1st try doing a /!remote off, then /whois.
Is it possible that the server doesn't send you the receipient's idle?
Yes, ConferenceRoom recently invented a default mode +i to block idle time.
And then, if the server of the receipient is different than the server you're connected to - then you're going to have to /whois <Their Nick> <Their Nick>, rather than /whois <Their Nick>.
So I use my own /w alias that always solves this problem.
Neal Conroy.
