<img width="304" height="240" alt="file_id" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/d7ec4955-7692-45d5-a526-f0a4c531be62" />


## 💬 What is uMRC?

uMRC is a full-featured, cross-platform Multi-Relay Chat client for BBSes. It runs as a native door on your system, letting you access Multi-Relay Chat without having to install and maintain a Mystic BBS instance with Python. In other words, as long as your BBS is capable of running 32-bit doors, then you and your users can participate in MRC.


<img width="949" height="694" alt="sschat" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/e41b12b9-9383-49f5-b46e-d94b68159bec" />


It should be compatible with any DOOR32.SYS capable BBS such as EleBBS, WWIV, Synchronet, Mystic, and others. It runs on Windows 7 and later.

Pre-compiled Linux binaries are also available, or may be compiled from source using the Install Instructions below.

If you use NetFoss to start up your DOS-based BBS, then the NFU utility bundled with NetFoss should run the uMRC Client. As of this writing, Renegade and Oblivion/2 have been confirmed.


## 📋 Features:

- Secure SSL MRC host connections 
- Automatic host reconnection & rejoin
- TAB username auto-completion
- Password masking (e.g.: `/identify ********`)
- Mention counter
- Built-in chat and mention history scrollback    
- [Pipe code color](https://wiki.mysticbbs.com/doku.php?id=displaycodes#color_codes_pipe_colors) support
- [CTCP command](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Client-to-client_protocol) support
- Sysop-editable 2-line ANSI status bar themes
- Twit filter


## 📄 Common Files Included:

- **setup**:            Setup utility
- **umrc-bridge**:      MRC host connection program (multiplexer)
- **umrc-client**:      MRC Client door
- **\[screens\]**:      Subdirectory containing ANSI & text files
  + **intro.ans**:      Intro/main menu & status screen
  + **help.txt**:       Help file showing basic chat commands
  + **helpctcp.txt**:   Help file on CTCP command usage
  + **helptwit.txt**:   Help file on twit filter management
- **\[themes\]**:       Subdirectory containing ANSI files
  + **\*.ans**:         ANSI theme files

Refer to the readme.txt file inside the archive for files specific to 
your platform.


## 📌 Install Instructions:

This is a **condensed** set of basic install steps. For more detailed info, 
check the **readme.txt** file included in the ZIP archive for your 
platform.

If you wish to build your own binaries, refer to the build.txt file for
basic instructions.

> ⚠️ If you have any existing MRC process currently running, stop it at 
> this time. The MRC host generally does not play well with concurrent 
> connections from the same BBS.

1. Place all files to their own directory, keeping the structure 
   the same as shown above in the list of files included.      

2. Run **setup**, and press `1` to begin.

   For the first 3 prompts, you can simply press enter to accept the 
   default values:

    a. The **MRC host** address defaults to **mrc.bottomlessabyss.net**. If in 
       the future the MRC host address changes, it can be updated here.
   
    b. **SSL** is recommended for secure connections to the MRC host and 
       should be left enabled, but can optionally be disabled if needed.
      
    c. The **MRC host port number** defaults to 5001 if using SSL, 
       or 5000 if using a standard socket.

   The remaining prompts are about your BBS. [Pipe color codes](https://wiki.mysticbbs.com/doku.php?id=displaycodes#color_codes_pipe_colors) 01 - 23 
   are allowed in the fields as indicated by setup.
      
   Your settings will be saved to a file called mrc.cfg.
   
   
3. Run **umrc-bridge**. This program is responsible for maintaining a 
   connection to the MRC host and passing chat traffic back and forth 
   between the host and your BBS (called . It must run continuously in order for 
   umrc-client to work, so it's recommended to have this program 
   launch on system startup. It will make automatic reconnection attempts
   as needed.
   
   Check the **readme.txt** file for a complete description of 
   available umrc-bridge options.
   
   
4. Set up a menu item to launch a 32-bit door on your BBS.

   The command line syntax is:

     Windows: `umrc-client -D c:\path\to\DOOR32.SYS`
	 
	 Linux & macOS: `./umrc-client -D /path/to/DOOR32.SYS`

> ❗**NOTE to Linux Users:**
>
> It has been observed that using the DOOR32.SYS drop file type with this door can
> lead to user-input issues on Mystic under Linux. **If DOOR32.SYS does not work 
> properly with your BBS type, then use DOOR.SYS instead.**
>	 
> Also refer to your BBS software documentation on whether the `./` prefix
> needs to be included.

   If you get an error saying, "Invalid config. Run setup", it means you either
   did not run Setup, or you're not launching umrc-client from its own directory. 
   On certain BBSes (like Mystic) it is necessary to use a batch file or bash 
   script to launch the door.

   On Windows, include the `-SILENT` option to prevent the local Windows GUI 
   from popping up while the door is running. This is highly recommended 
   since umrc-client takes a noticeable performance hit when outputting
   to both the BBS and its own local Window, especially while paging through
   the chat scrollback.

