How do I join a channel?
Type /join #channel into your client (IRC software). Some clients allow you to join a channel by double-clicking on the channel in the channel listing.

How do I see a list of channels that I can join?
Type /list. Be aware that the channels list is very long and may take some time to fetch.
There are variations of this command:
/list word will find a list of channels that match that word (eg: /list melb )
/list >xx will find a list of channels that have at least xx people in them (eg: /list >50 )
/list <xx will find a list of channels that have a maximum of xx people in them (eg: /list <100)

How do I leave a channel?
Type /part #channel
If you wish to part with a message, type
/part #channelname message here

How do I start a channel of my own?
If you join a channel that doesn't exist, it is created for you and you are made the channel operator.

What is a channel operator?
Channel operators ("ops") manage a channel. They can modify the way the channel behaves, remove users from the channel and make other users into ops. Channel operators have the @ symbol beside their nicknames.

How do I change the topic in a channel?
Use /topic #channel text.
If the channel has a mode of +t set (most do) only ops can change the topic.
To see the channel topic, and who set it, try typing
/topic #channelname in the channel.

How do I change a channel's modes?
/mode #channel +modes.
You need ops to change modes.

How do I give a user ops (@)?
Use the mode change
/mode #channel +o nick
To take ops away use the -o mode.

How do I kick a user from the channel?
/kick #channel nick [reason]. You need ops to kick.

What do the different channel modes mean?
m - moderated (+o and +v talk only)
i - invite only
s - secret (won't show on list)
p - private (won't show on list or /whois)
n - must be in channel to send message
t - only ops may change topic
b - [banmask] ban management
l - [limit number] limit channel number
o - [nickname] give/remove ops
v - [nickname] give/remove voice
k - [key] add/remove channel key
e - (event) - only +o/v can change nickname, part messages suppressed
r - (restricted) only +o/v can see users messages in channel.

For more help, ask online in #help or contact [email protected].

Following are some tips for people wanting to start a new channel.

You may wonder how people will find your channel. If you set a good topic for your channel, it will appear in the "/list" so everyone can see it.

A good channel has people talking in it. To maintain your channel you should talk in channel and encourage others to talk. Be friendly - this will encourage people to come back to your channel.

Choosing ops (@) may be difficult. Before you add users to your channel, ask yourself "can I trust this person?"
"are they active?" "Do they talk in channel?" "are they friendly?" Most of all "do they know what they are doing?"

AustNet has strong rules against spamming (this is inviting people you don't know to your channel) so be careful to not do this and make sure your ops know as well.