Following repeated attempts at messing up the Live Chat yeserday by an anonymous troublemaker from the webchatting.com server, I have registered a new chat room on a respected private server, VIP Net. This will give us a much better place to hold the Live Chats in future, with better security and admin support should we need it.

Logging into this new server however, involves a different client to the java one used on the site up until now. The program to access this server is called "mIRC", and is a very widely used IRC client that has been around for a very long time.

To save any hassles getting it to work, I have put together a ready setup and customised version of it, which is now available for download. Using it to log into the chat is VERY easy, so don't worry if you haven't had any experience with using it in the past.

The following, is a step by step guide on how to get into the chat room using the new mIRC client.


Step 1 : Download the program. It is 1.1 Megabytes, and is available for download by clicking here :

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/unexplainedmirc.zip

Step 2 : Unzip the zip file into a directory on your computer. If you have winzip, this is a simple matter. Just double click on the downloaded file and extract it to a directory of your choice. If you don't have winzip, you should download it from www.winzip.com.

Step 3 : Run mirc.exe in the directory you just unzipped the files into. This will start the program up.

Step 4 : A box appears. Simply type your desired nickname in the box that has "yournickhere" written in it. Then click OK.

Step 5 : Click on the small yellow zigzag icon that looks like a lightning bolt in the top left hand corner of the screen, under the file menu. The program will now connect you to the chat server. Note that this may take a few seconds. Don't be put off by the connection time - some parts of the world will be able to connect quicker than others.

Step 6 : The channel box will appear. Double click on #unexplained and you will have arrived in the chat room. If you close the channel box window by mistake, you can re-open it by clicking on the icon that is 3rd along on the row at the top of the screen.

and thats all there is to it. If you have any queries or difficulties in getting this to work, please use this thread to discuss them. Let me know also when you do get it to work properly so that I know you've been successful. It is recommended that you get the program downloaded and set up sometime before the next live chat, in case you have difficulties getting it to work. The instructions are repeated on the Live Chat page where the old java applet used to be.

Note : Live Chats are now being held twice a week - on a Wednesday and a Sunday at 8PM GMT, 3PM EST, 12PM PST. Please feel free to come along to either or both of the chats - all guests and members welcome.

Thanks SaRuMaN,
:s06
I got in fine.. :D

It might take some time getting used to all these functions though.  :s04

Tommy  :s03

Yikes.  I tried.  But it's telling me it can't continue cos "Unknown zip headed encountered" and "Zip entry is garbled"  Sounds like it's cos I'm on a mac.  Any ideas/options?

(OS 9.1 or 10 / G4 / 40GHD / 384MB Ram)

:sk

ScaryD,

Ah, I hadn't taken Mac users into account - the chat program that is in that zip file is a PC only program. I don't know of any Apple Macintosh clients. I'll need to try and get some sort of Java client applet for non-PC/windows users. It won't be as good as mIRC, but it would at least allow you to log into the room.

I'll post more information about alternatives as soon as I find some.

:sk

I can't download that thing.. Error in zip file!!!

Odin Supreme :s9

Hmmph as a mac user, I get left out of everything!  Well, apart from the 'having a sexy looking computer competition'!   :su

Thank you thank you.   You are a STAR!  :-*

By the way, I have Windows 98 and Winzip 8.1...

Odin Supreme

Hmmm,

I'm going to download the file and test it to see if it works for me - it may be that the file didn't upload properly the second time.

Odin + Whoever else gets an error in zip file,

The zip file is corrupted - looks like it didn't upload properly after all. I'm going to reupload it - it should be done in a few minutes.

Thanx  :sk

Odin Supreme

phew, thought it was me being dumb  :su

It is all SaRuMaNs fault!  ;) :s04

Odin Supreme :s9

Right the file is re-uploaded and should be ok now.

There's 3 of us in the chat room just now when you do manage to download it and get it set up.

:)

okies, thanks, i'll try again

Would if I could.  It lets me unzip it now, but it winna read it.  Alas.

:'(

I am downloading it right now... 72 %... 73%

Odin Supreme :s9

STILL ISN"T WORKING!

