How to Install InspIRCd on Elementary OS Latest

In this tutorial, we will learn how to install the InspIRCd IRC server on the latest version of Elementary OS, a lightweight Linux distribution. InspIRCd is an easy-to-install, flexible, and scalable Internet Relay Chat (IRC) server, suitable for small to large networks.

Step 1: Update the system

Before installing any new software on the system, we have to update it to the latest version. To do this, open the terminal and type the following command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Step 2: Install Dependencies

The InspIRCd server requires several dependencies to run. Run the following command to install them:

sudo apt install git build-essential libssl-dev libperl-dev libgnutls28-dev libpqxx-dev libmysql++-dev libsqlite3-dev libc-ares-dev

Step 3: Download InspIRCd

We can download the latest version of InspIRCd from their official website. Open the terminal and use the wget command to download the package:

wget https://github.com/inspircd/inspircd/archive/v3.10.0.tar.gz

Step 4: Extract and Compile InspIRCd

After downloading the package, we have to extract it and compile it. Use the following command to extract the downloaded package:

tar -zxvf v3.10.0.tar.gz

Now that we've extracted the package, navigate to the extracted folder:

cd inspircd-3.10.0/

To compile the server, we need to execute the following command:

./configure && make && sudo make install

This process may take some time depending on the performance of your machine.

Step 5: Configure InspIRCd

After the installation is complete, we need to create a configuration file for InspIRCd. In this tutorial, we will create a basic configuration file with a few essential settings.

To create the configuration file, run the following command:

sudo nano /usr/local/inspircd/conf/inspircd.conf

In this configuration file, add your desired settings for your IRC network. Here is a basic configuration file that should work for most needs:

<config>
   <server name="localhost">
      <bind address="127.0.0.1" port="6667">
         <options>
            <link allow="*" encrypted="no">
               <hub addr="127.0.0.1" port="6668">
                  <password value="password"/>
               </hub>
            </link>
         </options>
      </bind>
   </server>

   <listen port="6668" type="clients">
      <options>
         <ssl enabled="no"/>
      </options>
   </listen>

   <module name="m_chanmodes.so"/>
   <module name="m_cloaking.so"/>
   <module name="m_exemptchanops.so"/>
   <module name="m_gnutls.so"/>
   <module name="m_ldapauth.so"/>
   <module name="m_muteban.so"/>
   <module name="m_operprefix.so"/>
   <module name="m_permchannels.so"/>
   <module name="m_permlinks.so"/>
   <module name="m_sasl.so"/>
   <module name="m_services_account.so"/>
   <module name="m_ssl_gnutls.so"/>
   <module name="m_ssl_openssl.so"/>
   <module name="m_sslrehash.so"/>
   <module name="m_stats.so"/>
   <module name="m_svshold.so"/>
   <module name="m_userip.so"/>
</config>

We recommend changing the values of server name, address, and port to your desired values.

Once done, save and exit the configuration file.

Step 6: Start InspIRCd

To start the InspIRCd server, execute the following command:

sudo inspircd start

If there are any errors or if the server doesn't start, you can check the logs in /usr/local/inspircd/logs.

You can stop the server using the following command:

sudo inspircd stop

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we learned how to install and configure InspIRCd on Elementary OS Latest. The InspIRCd IRC server is now ready to use, and you can connect to it using any IRC client. You can customize the configuration file to fit your needs and create an ideal IRC network. Good luck!