A usermask is the identification by which and IRC server knows you.

There are three unique components which are used to identify you in IRC. First is your Nickname which is how other people know you in IRC. Then there is the Username which is the name preceding the @ symbol when you do a /whois nick where "nick" is your nickname in IRC. Third is the hostname or IP address which is the internet address you are using, that is everything after the @ symbol in your /whois.

Because most people's addresses change from session to session a usermask is needed to match your address even though it has slightly changed since the last session.

If you enter IRC as user@ppp-142.myprovider.com then the portion that changes is most likely the "ppp-142". This would make your IRC usermask user@*.myprovider.com and Z would know you from any host address at myprovider.com as long as your username is "user" and hasn't been changed. You can still change your nickname and be recognized as nicknames and usernames are independant of each other.

If the portion after the @ symbol in your /whois is all numbers, like 206.42.160.100, then the mask for user@206.42.160.100 would be "user@206.42.160.* as numeric IP addresses change on the right side and not the left. IP addresses are shown if your provider does not supply reverse mapping for IP addresses to hostnames.

Examples: Nickname Billy, username bigbill and hostname host-91.isp.com, Billy is bigbill@host-91.your.isp.com. Billy's usermask is bigbill@*.your.isp.com and Billy can change his nickname to Bill and the usermask is unaffected. Suzy is the nickname and the host address is sue@209.27.140.17 which is all numeric. Suzy's usermask is sue@209.27.140.* because numeric IP addresses change on the right side.

WebTV uses a number of different providers and ocassionally the main provider's name will change as well. In this case you need to have at least two entries with Z which most ZUH IRC operators can help you with. Join channel #help or #zuh for help with this.

How do I know what my mask is?

Go to ZUH IRC Network just like you usually do and type:

/msg z mask yournickname.

If your nickname happens to be "snoopy" then you would type:

/msg z mask snoopy

Z will answer you with an address like snoopy@*.charliebrown.com

Write that information down.

Go back to the Channel Registration Form and fill out the information again. Where it says "Mask", type the information in that you wrote down.

If you need further help, join #Channels, #Help or #Zuh and ask in there. We are there to help you!

Users actually tried to learn Z!