Downloading Using mIRC (XDCC)

[OldChemist]

Configuration

mIRC
User Information
When mIRC is first installed you'll have to enter in some information about yourself before you can connect to a server. If you haven't already done this, I'll show you how here.

1. Open up mIRC
2. Open up the mIRC Options dialog by pressing the Alt key + 'O' key simultaneously
3. In the left pane click on the Connect category
4. In the following right pane options fill in the following information:
- Full Name
- Email Address
- Nickname
- Alternative

It's important to note everything filled out in this dialog box is fake information. The only thought process you should be doing here is in the Nickname/Alternative boxes as they are the username you'll be using when you connect to a server. Please don't put your real username and email address in these boxes!



Identd
The ident daemon is only used when you first connect to a server. Most servers will allow you to connect whether or not they receive an ident response from you. However, some servers will disconnect you if they do not receive a reply from an ident request. To avoid problems it's best to enable this option.

1. Open up mIRC
2. Open up the mIRC Options dialog by pressing the Alt key + 'O' key simultaneously
3. In the left pane click on the '+' next to the Connect category to expand the Connect category
4. In the left pane click on the Identd category
5. Check the Enable only when connecting box



Auto-get file
Auto-get file lets you leave your PC while downloading from mIRC. By default, when someone sends you a file you'll be prompted to either accept or deny the file transfer. If you aren't at your PC at the time you're prompted to either accept or deny the file transfer then the file transfer will timeout and you wont receive your file. To solve this you'll need to enable the auto-get file option in mIRC. The auto-get file option will automatically accept incoming file transfers, so you wont need to be at your PC to accept the file transfer.

1. Open up mIRC
2. Open up the mIRC Options dialog by pressing the Alt key + 'O' key simultaneously
3. In the left pane click on the DCC category
4. In the top section labeled On Send Request choose the Auto-get file option

Resume
mIRC supports file resuming. If a file exits on your PC you have 4 options which are:
* Ask - mIRC will pop up a dialog and ask you what you want to do to proceed. mIRC will give you one of the 3 following options.
* Resume - mIRC will automatically continue downloading the file where it left off. If a file is canceled or if a file timeouts and you try to re-download the file mIRC will automatically resume the file transfer. This saves bandwidth since you no longer will have to download the beginning of the file all over again. If the file exits and is already complete mIRC will stop the download.
* Overwrite - mIRC will automatically remove the file and start downloading from scratch. If the file is canceled or if the file timeouts, you'll have to re-download the entire file.
* Cancel - mIRC will automatically cancel your download. If the file exists on your PC mIRC will cancel the download as to not overwrite the file.

The best option for downloading would be to use the Resume option since it'll end up saving you bandwidth and will let you download without any interference.

1. Open up mIRC
2. Open up the mIRC Options dialog by pressing the Alt key + 'O' key simultaneously
3. In the left pane click on the DCC category
4. In the top section labeled On Send Request choose the Resume option in the If file exists scroll box



Trusted Users
mIRC allows you to only auto-get files from trusted users. Trusted users are users who you manually add to a list comprised of users you think are safe to download from. If this option is enabled you'll no longer be able to auto-get files from anybody, which would be a hassle if you're using mIRC as a download client. Also, it's important to keep in mind when enabling auto-get and disabling trusted users that anybody will be able to send you files at random. It's thus important to always keep an eye on your download folder to make sure you don't execute any files that you yourself didn't download.

1. Open up mIRC
2. Open up the mIRC Options dialog by pressing the Alt key + 'O' key simultaneously
3. In the left pane click on the DCC category
4. In the top section labeled On Send Request choose the Trusted button
5. Uncheck the option labeled Limit auto-get to trusted users
6. Uncheck the option labeled Show get dialog for non-trusted users



Download Folders (Optional)
By default mIRC will place your downloaded files in the folder "<mIRC>/Downloads". For example, if your mIRC is installed in "C:/mIRC" your default download location will be "C:/mIRC/Downloads". To change the default download folder:

1. Open up mIRC
2. Open up the mIRC Options dialog by pressing the Alt key + 'O' key simultaneously
3. In the left pane click on the '+' next to the DCC category to expand the DCC category
4. In the left pane, under the DCC category, click on the Folders option
5. In the section labeled DCC Get folders click on the default type and choose edit
6. In the section labeled Into this Folder click on the button and browse to your desired download folder
7. When done hit the OK button
8. If there are any more options under the section labeled DCC Get folders you can delete them



Ignore
By default mIRC has ignore turned on. With ignore turned on you wont be able to download any file types specified in the ignore options. This will stop some downloads from starting and you therefore wont receive the file.

