Disclaimer: This IRC server no longer exists.

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a text-based instant messaging system developed in 1988. IRC was the golden standard for internet communication during the 1990s and early 2000s before the advent of big social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. The IRC standard permits dozens of chat servers to interconnect, establishing a network capable of supporting hundreds of thousands of concurrent users.

I’ve recently launched my own IRC server independent of other more popular large networks. This server is built with InspiRCd, a modular, free, and open source IRC server written in C++. The server is configured to use TLS to ensure privacy and data integrity (though the server is open to the public). To get started, you’ll need to download an IRC client.

IRC Clients

Mozilla Thunderbird

Mozilla Thunderbird is primarily an email application with additional features including a calendar, task list, and chat. Thunderbird is an open source project developed by thousands of security experts, utilizing professional third-party security scanning and evaluation tools. I personally intend to use this IRC client because I also use it for my private email and because, frankly, the software is visually appealing. However, the feature set for this application is very limited, and many commands are missing outside the most basic use case.

Installation

1. Download and install Thunderbird from the download page.
2. Open the Chat Account Wizard by selecting the “Get Started” button.
3. Select the IRC network option. Click “Next”.
4. Enter the username of your choice. For the sever name, enter irc.irondeau.com. Click “Next”.
5. Leave the password field blank. Click “Next”.
6. Enter the alias of your choice. Use the default port number of 6697. Check “Use SSL”. Use the default character set of UTF-8. Leave the other fields blank/unchecked. Click “Next”.
7. Review the account information summary. Click “Finish”.
8. In the top left banner, select “Join Chat”.
9. Select the account you are connecting with. Enter the name of the channel you wish to join (ex. “#general”). Leave the password field empty. Check the Auto-Join box. Click “OK”.

HexChat

HexChat is the most popular IRC client that has a rich feature set and boasts high customizability. Free and open source, HexChat has a large community continually developing software for and answering questions about the application. I will be using this client in conjunction with Thunderbird when I need to use more powerful commands at an administrative level.

Installation

1. Download and install HexChat from the download page.
2. Enter your first, second, and third choice of nicknames and your username.
3. Click “Add” and rename the newly created network.
4. Click “Edit”. In the server list, add a new server or rename the default sever such that the entry reads irc.irondeau.com/6697.
5. Check the boxes “Use SSL” and “Use global user information”. Leave the rest unmarked.
6. Leave the login method as “Default”. Leave the password field blank and the character set as “UTF-8“. Click “Close”.
7. Optional: With the newly added server selected, click “Favor” and mark the box labeled “Show favorites only”. Other unused servers are now hidden.
8. Click “Connect”. A new window will open and the server’s message of the day will be displayed.
9. Type “/join #general” in the bottom text field to join the main channel.
10. Optional: Right-click the channel name and select “Autojoin” to perform the previous step immediately upon connection.

Other Clients

Below are the configurations required for establishing a connection using other IRC clients

• Address: irc.irondeau.com
• Port: 6697
• Use SSL: true
• Character Set: UTF-8

Congratulations, you have joined my IRC server! Feel free to write a greeting to introduce yourself.