autojoin networks and channels

hi,
i am new to irssi.  I am trying to set up irssi to automatically join
freenode, identify with nickserv and join certain channels. i am reading
the documentation but don't really understand it to well. it would be
nice if someone could explain this to me.
 it say, that first i need to have my irc network set with an example
/NETWORK ADD -autosendcmd "/^msg nickserv ident pass;wait -freenode
2000" freenode
then i need to add a server with example
/SERVER ADD -auto -network IRCnet irc.kpnqwest.fi 6667
and finally add channels 
/CHANNEL ADD -auto #secret IRCnet password

i don't really now the difference between irc networks and servers. can
some one give me an example on how to for example,
join brown.freenode.net identify with password and then join #archlinux
on startup?
i just don't understand the options used above and also /network doesn't
work on my version of irssi.
thanks

-- 
  --Eric Dan [email protected]|[email protected]|www.vladuz976.com
  UCLA ID#103297286|Linux 2.6.13-ARCH (i686)