1. Open up mIRC
2. Open up the mIRC Options dialog by pressing the Alt key + 'O' key simultaneously
3. In the left pane click on the '+' next to the DCC category to expand the DCC category
4. In the left pane, under the DCC category, click on the Ignore option
5. In the section labeled Method choose Disabled from the scroll box
6. Under the section labeled File type make sure to uncheck Turn ignore back on in * mins



Warnings
By default mIRC is setup to warn you when a DCC file transfer is about to take place. If you plan on using mIRC for downloads it's imperative to disable this warning. Downloads will not occur unless you answer to the warning dialog so it could cause major headaches if left enabled.

1. Open up mIRC
2. Open up the mIRC Options dialog by pressing the Alt key + 'O' key simultaneously
3. In the left pane click on the '+' next to the DCC category to expand the DCC category
4. In the left pane, under the DCC category, click on the Options option
5. Uncheck the Show Warning box



Firewall
Application based firewall
Application based firewalls allow you to either allow or deny internet access to an application. Examples of application based firewalls: Norton Internet Security, Sygate, Zone Alarm, etc. If you have an application based firewall all you need to do is allow full internet access to mIRC and you'll be set to go.

Rule based firewall
Rule based firewalls allow you to define advanced rules to limit the amount of connectivity an application is allowed. You can limit connectivity based on protocol, ports, etc. Examples of application based firewalls: Comodo Firewall Pro, Outpost Pro, etc. If you have a rule based firewall you'll need to allow the following ports for mIRC:

Connectivity:
In order to connect to a server, you'll need to enable the following ports in your firewall:
* TCP inbound, remote port 113
- Allows you to authenticate with the IRC server through the Identd daemon
* TCP outbound, remote ports 6660 - 6670
- Allows you to connect to the server. Note some servers may require different ports, but by default most servers are in the 6660 - 6670 range

Downloading:
In order for mIRC to download files you'll need to enable the following ports in your firewall:
* TCP Outbound, remote ports 1024 - 65535
- The port in which the file transfer takes place on is up to the sender so you'll never know which port it is. You'll need to enable all ports except for the first 1024. Most trojans use the first 1024 ports so it's always good to block those off in all programs unless a port is required in that range.

Router
If you have a router you will have to forward the IdentD port in your router which is by default TCP Inbound 113. Since all routers have a different way on how to forward ports it's best to visit Portforward.com and follow the guide they have on that site to learn how to forward the IdentD port.

[OldChemist]

Downloading from search engines

All search engines work in the same manner. From the search engine you will gather the following information: the server, the channel, the username of the bot and the packet number of your file.

List of search engines
Packetnews
IRC Klipper
isoHunt
XDCCing
Gogloom

Another useful search engine is DebateRoom. DebateRoom combines a couple of sites together letting you search a couple of sites from just one location. It can be convenient if you plan on using multiple search engines.

Obtaining required information from the search engine
1. Visit Packetnews
2. In the XDCC search enter in your search term, in this example I used the search term 'replica'



3. Once you've searched for your file you'll see a new window like the following:



4. I'm going to download from the bot '[jgm]-2003', so here I'll show you how to obtain the required information from packetnews.

5. Put your mouse over the packet number #1, in the status bar you'll see the following 'irc://irc.a0hell.org/justgreatmoviez'. The first half of the link is the server and the second half of the link is the channel:



Take note of:
- The server: irc.a0hell.org
- The channel: #justgreatmoviez
- The username: [jgm]-2003
- The pack #: #1

Downloading from mIRC
1. Open up mIRC
2. In the edit box type the following command: '/server -m <server>' and hit the 'Enter' key. In this example we'll be using the irc.a0hell.org server



3. Once you're connected to the server type in the following command in the server window: '/join <channel>' and hit the 'Enter key. In this example we'll be using the #justgreatmoviez channel



4. Once you're connected to the channel type in the following command in the channel window: '/msg <username> xdcc send <pack>' and hit the 'Enter' key. In this example we'll be using the [jgm]-2003 username, and the #1 pack #.



5a. If your file starts right away you'll get a window like the following:



5b. If the user is offline you'll receive the following error message in the server window: '<username> No such nick/channel'. For example, if you try to message the username xgl2003x5 and they're not online you'll receive the following error: 'xgl2003x5 No such nick/channel'.

