Port Forwarding for IRC

Port forwarding can improve your IRC experience by ensuring proper connectivity for DCC transfers and reducing connection issues.

When You Need Port Forwarding

• DCC file transfers not working
• DCC chat connections failing
• IDENTD issues (need port 113)
• Frequent connection drops
• Slow connection establishment

Required Ports

Essential Ports

• 6667: Standard IRC connection
• 6697: SSL IRC connection
• 113: IDENTD service (recommended)

Optional Ports

• 6660-6669: Alternative IRC ports
• 8067: Some networks use this port
• 1024-5000: DCC transfer range (client-specific)

Router Configuration

Step 1: Find Your Router's IP

1. Open Command Prompt/Terminal
2. Run: ipconfig (Windows) or route -n (Linux/Mac)
3. Look for "Default Gateway" IP (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1)

Step 2: Access Router Settings

1. Open web browser
2. Navigate to your router's IP address
3. Log in with admin credentials
4. Find "Port Forwarding" or "Virtual Server" section

Step 3: Configure Port Forwarding

Add these rules (replace YOUR_COMPUTER_IP with your local IP):

Service: IRC
Protocol: TCP
External Port: 6667
Internal Port: 6667
Internal IP: YOUR_COMPUTER_IP

Service: IRC-SSL
Protocol: TCP
External Port: 6697
Internal Port: 6697
Internal IP: YOUR_COMPUTER_IP

Service: IDENTD
Protocol: TCP
External Port: 113
Internal Port: 113
Internal IP: YOUR_COMPUTER_IP

Finding Your Computer's Local IP

Windows

1. Press Win+R, type cmd, press Enter
2. Type ipconfig
3. Look for "IPv4 Address" under your network adapter

Mac/Linux

1. Open Terminal
2. Type ifconfig or ip addr show
3. Look for inet address (usually 192.168.x.x)

Firewall Configuration

Windows Firewall

1. Open Windows Security
2. Go to Firewall & network protection
3. Click "Allow an app through firewall"
4. Add your IRC client
5. Manually add ports 113, 6667, 6697

Linux (iptables)

sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 6667 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 6697 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 113 -j ACCEPT

Testing Your Configuration

1. Connect to IRC and join #help
2. Test IDENTD: /whois yournick - should show no ~ prefix
3. Test DCC: Ask someone to send you a file
4. Check external IP: Visit whatismyip.com

Common Issues

Dynamic IP Problems

• Use DDNS: Services like No-IP or DynDNS
• Check IP regularly: Your ISP may change your IP

ISP Blocking

• Try different ports: Some ISPs block common ports
• Use SSL connections: Port 6697 is less commonly blocked
• Contact ISP: Ask about IRC restrictions

Router-Specific Issues

• UPnP conflicts: Disable UPnP if having issues
• Multiple devices: Each needs unique internal IP
• Firmware updates: Keep router firmware current

Alternative Solutions

No Port Forwarding Access

• BNC/Bouncer: Services like IRCCloud
• VPN services: Some allow port forwarding
• Shell accounts: Connect from remote server

Corporate/School Networks

• Use web clients: Browser-based IRC
• Mobile data: Use phone's connection
• Proxy services: IRC through HTTP proxy

For specific help, join #help and describe your setup.