blog: Atheme quickstart

which accidentally repeats old post?

_posts/2015-09-19-atheme-quickstart.md

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+---
+layout: post
+comments: true
+title: "Quickstart with Atheme IRC Services (& forks) for end users"
+category: [english]
+tags: [english, irc, atheme]
+---
+
+Atheme IRC Services is the most used IRC service package. However many
+ people have difficulties with registering a channel and then managing
+ it, which I attempt to help with here. I start by explaining NickServ
+ registration (and as a bonus HostServ) and then move to channel
+ management and you just cannot talk about that without mentioning
+ GroupServ too...
+
+## NickServ
+
+You won't be able to do anything unless you register your nick. This is
+as easy as `/msg nickserv register PASSWORD someone@example.net`.
+
+Depending on Atheme configuration on the IRC network you are using, you
+must verify your email by checking it and copy-pasting the command which
+starts with `/msg NickServ verify register` to NickServ.
+
+In case you wish to have multiple nicks in the same account, that is also
+easy, just `/nick AltNick` and `/msg nickserv group`. You can see nicks
+you have by using `/msg nickserv info yournick` (other people (except IRC
+operators) cannot see that part).
+
+Now you should be successfully identified and should configure automatic
+identification, I cannot help with it so much, but I can point you to
+beginning:
+
+* [freenode's SASL instructions](https://freenode.net/sasl)
+* [My instructions for SASL with WeeChat]({% post_url 2015-03-26-weechat-sasl-simply %})
+* [DuckDuckGo YOURCLIENTHERE SASL](https://duckduckgo.com/?q=YOURCLIENTHERE%20SASL)
+* IRCCloud: edit network and go to advanced settings and you will see box
+  for NickServ password.
+* KiwiIRC: Check "I have a password" and type your passsword there. Ensure
+  that you specified a nick that is grouped to your account.
+
+## HostServ
+
+In case the network you are on has HostServ, you can get vhosts with it.
+Vhosts appear in place of your real host/cloaked host, but
+[won't hide your IP](https://gist.github.com/maxteufel/1e2cf7ada079c271bd3c).
+
+There are two ways to get a vhost, take one that is offered to everyone or
+request something.
+
+* Check `/msg hostserv offerlist` and if you see something you like, you
+  can enable it with e.g. `/msg hostserv take $user.irc.example.net` and
+  running `/msg hostserv on`.
+* Use `/msg nickserv request blah` and when you receive message telling you
+  that your requested vhost has been approved use `/msg hostserv on`.
+
+## ChanServ
+
+And finally to the topic which seems to be the most difficult, channel
+(access) management.
+
+First register the channel with `/msg ChanServ register #channel` while
+you are opped. Now you are free to setup the channel as you wish.
+
+I use the following templates, so I can e.g.
+`/msg chanserv flags someone op` instead of
+`/msg chanserv flags someone +vVhHoOirtAe`. You can also use the network
+defaults that you can see with `/msg chanserv template`.
+
+*This is a bash scripts which is ran like `./cstemplate #channel` and
+copy-pasted to ChanServ. It basically allows ops to do everything they
+could do anyway by being opped using services and "trusted users" have
+became regulars on channels I am on. If a flag doesn't exist on the network
+you are on, Atheme will just silently ignore it.*
+
+<script src="https://gist-it.appspot.com/Mikaela/gist/master/irc/atheme/cstemplate"></script>
+
+Another example using my templates would be `/msg ChanServ flags #channel !channel-ops` which would give op permissions above to users in the
+!channel-ops group.
+
+
+## GroupServ
+
+I mentioned groups a little earlier and now I am returning to them. They
+are a way to manage flags of group of users very easily by having
+all users in the group and just setting flags to the group instead of
+invidual users.
+
+*GroupServ is undervalued service and it might not be surprising if it's
+missing from your network :(*
+
+Start by creating your group `/msg groupserv register !blah` (you might
+want to register a more descriptive name).
+
+Next, as in this example this group is going to be op #somewhere we close
+the group: `/msg groupserv set !group open off`.
+
+Now there are only two tasks left, making the group op and adding ops
+there:
+
+* `/msg chanserv flags #channel !blah op`
+    * where `op` can still be replaced with `aop` if you are following
+      Atheme defaults or some other template you created or your own
+      set of flags.
+* `/msg groupserv flags !blah user +c`
+    * Repeat as many times as you have ops, to remove ops you simply remove
+      their `-c` flag or all flags (`-*`). You will also want to read
+      `/msg groupserv help flags` as there is more than I said here.
+
+## Futher reading
+
+* [Always add opers to access list (this is the $oper in my templates)]({% post_url 2015-01-10-channels-hostmask-groups-a-basic-howto %})
+    * oops, did I just repeat previous post :smile:
+* `/msg NickServ help`
+    * `/msg NickServ help set`
+        * especially worth taking a look at: `emailmemos` & `enforce`
+* `/msg ChanServ help`
+    * `/msg ChanServ help set`
+        * especially worth taking a look at: `guard`, `keeptopic`,
+          `verbose`
+* `/msg GroupServ help`
+    * `/msg GroupServ help flags`
+    * `/msg GroupServ help set`