5c. If the user is already sending a file to someone else you'll have to wait in a queue. Here's an example of the message you'll receive if you have to wait in a queue: '[10:52:10] -TZ-ErAs3r-1978- ** All Slots Full, Added you to the main queue in position 2. To Remove youself at a later time type "/msg TZ-ErAs3r-1978 xdcc remove".'

You're in position 2 so you'll have to wait your turn to download the file. No user interaction is needed, the user will automatically send you the file when it's your turn. If you find you no longer want to download the file you can remove yourself from the queue with the following command: '/msg <username> xdcc remove'. In this example we'd type in the command '/msg TZ-ErAs3r-1978 xdcc remove'.



Alternative Method
When using search engines like Packetnews, you can alternatively use the click and paste method. It's important to note that this method doesn't always work so it's always best to know how to do the manual way.

1. Go through a search in Packetnews
2. Click on the pack number and mIRC will open if not already opened
3. You'll be given one of three possible options:

a. Change servers and join the channel -> This will disconnect you from your current server and join the new server and channel
b. Join the channel on the current server -> This will let you join the channel on the current server. Useful if you're already connected to the server
c. Open a new connection -> If you're connected to servers and don't want them to disconnect use this option and mIRC will create a new server window

The best option to choose in most cases would be option c, so go ahead and choose option c.



4. Once connected to server and channel press the 'Ctrl' key + 'V' key simultaneously to paste the download command in the channel window. If this doesn't paste the correct command you'll have to look at the above section to do it manually.

Notes
1. When searching through a search engine like Packetnews they will include a kps column in your search. This column will give you a hint of the speed you'll get when you start to download from the user. The higher the kps, the faster your transfer speed will be.

2. Most users will only allow you to queue up to 1-2 files. In the event you need to download more than the limited amount of files from a user you'll either have to wait until one of your files is finished downloading, or you can start a download from another user. mIRC does not limit the amount of transfers you can have, so start as many as you'd like.

3. If file ends before it's completed you'll have to re-enter the send command you used previously to download from the user. If you've followed this guide mIRC will be setup to automatically resume the file from where it left off. Depending on the situation you might have to wait in a queue again to restart the file transfer.

[OldChemist]

Downloading using XDCCB

The small mIRC script known as XDCCB will allow you to create your own lists of packets like those on Packetnews. This will allow you idle in specific channels and obtain a list of everything that channel has to offer currently. XDCCB will also display if a user is offline, so you wont make the mistake of trying to download from an offline user. XDCCB also offers the convenience of automatically retrying a failed download. What does this mean? No longer will have to baby sit your downloads because if a download fails you wont have to manually requeue it, XDCCB will do that for you. XDCCB is a very good utility to have if you're going to be downloading from mIRC on a regular basis.

Installing XDCCB and Initial Configuration
1. Download XDCCB
2. Extract the contents of the .zip to a new folder in your mIRC directory labeled XDCCB. For example, if your mIRC path is located at C:\mIRC then extract the contents of the .zip to C:\mIRC\XDCCB creating the folder if necessary
3. Open up mIRC
4. Type in the following command '/load –rs XDCCB\xdccb.mrc' without the quotes
5. You'll now get a warning up the script having initialization commands, say 'yes' to this prompt dialog
6. In the second prompt about automatically accepting files, say 'no' to the prompt


Note, if you want to properly secure mIRC and you don't already have an ignore list configured you should say yes to this dialog. Otherwise say no to avoid your ignore list being overwritten.

7. When asked to receive only from Trusted users, say 'no' to the prompt


Note, if you want to properly secure mIRC you should answer yes to this dialog so that way XDCCB will manage your trusted user list by automatically adding and removing users.

8. When asked if you want XDCCB to control IRC:\\ links, say 'yes' to the prompt



9. XDCCB is now installed

XDCCB Configuration
Here we'll go over necessary configuration to make XDCCB perform optimally, you can go back to the Options dialog at a later point to make custom changes as we wont be covering anything of user preference

1. Open mIRC
2. In the Commands menu choose XDCC Browser -> Browser
3. In the XDCC Browser dialog choose the Options tab
4. In the Packet Options make sure to do the following:
- Check the 'Auto pack Resume'
- Uncheck all 'Auto delete Packs on *' options
- Uncheck 'Auto Request list from bots', some channels will ban you if you try to get a bots list
- Check 'On finish remove from Requests'
- Note, if you want to properly secure mIRC, you should also make sure to check the 'Get only from 'Trusted' users' box

5. In the Listing type make sue to do the following:
- Check every single option

6. In the Other options make sure to the following:
- Uncheck 'Avoid long network sessions'
- Check 'Autosave packet lists'

Here's an image of the Options dialog with a little bit of customization



XDCC with search engines
Using XDCCB with engines is extremely easy. Just follow the previous section labeled 'Downloading from search engines' and that's it. With the XDCCB configuration we just went over in the previous section XDCCB will automatically request a new download when a file transfer fails.

