Using WebChat

What is WebChat?

WebChat lets you join the conversation from your browser with nothing to install. The “Join the chat” button at the top, or the address /chat/, takes you there. It works on a phone too.

Unlike an IRC client, WebChat needs no approval and no connection password — it is open to everyone.

Signing in

1. Type your nickname.
2. If the nickname is registered, enter your password as well — that brings your profile, your friends and your badges with you.
3. Press Connect.

If you are not registered you can come in as a guest, but the social features (posting, friendships, voice rooms) are for members. Registration is free: sign up.

What is where on the screen

• Top left — your profile box. Your avatar and name, with five tabs: My feed, Friends, Following, Groups and Status. Below them are Profile settings and Chat settings.
• Bottom left — channel list. The channels you are in; the ✕ beside one leaves it.
• Middle — the conversation. Channel name and topic at the top, the message box at the bottom.
• Right — user list. Who is in the channel; operators are listed separately.
• Top strip — the radio bar. Now playing, listener count, song requests and voting.

Right-click menus

The most useful thing in WebChat is the right-click menu:

• Right-click a nickname → whois, private message, add or remove a friend, follow or unfollow, block. If you hold privileges, also op/voice, kick and ban.
• Right-click a channel (in the list, or on a #channel link inside a message) → join, channel management, and whatever else your privileges allow.

Clicking the channel name in the header opens channel information; if you are an operator you get the channel management window instead.

While writing a message

• + — photo, video, document, GIF, sticker, poll and AFK.
• 🙂 — emoji picker.
• 🎤 — hold, speak, release: sends a voice message.

Settings

Under Chat settings you change things tied to your account: password, e-mail, joining your channels automatically at sign-in, and language. Under Strips and radio you can turn the status strip, the scrolling social strip and the radio bar on or off for your own screen.

If your connection drops

WebChat reconnects by itself: you see a notice, then you are back in the channels you were in. You do not need to reload the page.

If you would rather use a client

You can reach the same network with mIRC, HexChat or irssi — note that client access needs approval: Connecting with an IRC client.