Online support is provided through this page, e-mail, and

live via the Internet Relay Chat channel, #Crossdress.

We have a lot of fun chatting on #Crossdress, one of the

oldest chat channels on Internet Relay Chat (IRC). We offer

support, positive chat, and information for crossdressers,

transsexuals, friends, family, and admirers. And best of all, it

is absolutely totally free.

Internet Relay Chat began in the 1980s with a group of

linked servers known as Eris Free Net (EFNet). EFNet

remains far and away the largest internet chat net, although

many smaller nets exist today such as undernet, dalnet and

newnet. #Crossdress Organization maintains a mirror of the

crossdress channel on NewNet for emergencies. NOTE:

The #Crossdress Organization is not affiliated with

pseudo-versions of this channel sometimes found on DalNet

and Undernet. EFNet and the NewNet Mirror are the only

Official #Crossdress Channels and the only ones part of

the Inner Discovery Network. To join our International

Online Support Group, you will need to connect to an

EFNet Server using an irc chat client.

If you have a Unix shell account, then IRC is built in, just

type irc at the command line. For SLIP/PPP connections,

you will need an irc client

A good choice if you are using windows is MIRC, which is

available for download at The Official MIRC Homepage or

at TUCOWS - which also has lots of other great shareware

items.

Go to tucows and select a mirror site that works for

you. A good mirror site that works well most of the

time is Texas TUCOWS.

Select your OS (Windows95,3.x, or Mac)

Click on "Text Chat" as the category of program.

Make your selection and SAVE it to disk.

Once you are done downloading your IRC program,

you will need to install it (typically, double clicking on

the file you downloaded and following the

instructions).

Once it is installed, you can double click its icon to

start it, and then fill in the setup information. Typically

you will need information like:

Your login name.

Your providers address

(login@service.provider.com)

You may need to fill in an nickname and an

alternate nickname. This would be a name

from 1 to 9 letters by which you wish to be

known. Keep in mind that there are 20,000 or

more people on IRC and your nick has to be

unique.

You will probably need to add servers to your

internet relay chat program. Your own provider may

have an EFnet server, so you might want to check

with them first. Also, keep in mind that EFNet IRC is

very busy, so you might have difficulty connecting

with a server. During peak load times, you may also

experience problems communicating once on due to

server overload. Be patient, and keep trying.

Some other servers that might work for you include:

irc2.blackened.com (a major hub server for

EFNet).

irc.visi.com

irc-w.primenet.com

irc-e.primenet.com

irc.voicenet.com (the irc server of

Philadelphia's "Voicenet")

ircd.idt.net (provided primarily for IDT

customers)

irc.psinet.com (a relatively new, open server).

irc.nol.net

irc.best.net (only for customers of Best

Internet Inc.)

irc.concentric.net

irc.magic.mb.ca (A Canadian EFnet IRC

server)

irc02.irc.aol.com (Only if you are an AOL

user.)

Well, we are almost there!! Once you find a server

that will let you on (and this can be rather difficult,

especially at night when most people are on). If you

have problems don't get too discouraged, just keep

trying!

Once you are on, just join us on #crossdress. You

can do this in a couple of ways.

Type /join #crossdress on the command line,

or...

Click on "Commands," "Join Channel" and

type in #Crossdress.

You might find it useful to read the help files that

come with your IRC program.

Something to watch out for:

Because the Internet has become so overloaded

lately, you may experience problems with your

connection. This isn't your fault, it is the situation you

get when 20,000 people accessing a system that was

designed to handle less than half that number.

Some of the problems typical during periods of peak

load are:

Lag. "Lag" occurs when overloaded servers

take an extra amount of time to process what

you and others type. When you type a

message to the channel and it seems like

nobody is responding over a long period of

time, you are probably experiencing lag. The

other people on the channel simply haven't

seen what you typed yet.

This usually clears up by itself within a few

minutes, but can also reoccur unexpectedly. If

you have continuous problems you may need

to try another server.

Netsplits. Internet Relay Chat, like the rest of

the Net, is made up of a series of connections

between servers. Overloaded servers first

become lagged, then may drop their

connection to the net. When this happens it

suddenly looks like a whole bunch of people

left the channel at once. Then after a minute or

two they normally "return." From their point of

view, it looks as though *you* left and then

returned.

Connection Resets This is your server's

version of nausea. :)

You suddenly find yourself disconnected for

no apparent reason. This may be a good time

to look for another server.

Good Luck! We are looking forward to

chatting with you on #Crossdress, the IRC

chat channel for Crossdressers, Transsexuals,

friends, family, and admirers. You are about to

become a member of an International Family:

The Online Support Group, #Crossdress.