What Is A Hostmask?

Mar 4th

Posted by tengrrl in Explanation

When you connect to GeekShed, the server reads information from your client and sets a hostmask that is used to identify you on the network. Perhaps obviously, your hostmask hides (or masks) some of the specifics about your connection (in other words, your host). Your hostmask will take this general format:

nick!user@host

For example, here’s the hostmask for the LordBaconCheeseburger: 

LordBaconCheeseburger!~TFlash@protectedhost-DC62ACB5.hsd1.va.comcast.net

For that example:

  • nick = LordBaconCheeseburger
    It’s whatever nickname the person is using.

  • user = ~TFlash
    It’s the name set in your client. If there’s a leading tilde (~), the client is not running identd.

  • host = protectedhost-DC62ACB5.hsd1.va.comcast.net
    It’s the masked hostname of your connection. Your unmasked hostname is never publicly available.

You may have noticed that some people have vhosts, a virtual hostname, which hide their real connection’s name. On the GeekShed network, you can be assigned a vhost if you donate to the site or if you have been registered for 90 days or longer. If LordBaconCheeseburger donated $5 to the network, for example, his hostmask could change to LordBaconCheeseburger!~TFlash@nickel.supporter.geekshed.net. If someone has a vhost, you can still see the person’s actual hostmask with the command, /userip <nick>.

 

 

—posted by Tengrrl/Bunny

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Can I have a vhost on GeekShed?

Nov 7th

Posted by Phil in Explanation

Providing you and your selected vhost meet certain requirements, you can! These requirements and regulations are…

  • Your nickname must have been registered for at least 90 days
  • Your vhost must either be a domain that you personally own or must end in “.vhost”
  • We cannot grant vhosts to users who do not own the requested domain. You must be able to prove that you own the domain by allowing us to send an e-mail with a passcode to the e-mail address shown in the domain WHOIS record. If e-mail is not shown in the WHOIS, we may ask you to create a custom DNS record. If you own the domain, you may grant other users permission to use that domain as their vhost, providing they meet the 90 day requirement
  • We do not do vidents – only vhosts – i.e. you can have domain.com not user@domain.com
  • If you abuse your vhost (e.g. use it to evade a channel ban) it will be removed, you will be banned from the network and, on your return, you shall not be permitted to have a vhost again
  • You may only change your vhost once every 6 months

If you donate to GeekShed you can request a donor vhost (or other custom vhost) be set on your nickname – regardless of how long it has been registered. Donor vhosts are still subject to abuse regulations but will be changed if you donate more money and reach a new donor level. The donor levels are listed below with the donation amounts required. The format of the vhosts will be xxxx.supporter.geekshed.net where xxxx is the donor level.

Donor Level Minimum Donation Required (USD)
Platinum $1000
Gold $500
Iridium $250
Osmium $150
Palladium $100
Rhenium $75
Germanium $50
Beryllium $30
Silver $20
Aluminium $15
Copper $10
Nickel $5

If you meet these requirements and would like a vhost, come and see us in #vhosts on irc.geekshed.net.

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