View source for DWShells:Signup and Rules

<!-- Suggested page title: DWShells/Signup and Rules -->
DWShells provides Linux shell accounts for IRC and other approved uses. These rules apply to every account, including Free, Support, Support-Plus, Premium, Staff and Developer. Available applications and resources depend on your plan and any approved account-specific limits.

== Signup process ==

=== 1. Register and verify your email ===

Open the [https://panel.shells.darkworld.network/customer/ DWShells customer portal] and complete registration. Registration currently accepts Gmail addresses, including the supported googlemail.com domain. Complete the email verification requested by the portal.

Your dashboard account and your Linux shell account are separate. Registering or verifying your email does not immediately create or activate a shell.

=== 2. Choose your plan and submit a request ===

Choose Free or an available paid plan through the dashboard. Provide accurate information and explain your intended use. Free shells are intended for IRC-related use; other plans may support broader approved uses.

For a Free request, complete the portal's IRC identity and community verification steps. Register and identify your nickname with NickServ on DarkWorld IRC, then follow the dashboard's instructions to complete the DWShells verification challenge and supply the requested community information.

For a paid plan, follow the displayed request and payment-review instructions. Payment or a donation does not bypass approval or these rules.

=== 3. Wait for staff review ===

Staff review your customer account, request, verification and eligibility. Respond to requests for additional information. Approval and provisioning are separate stages, and activation time depends on review and service availability.

=== 4. Set your shell password and await activation ===

When the dashboard requests it, set your shell password through the provided form. Follow the status shown until your shell is active. Never send your password, verification link or recovery codes to staff or post them in IRC.

=== 5. Connect and manage your shell ===

Once activated, use the connection details in your dashboard. The shared SSH and SFTP login host is <code>shells.darkworld.network</code>:

<pre>
ssh YOUR_USERNAME@shells.darkworld.network
sftp YOUR_USERNAME@shells.darkworld.network
</pre>

Your personal hostname, website and application ports are listed separately. Use Packages to manage permitted applications and Keep / Renewal to check renewal requirements.

=== Existing shell users ===

Register and verify your dashboard account, then contact staff to have your existing shell linked after ownership checks. Do not submit a duplicate new-shell request for an account you already own. Linking does not reset your shell password, renew a paid subscription or reactivate a suspended account.

== Account and security rules ==

* Use your account only for its approved purpose and plan.
* Keep registration and ownership information accurate. Do not impersonate another person or claim a shell you do not own.
* Do not share, lend, sell or transfer your shell or dashboard access. Additional shells require staff approval; do not create duplicate registrations to bypass limits or a suspension.
* Protect passwords, SSH keys, application credentials and recovery codes. Report suspected compromise promptly.
* Do not access another user's files, credentials, processes or private information, or attempt to gain elevated privileges.
* Do not bypass quotas, application limits, network restrictions, renewal controls or security monitoring.

== Prohibited activity ==

* Port scanning, vulnerability scanning or probing third-party Internet hosts from DWShells is prohibited. Security testing requires prior written staff permission and authorization from the target owner.
* DoS/DDoS attacks, flooding, brute-force attacks, credential theft and other disruptive activity are prohibited.
* Do not run or distribute malware, trojans, backdoors or exploit code intended to compromise systems.
* Cryptocurrency mining and unauthorized distributed computing are prohibited.
* Do not send spam, phishing messages or unsolicited bulk messages through email, IRC or another service.
* Do not store or publish illegal material, pirated software, stolen data or links intended to distribute such material.
* Do not operate public proxies, open relays, VPN gateways, Tor relays/exits or similar traffic-forwarding services without explicit staff approval. A plan-authorized personal ZNC bouncer is permitted within its limits.

== IRC and applications ==

* Follow the rules of every IRC network and channel you use. Do not evade bans, abuse channels, flood users or operate abusive bots.
* Use only permitted IRC destinations and ports. Request staff review when a required network is unavailable; do not tunnel around restrictions.
* ZNC, Eggdrop, IRC clients and other background applications are allowed only within your plan's permissions and account limits. Python environments and other development features depend on your plan.
* Stay within the displayed IRC connection and application limits. Do not run unnecessary duplicate clients or instances, or provide bouncer access to other people without approval.
* Use only your assigned IP addresses and ports. Do not bind another account's allocation or expose an unapproved service.
* Free shells use IPv6 for outbound IRC connections. Support and other non-Free plans can use IPv4 and IPv6 where permitted, with IPv6 preferred by the managed configuration.
* Allocated inbound IPv4 access to ZNC or another permitted application does not grant Free shells outbound IPv4 IRC access.
* Use encrypted connections wherever supported. Follow the application's displayed TLS settings, hostname and assigned listener port.

== Resources and hosting ==

* Respect your disk, memory, CPU, process, bandwidth, connection and application limits. Your dashboard shows your effective allocation, including approved overrides.
* Stop unused services and keep logs and temporary files under control. Do not use the shell for resource-intensive workloads outside its approved purpose.
* Request extra resources before exceeding limits. A paid account remains subject to fair use and security rules.
* Keep websites and scripts lawful, secure and within the permitted scope of your plan. Free hosting must support the approved personal or IRC-related use.
* Business use, resale, paid hosting for others and commercial workloads require explicit staff approval and a suitable plan.
* You are responsible for uploaded files, scripts, application configuration and website content. Do not leave an insecure application exposed.

== Free account Keep / Renewal ==

* Keep is enabled by default for Free shells. Check the selected shell's countdown and use the dashboard's Keep / Renewal page before its deadline.
* A normal successful Keep provides at least 14 days from renewal. Repeated Keeps do not accumulate unlimited time, and a later staff-approved deadline is preserved.
* You may complete at most two successful user Keeps per shell per UTC day. The allowance resets at midnight UTC, which is 5:00 a.m. in Pakistan.
* Each shell has its own renewal status. SSH activity or leaving a bot running does not replace Keep renewal.
* Contact staff before expiry if illness, travel or an emergency prevents renewal. Extensions and timer pauses require staff review.
* An expired, locked or suspended account may require staff review before access can be restored. Keep does not bypass suspension.
* Keep is off by default for other plans. If staff enables it there, it records activity and does not replace paid renewal or extend a subscription.

== Community and support ==

Join '''#DWShells on DarkWorld IRC''', using <code>irc.darkworld.chat</code> with TLS on port '''6697''', for help and service announcements. Add the channel to autojoin where practical and check dashboard notices regularly.

Treat users and staff respectfully. Do not harass, threaten, impersonate or publish another person's private information. Support volunteers may take time to respond; keep your question available and check back later.

== Backups and enforcement ==

Keep your own independent copies of important files. Available backup and restore features have coverage limits and do not guarantee recovery of every file or live application state. Review the warnings shown for your shell before relying on a backup.

Staff may stop an application, restrict access or suspend an account to contain abuse or protect the service. Minor issues may receive a warning and an opportunity to correct them; serious or repeated violations may result in immediate suspension or account closure. These rules apply equally to paid accounts.

If you believe an action was taken in error, contact staff with your username and relevant details. Do not create another account to evade the restriction.

[[Category:DWShells]]