the chat network, it receives memos, gets opped in rooms, and can own rooms. Dropping the nick removes all of that for that nick. Make sure you want to give up your nick before you drop it. Once dropped, anyone can register it.

If you have become disconnected, but your client is still online, you can use the ghost command to disconnect the client. You must either have identified for the nick with the client sending the ghost command or you must include the password in the command.

When a computer disconnects abruptly, for example by crashing, sometimes it does not log off of the chat network. The server will eventually realize that the client is dead, but you may log back on and still see a "ghost" of yourself. This command is designed to allow you to remove these ghosts. You can only ghost a nick if you have registered it. If you have an unregistered ghost, just wait for it to disconnect itself. If it is causing problems, you can ask a network operator to "kill" it.

This command will provide online help for NickServ. You may use it without any parameters to get a list of topics you can get help on. If you wish to receive help on a specific command use the command name in the help syntax.

This is the easiest way to look up what a command does or exactly how to use it. You will probably find yourself referencing the help files often if you want to do anything at all complicated on a chat network or spend a lot of time helping or teaching others.

To gain full access to a registered nick, use the identify command. After identifying to a nick, the settings of a registered nick can be changed. You do not have to be using the nick to identify for it.

In general, it is best if you always identify for your nick when you use it. However, if your access list is set to match you, you will not need to. But many rooms will have ident set on to require that you identify before getting status in those rooms. It can often be useful to identify for a nick you intend to use before you switch nicks. Services will remember you as identified for multiple nicks, even ones you have identified for but not used.

Used to view all available information on a registered nick. This will show whether it is registered, when it was registered, to whom, when it was last used, and various options that are set for the nick. Opers may be able to see more information than regular users.

This is a good command to use to check if a nick that interests you is registered or to see when a friend's nick was last used. You should info your own nick so you can see what others will find out if they do so.

This will give you a list of all the rooms you or the specified nickname has an access level to and tell you what access. If no nick is given, it will give you the list for the nick you are using. You must identify for the nick before you may see the listchans info.

This is a very useful command. If you have forgotten which rooms you were given access to, you can check. You can also see if anyone has added you to a room without telling you. If you use many rooms, it can become easy to forget one, so listchans can serve as a reminder.

If another user is using your nick and you haven't turned nick protect on, you can use this command to disconnect the user and recover your nick. After using the recover command, you need to use the release command or wait two minutes to get the nick back. Services puts up an enforcer, to prevent someone from auto-rejoining with your nick. If you have identified for the nick already, then you do not need to include the password. If you have not identified, then it will not work without the nick's pass.

Recover is a harsh command in that it disconnects the person from the chat network. You can try asking someone to stop using your nick before recovering it. But if your nick is in use and you want it back, this is always available.

Registers your nickname with NickServ. After registering your nickname you will always be able to use it. Other people can use it without getting access to your ops or memos unless you set protect on. When registering a nick, an entry is added to your nick access list. If your user@host mark is david@203.245.259.22, then *david@203.245.259.* is automatically added to your access list. In general, the automatic access list entry will be useful, but you might want to consider customizing your access list. Nicks will expire if not used regularly, the exact expiry time is set by the chat network. Roots can set nicks to not expire, see held under root commands for more information.

Registering a nick is an important part of using a chat network. Your nick is your identity, the only way that people will be able to recognize you. Nicks also allow you to receive memos, get status in rooms, and register your own rooms (although depending on the way the network is set up, you may need to be a network operator to register a room). It is best to have one primary nick that people know you by, and sometimes one or two extras for various purposes. You should not register a large number of nicknames, as it is pointless and wastes database space.

This command will release a nick which is being held by a nick enforcr. An enforcer will go away in two minutes if release is not used. You must either have identified for the nick or include the password in the command. See recover for more information.

This command should generally be used after using recover. You may find a nick of yours that has protect set on being enforced, this is because someone was recently trying to use it. Many new users get confused by the enforcer, and think that someone took their nick. Enforcer is just a part of services.

This command will have NickServ manage your Watch list. A watch list is similar to a notify list or a buddy list. It will inform you when nicks you specify are in use. You can add rooms to your watch list and you will be inf ormed when the room empties or reforms. You do not need the person's approval to add them to your watch list.

Like the buddy command you can use this for people or rooms that you often interact with. You should not add someone to both your buddy and watch list as that would notify you twice each time the person appears or disappears.