Node:Introduction, Next:Installation, Previous:Top, Up:Top
A bouncer doesn't do anything else than diverting a network-connection.
In case of an irc-bouncer, connections from your irc-program (client) are diverted by the bouncer to a irc-server.
"What is this good for?", you might ask.
Well, let's assume you've got a dialup-connection.
If somebody performs a /WHOIS on you it shows something like
"yournick is yournick!yourident@dialup66-r-v.isp.at".
If you are vain you don't want people to see this stupid hostname. So you get a account on a machine with a cool hostname (from now on refered as middleman), get Muh running there and a /whois on you will show middleman's hostname, since the connection to the irc-server is actually originating from middleman.
Another advantage is that network-attacks aren't really destinating to YOUR computer but to middleman, which is in theory a machine that can't be brought down.
Muh is very straight and simple to set up and the probably most important and interesting feature is that Muh keeps the middleman->irc-server connection up even after you disconnect with your client.
This means Muh prevents people from using your nick (this is especially handy on nets like ircnet, since there are no services like on dalnet etc) and tells people who message you that you're not here and logs what these people said.
Upon your next connect to Muh, it will let the channels you've been in in your last session pop up, which means that you'll keep your status in these channels!
Besides that Muh's got a very enhanced flood-protection making it (almost) impossible to disconnect Muh.
Muh has been written by Sebastian Kienzl zap "at" riot.org and others. Muh is licensed under the GPL. See COPYING for details.