To join a channel on Battle.net, click on the Channel button in your Battle.net interface. Select a channel from the list, or manually type in the desired channel name in the area provided, and click OK. You will then be placed in the designated channel.

As an alternative to the Channel button, the /join command may be used to quickly join a desired channel. Usage: /join [channel name] Example: "/join MyChannel"

Note that the terms "join" and "create" may often be used interchangeably when referring to battle.net chat channels. If a channel is empty when you enter it, then you are "creating" the channel - if it already has players when you enter it, then you are "joining" the channel.

Chat Channels

There are a few different types of chat channels on Battle.net, each with its own set of rules and characteristics:

Public channels - certain channel names will be designated by battle.net as Public. Public channels contain no Operator*, and will filter profanity out of non-whispered messages. Go here for the basic list of Public channels

Notice that some of the channels on that list are designated as having "root" channel names. Players may use root channel names to create their own public channels. To create a Public Channel, name the channel using a root channel name, then append to the channel name any desired word.

Examples:

Blizzard Chat Test
War2BNE Zoned
StarCraft Big-rumble

Private channels - any created channel that is not designated by Battle.net as Public will be a Private channel. Private channels do not filter profanity out of messages.

Clan channels - Clan channels are specialized Private channels. Each Clan channel has a specific Clan Operator. The Clan Operator will always gain Operator status when he enters his Clan channel, and no other account can become Operator unless the channel's current Operator designates him. If a channel's Clan Operator leaves his channel without designating someone, then the channel will have no Operator until the Clan Operator returns. We wanted to draw a distinction between the user-operated channels available in our previous games and the more robust Clan Channel system that has been implemented in Warcraft III. For this reason, we have changed the terminology of these channels. User-operated channels that were previously known as "clan channels" have remained unchanged in functionality, but are now more accurately referred to as User Operated or Op channels. Op Channels are available to users of StarCraft, Brood War, Diablo II, Lord of Destruction, and Warcraft II: BNE.

Warcraft III: The Reign of Chaos and Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Clans:
Members of a Clan will automatically be placed in their Clan channel when they enter chat. For instructions on creating your own Clan, go here.

If you wish to join a specific clan channel, simply type "/join clan " at the Battle.net prompt (do not use the quotes and use the Clan name). The clan leader can set restrictions on their channel and he or she may block users who are not members of the clan.

For example: Warblade wants to join a Clan channel for the Blizzard Clan. To do this, he types at the Battle.net prompt: /join Clan Blizzard

Diablo II, Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, StarCraft, StarCraft: Brood War, and Warcraft II Battle.net Edition Op Channels:
For the games listed above, Op channels can only be made where the OP channel name is the same as the account name of the creator. To create your Op channel, simply type "/join op <account name>" at the Battle.net prompt. The word "op" before your account name indicates you are creating a user operated Op channel where you will be the channel operator.

If you wish to join a specific Op channel, simply type "/join op " at the Battle.net prompt (do not use the quotes and use the Op name).

For example: Warblade wants to create an Op channel where he was the Operator. To do this, he types at the battle.net prompt: /join op Warblade

An Operator may designate an additional Operator for the channel by using the /designate chat command on the desired account then reentering the channel. The designate will become a temporary Operator in the channel for as long as he or she remains in the channel.

*Operator: the Operator in a channel as the power to kick others from the channel, or to kick them and ban them from reentering. An account banned from a channel by an Operator will remain banned as long as the Operator remains in the channel. Operator-only commands may be found on the battle.net chat command page.

Diablo: Diablo Clients can only join Diablo Channels, Open Tech Support and Blizzard Tech Support. Diablo clients cannot create or join Private channels.

Diablo and StarCraft Shareware: Shareware Clients can only join Shareware Channels, Open Tech Support and Blizzard Tech Support. Shareware clients cannot create or join Private channels.

Diablo II: Diablo II Clients can only connect to Diablo II channels on their Realm. They cannot join the Diablo II Channels of other Realms.