XDCCB with local lists
When using XDCCB with local lists you must join a channel and idle in the channel for a while to build up the lists collection. When you first join a channel your list will be empty and as time accumulates your list will keep growing adding more and more packets.

1. The first thing you need to do is join a channel and idle do this for about an hour at the minimum taking note that the longer you idle the better chance you'll get of seeing all packets.
2. Once you've idled in the channel for a while, open up XDCC Browser window by going to the Commands menu and
choosing XDCC Browser -> Browser
3. In XDCC Browser click on the Search tab
4. In the search in scroll box choose Local List
5. Enter in your search term and hit the search button



6. If the search produces results you can double-click a file and XDCCB will automatically request the file from the user. And begin downloading when available.

7. You can see current requests in the Requests tab.



Conclusion

All in all downloading with mIRC is an easy thing to do. It's different than most as it requires more user interaction, but the wide variety of content on IRC makes it worthwhile to learn how to use mIRC. By following this guide you have learned how to utilize one of the oldest and most useful P2P applications to date. Congratulations on a job well done .

[OldChemist]

Tightening up mIRC's Security

For those of you worried about security while using P2P, this section is for you. Earlier in the guide I directed you to remove features such as trusted users and ignore lists. The reasoning being that although you do gain more security, it tends to require more work on your part. In this section you'll learn how to utilize both features in order to make mIRC more secure.

Trusted users
1. Open up mIRC
2. Open up the mIRC Options dialog by pressing the Alt key + 'O' key simultaneously
3. In the left pane click on the DCC category
4. In the top section labeled On Send Request choose the Trusted button
5. Check the option labeled Limit auto-get to trusted users
6. Check the option labeled Show get dialog for non-trusted users



You now have enabled the trusted users feature of mIRC. What this has done is now only users who you specify will be able to automatically send to you. If anyone else tries to send you a file and you will receive a prompt asking you what actions you would like to take.

To add a user to the trusted list type in the following command: /dcc trust <username> . So if the username is [jgm]-2003, you would type in /dcc trust [jgm]-2003 . To remove a user from the trusted list type in the following command: /dcc trust -r <username> . So if the username is [jgm]-2003, you would type in /dcc trust -r [jgm]-2003 . It's important to note that <username> is not your username, but the username of the user who is sending you the file. Note, if you're using XDCCB and have allowed XDCCB to manage your trusted user list then XDCCB will automatically add and remove users from the list.

When using the trusted users feature of mIRC it's common practice to add a user before you request a file and once the file is completed you remove the user. Using this method your trusted users list stays clean, organized, and more secure.

Ignore List
By using the ignore list feature in mIRC you can tell mIRC which files you want to download by extension. If an unknown extension tries to download mIRC will stop the download.

1. Open up mIRC
2. Open up the mIRC Options dialog by pressing the Alt key + 'O' key simultaneously
3. In the left pane click on the '+' next to the DCC category to expand the DCC category
4. In the left pane, under the DCC category, click on the Ignore option
5. In the section labeled Method choose Accept only from the scroll box

You can now manage a list of extension types that will be accepted. mIRC gives you a default list of *.bmp, *.gif, *.jpg, etc.

To add an extension to the list:
1. Open up mIRC
2. Open up the mIRC Options dialog by pressing the Alt key + 'O' key simultaneously
3. In the left pane click on the '+' next to the DCC category to expand the DCC category
4. In the left pane, under the DCC category, click on the Ignore option
5. In the section labeled 'File type' type in your extension and click on the Add button



To remove an extension from the list:

To add an extension to the list:
1. Open up mIRC
2. Open up the mIRC Options dialog by pressing the Alt key + 'O' key simultaneously
3. In the left pane click on the '+' next to the DCC category to expand the DCC category
4. In the left pane, under the DCC category, click on the Ignore option
5. In the section labeled File type click on the extension and click on the Delete button