Odin Supreme

ScaryD,

Unfortunately it's likely that the source of your troubles is the fact that your on a Mac - but I will try and get an alternative means of connecting to the room before the Chat on Wednesday - so watch this space.

:sk

Odin,

There's nothing wrong with the zip file now - what error message are you getting ?

:s06 :s06 :s06 :s06 :s06 :s06

OK.  I'll keep my eyes peeled.  Cheers m'dear.

:su

Wait, I'll try it again..

Odin Supreme

SaRuMaN,

I can't download it.. Just open it.. And then it says that it is and invalid archive.. Can you give me a link to the direct file? Without being zipped? Maybe that works.

Odin Supreme :s9

Odin,

Try using a download manager ( if youve got one ).

Alternatively, you can download the program here :

http://ftp.newnet.co.uk/pub/mirrors/mirc/mirc601.exe

and set it up manually. You'll need to add the server "chatnet.dnsalias.com" Port 6667 manually to the server list before connecting.

I am downloading that thing right now.. Seems to work. :se

Odin Supreme :s9

I can't download the chat program cuz I'm on a work computer. My home computer is fried, so i have to buy a new one.  ::) If you have any alternatives, that would be grand.  I don't wanna miss out on any chats.  :se

MC,

Unfortunately I haven't been able to find any alternatives to the chat program provided, apart from an Apple Mac version for Mac users.

One possibility, is to download the program on another computer somewhere ( in an internet cafe for example ), take the sound files out so that it fits on a floppy disk, rezip it and then unzip it onto a directory on your work computer for the chat, and remove it again afterwards.

If you can get the file downloaded at all onto your work computer, you can easily remove it again after the chat, as it doesnt actually "install", but rather is extracted into a directory and can be deleted at any point.

Unfortunately I don't have much more in the way of suggestions. If I do find any other solutions I will let you know.

:su

:sk WOW 5 minute download and working within another 5.  :st
Thanx SaRuMaN  ;)

mIRC is very easy to use and has heaps of features. my friends got he hooked it to it when i was in year 7 (now i'm year 12)

for those of you who are new to mIRC, you can now send pictures of yourself to other ppl in the channel but you have to be talking to them privately (just double click on their name.) so now you can see what other members look like if you have a photo. If you want to see every channel in the server just type /list in the status screen

and  SaRuMaN, what server do you go on. I use Austnet. Each server has different channels

:sk :sk :sk :sk :sk :sk :sk :sk :sk :sk :sk :sk :sk :sk :sk
Ok i downloaded it even though i wasn't supposed  to!!
;D

Sheff-> It took 5 mins to download?!  Blimey...you are PAY-SHE-ANT!  I'm on telewest broadband, so i think I've been a bit SPOILT:  Mine took about 10 secs to download.  And about 6 hrs to get working!  (Yeah, broadband is superfast, but I'm superslow...)

;) :)

Dowdy,

The server we're on is VIP Net - it's a private UK server with fairly up to date server software.

Good to hear most of you have now managed to get into the chat one way or the other.  ;D If anyone has any difficulties remember to let me know and I will be happy to help.

I will also be releasing a multimedia addon for the mIRC program in the near future, which will include some new sounds, some colourful popups and other bits and pieces for you to try out in the room. I'll post more about that when I've done it, so keep your eyes peeled.

               SaRuMaN!
       I feel like I'm a rat in a maze,  I keep running into walls!! :s01
       I got on mIRC,  then when the list came up,  the #unexplained was not on it.  So I typed it in the blank at the top,  then pushed the LIGHTNING BOLT at the top and went into a room.....an empty room.  So I guess I managed to not run into a WALL,  but I must be in the wrong room.  Help!  The window of opportunity is fast closing!!  What did I do wrong? ???

         KC (Hello? >  hello? > hello?>

Nora,

Here's a single-shot way of getting onto the server.

Open the program, close the window that comes up, then in the long white strip at the bottom of the screen type in

/server chatnet.dnsalias.com:6667

then when its connected
type

/join #unexplained

that should get you in  :)