   ```
   umrc-client -D c:\path\to\DOOR32.SYS -SILENT
   ```

   To run the client locally from the command line, use the -L option:

   ```
   umrc-client -L
   ```

   NOTE: It will only run as user number 1 (Sysop) in local mode.

    
<img width="948" height="696" alt="ssmenu" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/ec982775-5553-4b2d-911f-3e4144e2a163" />
    

## 📖 uMRC Client Usage:   

When a user first launches the uMRC client door, they'll be given the option
to confirm the user name that was detected, or enter a custom one (in case the
BBS passed the user's real name to the door). After the user confirms their 
name, they'll be given a short list of options to configure, after which point 
they'll be taken to the main menu. This is explained further in **readme.txt**.

User settings are saved the userdata subdirectory. One file per user,
named using their alias or username on the BBS. If a user's settings 
ever need to be reset, simply delete (or rename) the file associated 
with them.



## 👥 Meetups!

Now that your BBS offers MRC, here's where the most action is!

### 🚂 thE grAvY trAIn    

- Saturdays at 21h00 UK / 16h00 Eastern / 13h00 Pacific   
- Host: MeaTLoTioN   
- More info at: https://erb.pw
                                 
Type `/meetups` in chat for a current list of meetups.


    
## 🚩 Known Issues & Limitations:

- Height and width are limited to 80 columns by 24 rows. OpenDoors has
  a default maximum row limit of 23, but umrc-client is hard-coded with
  this setting adjusted to 24. As far as I know, OpenDoors cannot 
  automatically detect the terminal's height and width.

- The font size of the local window in Windows cannot be adjusted. This 
  seems to be an internal limitation of the OpenDoors kit.

- At the time of this writing, when using the `!ddial` command, the MRC
  host returns extraneous packets missing the BODY field. uMRC treats
  these as invalid, since they contain fewer than 6 tildes (~). The
  Syncrhonet mrc-connector service logs similar warnings for `!ddial`.



## 💻 Technical Notes:

uMRC is written in C, and was developed and compiled on Windows using 
Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2022. The Linux binaries were compiled on 
Ubuntu 22.04 using gcc.

uMRC makes extensive use of threading, both in umrc-bridge and umrc-client.
Separate threads are used for establishing connections to the MRC host,
listening for and handling client connections from local clients, and
handling user input while displaying incoming messages to the output window.

Secure SSL sockets are implemented using LibreSSL, a variant of OpenSSL. SSL
is used only from the umrc-bridge to the MRC host, while local umrc-client 
connections to the umrc-bridge are made using standard TCP/IP sockets, using 
the same port number as selected in the Setup program.

You should NOT have ports 5000/5001 open on your firewall/router, since 
umrc-client makes OUTBOUND requests to the MRC host on ports 5000/5001. 
If you leave these ports open on your end, then you may occasionally see 
umrc-bridge log odd messages, caused by outside HTTP requests to your system.



## 🙌 Thanks, Acknowledgements, and Links:

Thanks to **StackFault** at **The Bottomless Abyss BBS**, MRC HQ!

- https://bbs.bottomlessabyss.net
- telnet://bbs.bottomlessabyss.net:2023
- ssh://bbs.bottomlessabyss.net:2222

### 🌐 uMRC Test Sites:

**StingRay** of A-**Net Online**

StingRay offers a wide array of BBSes and BBS-related services that all sysops
should avail themselves of. The main links here will get you on the path to 
everything he offers.

- https://a-net-online.lol/bbs/ 
- telnet://a-net-online.lol
- ssh://a-net-online.lol


**X-Bit** of **x-bit.org**

xbit is a veteran sysop and league coordinator of the X-League (777) Inter-BBS 
network which re-launched in 2025. If you're interested in joining the network, 
check out these links below:

- https://x-bit.org 
- telnet://x-bit.org  
- ssh://x-bit.org:22222

xbit also contributed the "l33t" and "stars" themes!


**Exodus** of **The Titantic BBS**

Exodus is the network coordinator of MetroNet and maintains Renegade BBS. He was
instrumental in confirming uMRC could run on DOS-based systems like Renegade.

- https://www.rgbbs.info
- telnet://ttb.rgbbs.info


**Shurato** of **Shurato's Heavenly Sphere**

Shurato runs perhaps the most unique and customized instance of EleBBS anywhere,
and is always happy to try running new things on his board.
  
- https://shsbbs.net 
- telnet://shsbbs.net 
- for SSH, see: https://shsbbs.net/faq.html



## ⌨️ Other MRC Clients ##

If you haven't yet decided on which MRC client to set up on your BBS, have a
look at this alternative:

- **ANETMRC**: https://github.com/anetonline/anetmrc

Also check out the **MRC Clients Directory** for a current listing of actively
developed clients: https://status-na-multi.relaychat.net/clients

2026 truly became the year of the custom MRC client, with more options now
available than ever before!


## ✌ Enjoy!

See you in chat!

