ARTICLE: Downloading files from IRC

[Hitman]

Guide to downloading files from IRC

By Hitman

 

This is in NO way meant to encourage piracy.

This guide was written with mIRC v6.03 in mind. So if you notice any differences in your version of mIRC, please try to compensate with common sense.

 

 

In order to download files with IRC, you will first need an IRC client. A good one is called mIRC. Head over to http://www.mirc.com, download it, and install it.

 

Once mIRC is successfully installed, start it up. There may be a screen telling you how many days you have left in your trial version. It should automatically pop up an "mIRC Options" screen. Fill in your Full Name, Email Address, Nickname, and an Alternative nickname. You won't need to worry about the IRC network or server.

 

Next, click the DCC section in the Category column. Set it up like the following screen shot...

 

 

Now click the Folders section under DCC. In the DCC Ignore section, make sure it’s set to "Disabled," and UNCHECK "Turn ignore back on in:" or you won't accept any transfers.

 

In the same section, make sure the "DCC Get folders" says default, and click Edit. Click the button just beneath "Into this Folder:" and choose a location on your hard drive where you want your downloads to go automatically.

 

 

Then Click OK, and exit the mIRC Options by clicking OK again. Now you can exit mIRC altogether.

 

 

Now that you have mIRC installed and configured, it's time to open your web browser. (I've only used Internet Explorer to do this, but I can't imagine it not working in any others.)

 

WARNING: Sometimes this site has some adult advertisements, but you're going to have to go to http://www.packetnews.com or some other IRC search engine. You can find others by visiting: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=...c+search+engine

 

I want to download the demo for Unreal Tournament 2004, and I don't want to wait in some line to get it from a web site... So I'll type my search into packetnews. This will search the filename and sometimes a description of the file, so try to keep it simple. Something like "unreal 2004 demo" should work fine. Then click Search.

 

Packetnews will search for any bots that are hosting files matching your search criteria, and redirect you to a page listing the servers, channels, and bots that have the files.

 

 

The columns you need to pay attention to are as follows:

 

Bot: This is the bot's name

Slots: How many slots the bot has open in which it can to transfer files

Que: This is short for queue. It's how many people are waiting in line to download this file

Pack: This is the pack number, most bots host at least a few different "packs" or files

Size: The size of this file

Description: A description of the file, or the file name depending on how the bot is set up

 

Look for a bot with open slots and an appropriate description if you can find one. If you can't, you might have to wait in a queue (line) to get your file. Once you've found one, click on the pack number (Warning: This will wipe out anything in your clipboard, so make sure you won't mind).

 

Clicking the pack number will bring up mIRC with some options. Set it like the image below and click proceed.

 

 

mIRC will now attempt to connect to the server. Just let it go until it connects. Once it's finished, it will connect you to the channel with the bot.

 

Then press Ctrl + V on your keyboard to paste a command into the textbox...

 

 

... and hit Enter.

 

This command tells the bot that you want it to send you the file. If the bot doesn't have any open send slots, it will inform you in the chat window. It will also tell you if you have been placed in a queue or not. If the bot has open send slots, it will send the file and you will be prompted with a dialog asking you where you want the file saved. Your default location should be fine.

 

If everything has worked properly, your transfer will start and all you have to do is wait!

 

[Magruter]

Looks nice

 

Thanks

 

I'll have to try this out now.

[All Kill3r]

nice work Hitman.

[rackish]

Heh, sorry to say, I downloaded all my albums, and I download any game I would want, and if I like it, I buy it, IRC>ALL!

[[Mmmm]Homer]

Thanks for the write-up Hitman, great job!

[Hitman]

Thanks, it was my pleasure.

[TeK]

At least he uses a good network for his write up

 

Another couple of tips.

-Looking for the file you want, try matching sizes of the file. If you notice a lot of the thing is the same size 99.9% its the right file. If you find that one bot is open but the size is much smaller or larger I wouldn't trust it.

-If your on irc alrdy, click on "Open in new connection" so u don't get disconnected from your current network.

- http://www.ircspy.com

http://www.xdccspy.com

- It might be easier for people to just have it on auto-accept for both. Chances are if u recieve a file u shouldn't, as long as u don't open it your safe. Look at the status bar for your transfers.

- The more familiar you get with it, you can also do "/msg "insertbot" xdcc send "number" ". Idling some channels you can see bots post what they have and are able to see their trigger and can grab the files without searching packetnews. The trigger is the "xdcc" part. Bots on my network have inappropriate words as their trigger so its not normal .

-Download WinRAR to un rar the files. Many times the rar file has another set of rar's within the rar file. Extract everything, then open up the second set of rar's to find your download. Be sure to read the NFO file provided with the download. It gives you tips on installing and what to do along with information about the file. Notepad opens NFO files. Many downloads are in a .bin and .cue file format. Burning it with nero I have found is your best bet.

 

Any help post it up or PM me. I'll help you to the best of my ability

Edited April 23, 2004 by TeK

[Hitman]

At least he uses a good network for his write up

Haha, not everyone has access to your uber-channel. But those are some good tips.

[Guest PDO]

At least he uses a good network for his write up

Haha, not everyone has access to your uber-channel. But those are some good tips.

I've tried to get that channel out of him.. no luck

 

Nice write up hit, should help anyone that didn't know what they were doing

[Crowbar]

indeed, good write up. perhaps one day tek will let us in on this uber-channel.

[TeK]

Maybe, just maybe.

[flux]

good write up. and tek WILL let us in on those uber-channels

[Playaa]

tek wouldn't happen to be going to FF04 would he? if so we can just beat it out of him there

[TeK]

I was planning on it. But I'm attending CPL this year and I don't have the funds to go to both. FragFest is the weekend right before the week of CPL so time constraints also played a part. Sorry.

[Playaa]

for the noobs who still don't want to do all that work, I present: XDCC Catcher

it is a program that acts sort of like Kazaa or Limewire, but allows you to use search engines like packetnews.com or ircspy.com or its own built in engine. When a file is found you like, click the link on the search engine webpage and XDCC Catcher opens up and starts doing all the IRC work for you without any of hassle for you. Simply sit back while XDCC locates the server, channel and bot, talks to the bot, and either gets put in the Que (sp?) or immediatly begins downloading the file.

have fun downloading.

 

 

Edit by Homer: fixt the URL