When you connect to an IRC network, your raw IP address or underlying ISP hostname is normally visible to other users via your hostmask. To protect your privacy and prevent targeted network attacks, AustNet utilizes hostname cloaking via user mode +x.
1. How +x Hides Your Real IP
When you enable the hostname cloak mode (+x), the server intercepts your raw connection identifier ([email protected]) and dynamically rewrites it into a secure, anonymized gateway mask before other users can see it.
- Privacy Protection: Your actual IP address and local ISP details remain hidden from public
/whoisqueries and channel member lists. - Protection Against Abuse: Cloaking mitigates the risk of targeted IP-based harvesting, harassment, and localized denial-of-service (DDoS) threats.
2. What a Cloak Looks Like in /whois
When you run a /whois command on a cloaked user, their hostmask changes from a raw ISP string to a standardized network gateway format.
- Standard Gateway Cloak: For general connections, the cloak typically maps your connection to a network-vetted gateway domain. For example:
nick!user@austnet/user/randomstring- What Other Users See: In public channel user lists and
/whoisoutputs, only this masked version is displayed, completely obscuring your network provider.
3. Registered Users and Nick-Based Cloaks
If you have registered your nickname with NickOP, AustNet's services can apply a more personalized, account-tied cloak.
- Nick-Based Cloaking: Once authenticated via NickOP, your cloak transitions from a generic gateway string to a format tied directly to your registered identity (e.g.,
nick!user@austnet/accounts/registered-nick). - Seamless Persistence: Because the cloak is tied to your NickOP account registration, your consistent masked identity follows you across reconnections and IP changes as long as you authenticate successfully.