Suggestions for a Quick & Easy ircd for my private LAN

[tinjaw]

I have a 4-node Windows LAN here at work and I want to run our own ircd so we can use irc internally for communications. Any hint or tips to quickly and easily setting up an irc daemon?

[Ehtyar]

The most popular for startups, and arguably the easiest to configure is probably UnrealIRCd. If you'd like services, Anope goes well with it. There's also ratbox/hybrid, which has been used by EFNet since the dawn of time and is probably best used without services. I've also played with UnrealIRCd a few years back, but found it to be buggy and lacking decent windows integration/features.

Ehtyar.

[housetier]

If you want easier configuration I would suggest openfire which is a jabber server. Jabber has group chats/conference rooms.

[housetier]

Oh yeah: and we also use it at our club: all members automatically have a jabber account

openfire has been remarkably stable; our admax (that's how we call our admins) are very happy with it.

[40hz]

(see attachment in previous post)

If you want easier configuration I would suggest openfire which is a jabber server. Jabber has group chats/conference rooms.

Wow! Just browsed the webpage for Openfire Server.

Looks like a very nice package. I'm going to have to download a copy and do a test run with this little beastie.

(Hey! They even have readable documentation!!! )

Thanks for pointing it out, Mr. H.

[app103]

There are alternatives to IRC. All of these are small & easy to set up and run, but are Windows only, and host a single chatroom per server.

I could help you set up Ouka to run on a LAN rather than on the internet (just a matter of not ticking an option) (documentation - download)

Plus I'll provide support with answering any questions and helping you learn all the finer points of using it. (I have been running it to host my chatroom for the last 3+ years)

You can use RoboMX as a chat client, in offline mode, to join an Ouka hosted room anywhere on the internet or a LAN, provided you have either the room name+hash or IP/port of the chatroom. (PM's will not work, though)

Yes, they originally were developed to host and chat in chatrooms on the WinMX P2P network, but there is nothing that says you can't use it for this purpose, off the network, on your LAN.

There is a much older and smaller MXChatD. A command line server with much less features than Ouka, that can't connect to the winmx network at all, even if you wanted it to. It lacks a lot of the admin features that Ouka does, though. It's abandonware, I know the developer (sort of) and he doesn't mind if people use or distribute it. He's just never going to support it. It's light as a feather and I was able to host a chatroom with it on my 11 year old slowpoke 9x pc, with about 15 people actively chatting in it, with no signs of lag, over a 33.6k dialup connection.

If you want to modify an open source project using the same WPNP protocol, to make it suit your needs, and neuter it of all winmx network related stuff, there is also roboServe, but I can't help you at all with using that, as I have never used it before. (RoboMX client is also open source and can be neutered, if you want)

None of these have any file sharing or transfer capabilities. They were developed for chat, only. (so there is no worries about getting yourself into trouble with P2P related file sharing issues)

--------------------------------

And I saved the best for last...

There is also Martin's IDE3 project, both chat client/server in a single portable app, with the added ability to work on code together and share a drawing board, if you are interested in that. It will support PM's, and was intended for online group collaboration between developers. Plus if someone actually has a use for it, it might just encourage him to start developing IDE4 sooner, rather than later. 

screenshot:

(this was on my old 9x machine, and it doesn't come with that colorful background)

Some info about IDE2, an older version. (Martin was only 16 when he made this version)

I have a copy of IDE3 (blows away v2 in terms of features, functionality, stability, & security) and Martin doesn't mind if I give it to anyone. In fact, I know he would be really delighted. (plus it's made by someone you know, so you know they are approachable to answer questions about its "secret" internal workings, and just how secure it is)

[40hz]

And I saved the best for last...IDE3

April: Did you say IDE3 is portable???

I'd love to get a look at that if it's OK with you and Martin.

[app103]

And I saved the best for last...IDE3

April: Did you say IDE3 is portable???

I'd love to get a look at that if it's OK with you and Martin.

OK, but if the instructions & info I linked to for IDE2 do not answer any questions you have, and you need help using it, you will have to message Martin and ask him, because I forgot how everything works (it's been a long time since I used it)

He could also tell you which compilers it works with and how to set all that up, and make sure you have the most recent version (I am not sure if I do)

IDE3.zip (564.4 KB)

[40hz]

Not a problem, and thanks!

Just got done playing with it a bit. Seems pretty straight forward. Nice look and feel.

I'm very impressed.

[flyfox2100]

just check this address:http://www.ehow.com/how_5438172_set-up-irc-network.html and hope it can help you a lot

[superboyac]

Not a problem, and thanks!

Just got done playing with it a bit. Seems pretty straight forward. Nice look and feel.

I'm very impressed.

If 40hz likes it, it must be good.  I'm going to give this a serious shot.  I just took a look at it and it's really nice, lightweight and simple.  I hope it works for my needs.  I haven't figured out how to set up the server yet, but I've only spent 30 seconds on it.  Thanks!

[superboyac]

i tried using IDE3 today.  I can't seem to establish a connection.  I've tried all the relevant ip addresses that I could think of, and none of them worked.  Can anyone advise how to use it?

Also, are there other freeware alternatives that can be used to chat with in a private LAN environment?  Something without the need for a server component.  Just lightweight clients.

[app103]

i tried using IDE3 today.  I can't seem to establish a connection.  I've tried all the relevant ip addresses that I could think of, and none of them worked.  Can anyone advise how to use it?

One pc has to be running in server mode, and the other pc's connect to it in client mode, using the IP address of the server machine.

There is some instructions for the previous version here: http://appsapps.info/tsc_classic/projects/ide2/info/index.html

And if you click the blue question mark button at the top of the current version, there is some info within the application.

If you are still having problems and can't get it to work, send Martin a private message.

I have also recently asked Martin to put an page related to this version of IDE on his site along with the most recent binary for download, and he agreed to do it when he has the time (don't know when that will be, though). He wants to build a portfolio section on his site showcasing some of his past work, and I told him to make sure he includes this one.

Also, are there other freeware alternatives that can be used to chat with in a private LAN environment?  Something without the need for a server component.  Just lightweight clients.

Without using your own server component, you'd be forced to use a 3rd party provided service over the internet (like Yahoo, Windows Live Messenger, AIM, etc). They would be the ones running the server.

[superboyac]

I'm currently using WinPopup Lan Messenger, and it's working great.  no need for a server component (it has a server-less mode), it's free up to 3 users, and it's simple and lightweight.  Very nice.

[superboyac]

Update:  I've been successfully using Winpopup Lan Messenger at work for several weeks now.  i'm very happy with it.  It's simple, free, and pleasant to use.  So anybody looking for a similar tool should give it a shot before trying too many other things.