QuakeNet is the largest IRC network in the world, with its average number of users well over 200,000 every day and over 180,000 channels (chat rooms). It has been part of the Big Four (the group of four largest IRC networks) since 2002. At its peak on 8th February 2005, the network recorded 243,394 simultaneous connections.
Founded in 1997 as an IRC network for Quakeworld players, QuakeNet has seen huge growth over the years as it attracted many other gamers. It became popular initially because of its network stability and service bot 'Q' and later 'L'. QuakeNet has many services, some of which are:
- F - Manages #feds operator help channel
- G - Automated help and control service service, second version of H and F, undergoing beta testing (Newserv module)
- L - Lightweight channel management service
- N - Newserv control service, controls Newserv service framework, used by opers
- N2 - Control-service (Newserv) - for Proxyscan
- O - Operserv, for use by opers
- P - Proxy scanner (Newserv module)
- Q - The fully featured channel management service, the most famous QuakeNet service
- Q9 - New version of Q channel service, currently undergoing testing (Newserv module)
- R - Q request service (Newserv module)
- S - Spam scanner
- T - Trojan scanner (Newserv module)
- Y - Another Newserv control service
- Z - Another Newserv control service (runs unstable code and [nterfacer])
- Tutor - Plays tutorials, manages the users questions and its answers on #tutorial (Newserv module)
- DevChat - used for developer-chats (like 'Tutor') (Newserv module) (not loaded when not used)
Former services:
- B - Private service used by Boomtown customers.
- E - E-mail service, used by for processing the trust queue and sending acceptance/rejection emails
- H - Automated help service (Newserv module)
- V - VirusScan (automated drone removal)