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>> PsyBNC Setup

- What is psyBNC?

- Where to start?

- How to install psyBNC?

- How do I start / quit psyBNC?

- How to auto-start my bouncer upon reboot?

What is psyBNC? 

"psyBNC is an easy-to-use, multi-user, permanent IRC-Bouncer with many features. Some of its features include symmetric ciphering of talk and connections (Blowfish and IDEA), the possibility of linking multiple bouncers to an internal network including a shared partyline, vhost- and relay support to connected bouncers and an extensive online help system. Many other helpful functions are included. It compiles on both Linux and FreeBSD."

psyBNC became popular due to the nature of the way it worked. Unlike other BNC software available at the time, psyBNC stayed connected to your IRC network, even when your IRC client was not connected to the BNC. To make it simple, when you disconnect from the bouncer, only YOU disconnect from the BOUNCER, the bouncer will still be connected to the irc network...so to others, it will look like you're still online, when really its just your bnc that's online.

You can also make it change your nickname when you disconnect (from Nick to Nick-off for example).You can set it up to have an away message once you disconnect from the bnc, so people know you're 'away'.A 'leave message' is also optional...this is a message sent to all channels when you disconnect, so you can inform people that you've just gone offline etc.

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Where to start? 

Before installing psyBNC, you’ll need to add a user into the system:

# adduser
Username: psybnc
Full name:
Uid (Leave empty for default):
Login group [psybnc]:
Login group is psybnc. Invite psybnc into other groups? []:
Login class [default]:
Shell (sh csh tcsh date bash nologin) [sh]: bash
Home directory [/home/psybnc]:
Use password-based authentication? [yes]:
Use an empty password? (yes/no) [no]:
Use a random password? (yes/no) [no]:
Enter password:
Enter password again:
Lock out the account after creation? [no]:
Username : psybnc
Password : *****
Full Name :
Uid : 1001
Class :
Groups : psybnc
Home : /home/psybnc
Shell : /usr/local/bin/bash
Locked : no
OK? (yes/no): y
adduser: INFO: Successfully added (psybnc) to the user database.
Add another user? (yes/no): n
Goodbye!

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How to install psyBNC? 

Connect to the shell as the psybnc user then download the latest source from the site.

# fetch http://psybnc.info/download/beta/psyBNC-2.3.2-7.tar.gz

Extract the source with:

# tar xzf psyBNC-2.3.2-7.tar.gz

Now type:

# cd psybnc

You are now inside the psyBNC directory and ready to start configuring. Edit the 'psybnc.conf' or create it with "menuconfig" but at first you have to compile it with:

# make menuconfig

Take a look at the options and customize your bot till it is the way you like it.

- Listening Ports - On which port should the psyBNC listen? (31337 is set by default);
- Links - Not needed yet;
- Bouncer Name - Name your Bouncer. Something like 'MyBouncer' works fine;
- Host Allow - To allow anyone set this to '*';
- Users - Add yourself. Adding a user, you will need to specify IRC server for him/her (add "server_name port" in "Servers", eg "irc.tic-tac.com 6667").

Setup is complete. Compile your bouncer with "make" in your psyBNC directory:

# make

Now It will ask about some information required: Country Name, State/Province, Locality Name, and the like. After successful compilation, the below line must apper:

-rwxr-xr-x 1 psybnc psybnc 229780 Jun 17 17:59 psybnc

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How to start / quit psyBNC? 

Login with the psybnc user and type './psybnc' to start.

# cd psybnc
# ./psybnc

The message containing the number of bouncer proccess will be returned.

psyBNC2.3.2-7-cBtITLdDMSNpE started (PID 7269)

To quit your irc sessions you have to kill the process id (you can view it using the command "ps").

# ps auxw | grep psybnc
 psybnc 7269 0.0 0.1 3020 2332 p9 SJ 4:34AM 0:00.08 ./psybnc
# kill -KILL 7269

If you make any changes in psybnc.conf, remember to restart your bouncer.

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How to auto-start my bouncer upon reboot? 

To start he bouncer at boot time you, after logging in SSH as root, you need to create a file named /usr/local/etc/rc.d/psybnc.sh in your favorite text editor with the following content:

#!/bin/sh

. /etc/rc.subr

name=psybnc
rcvar=`set_rcvar`

: ${psybnc_enable:="YES"}

command="su psybnc -c 'cd /home/psybnc/psybnc/; ./${name}'"
required_files=/home/psybnc/psybnc/psybnc.conf

load_rc_config ${name}
run_rc_command "$1"

Set permissions:

# chmod +x /usr/local/etc/rc.d/psybnc.sh

Type the below line into /etc/rc.conf

psybnc_enable="YES"

The next time you boot you will see your bouncer added to the list startup "ps auxw | grep psybnc".

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