connect.html

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  <title>The MUCK Manual: Connecting to the MUCK</title>
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<p><b>1.2  Connecting to the MUCK</b></p>

<p>To play on a <code>MUCK,</code> you need to be logged onto a
character. The most basic way to do this is with Telnet. A client
program (see <a href="appenda.html">Appendix A</a>) is vastly preferable
to <code>Telnet,</code> but not essential. For now, examples will assume
you are using <code>Telnet</code> from a <code>UNIX</code> account. If
you don't have a character on the <code>MUCK,</code> you will need to
log on as a Guest. You will also need to find the addresses and port
numbers of some open <code>MUCKs.</code>  Lists of such address are
frequently posted on the newsgroup rec.games.mud.announce, and are
easily found via web searches for keywords such as `muck' or `mud'. The
example below use the current address for FurryMUCK (as of Summer,
1999).</p>

<p>Logging on involves two steps: connecting to the <code>MUCK,</code>
and logging onto a specific character.</p>

<p>To connect to the <code>MUCK</code> via Telnet on a <code>UNIX</code>
account, type <code>telnet</code>, followed by a numeric or domain name
IP address, followed by a port number. Press enter.</p>

<p><code>
====================================<br>
&gt; telnet furry.org 8888<br>
====================================<br>
</code></p>

<p>If the connection is successful (i.e., if you typed everything
correctly, the Net is not having a Bad Day, and the <code>MUCK</code>
itself is running) a login screen will scroll onto your terminal. If you
experience a delay, and then a messages such as `connection incomplete:
timed out', wait a few minutes and try again: it's possible that the
<code>MUCK</code> was undergoing a save while you were trying to
connect, or that there were transient connection problems on the
Internet.</p>

<p>The login screen should show informational text, illustrations
composed of <code>ASCII</code> characters, or a combination of these. It
is possible to successfully connect to the <code>MUCK,</code> yet see a
rather garbled looking login screen. Usually this is due to improper
terminal settings. If this happens, continue with the login step. The
problem may disappear once you've logged on, and if doesn't, people
online may be able to help with terminal settings. (This problem is
relatively rare.)</p>

<p>Once you've connected to the <code>MUCK,</code> you need to log onto
a specific character. If you don't have a character on the
<code>MUCK,</code> you can (usually) connect to a Guest character.</p>

<p><code>
====================================<br>
&gt; connect guest guest<br>
====================================<br>
</code></p>

<p>If you have a character, type <code>connect</code> followed by the
character name and password.</p>

<p><code>
====================================<br>
&gt; connect cashmere flipFlap<br>
====================================<br>
</code></p>

<p>On large <code>MUCKs</code> (including our example, FurryMUCK) it is
common to require Guests to page a wizard and ask to be let out of the
Guest Room.  This is a security measure: it is not unheard of for
players who have been banned from the <code>MUCK</code> for causing
problems to attempt to log on as a Guest and continue their improper
behavior; a wizard can check the site from which a Guest is connecting,
and refuse to free someone from a site known to be the home of
problem-causers. If this step is required (the text you see after
logging on as a Guest will say so), type <code>wizzes</code> to get a
list of any wizards online, and page one asking him to let you out
(paging is discussed below, in <a href="talk.html">Section 1.4.3</a>).
If no wizards are online, you'll have to try again later. On most
<code>MUCKs,</code> this step is unnecessary. You can get out of the
Guest Room simply by typing <code>out</code>.</p>

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