How to Connect to IRC in 2026

Guides

What is IRC?

IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is one of the oldest and most reliable real-time chat protocols on the internet, dating back to 1988. Despite the rise of Discord and Slack, IRC remains the go-to platform for open-source projects, tech communities, and privacy-conscious users.

What You Need

To connect to an IRC network like IRC4Fun, you need:

• An IRC client (software)
• A server address (e.g. irc.irc4fun.net)
• A port (we recommend 6697 for TLS/SSL)
• A nickname

Step 1: Choose an IRC Client

Here are some popular options depending on your platform:

• Windows: mIRC, HexChat
• Linux: Irssi, WeeChat, HexChat
• macOS: Textual, LimeChat
• Web browser: IRC4Fun Web Chat — no install needed!
• Mobile (Android/iOS): Goguma, IRCCloud

Step 2: Configure Your Client

Use these settings to connect to IRC4Fun:

• Server: irc.irc4fun.net
• Port: 6697 (TLS/SSL — recommended)
• Port: 6667 (plaintext — not recommended)
• TLS/SSL: Enabled
• Nickname: Your desired username

Step 3: Connect and Register Your Nickname

Once connected, register your nickname with NickServ so nobody else can use it:

/msg NickServ REGISTER YourPassword your@email.com

Then confirm by clicking the link in your email, and identify on future logins:

/msg NickServ IDENTIFY YourPassword

Step 4: Join a Channel

Channels start with #. To join our main channel:

/join #irc4fun

Need help? We have a dedicated support channel:

/join #help

Step 5: Use Web Chat (No Install Needed)

If you don't want to install anything, just click below — it opens directly in your browser:

Open IRC4Fun Web Chat

Tips for New Users

• Use /help in any channel to get a list of commands
• Be respectful — read the channel topic with /topic
• Set up SASL authentication for automatic login
• Enable TLS to keep your connection encrypted

Welcome to the IRC4Fun network — we hope you enjoy your stay! If you have any questions, drop by #help and our staff will be happy to assist.