This tutorial assumes you are already in irssi lurking in #blinkenshell. First you need to add the bitlbee server.

	/server add -network bitlbee 127.0.0.1 7001

If you want to automatically connect to bitlbee when you start irssi put the -auto flag in after add.

	/server add -auto -network bitlbee 127.0.0.1 7001

Next we need to add bitlbee as a network.

	/network add bitlbee

At this point you are ready to to connect to bitlbee.

	/connect bitlbee

After you have connected switch to the bitlbee control channel. Commands interacting with bitlbee do not start with /. Anything you start with a / will be directed at irssi. To get started you need to register in bitlbee.

	register password_you_want_to_use

After you register you can tell irssi to send your password automatically upon connection to bitlbee.

	/network add -autosendcmd "identify bitlbee_password" bitlbee

The help menu is full of useful information. To access it just type help.
	
	help

The quickstart introduction will help you get started actually using bitlbee and help you connect to your im accounts.

	help quickstart

One last thing if you're like me you use the MSN network to talk with some of your friends. MSN has an annoying habbit of dropping out on you. I recommend you set bitlbee to automatically reconnect.

	set auto_reconnect true
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