Connection
Encrypted by default
TLS on +6697 with modern ciphers. Plaintext is strictly optional and may disappear at any time — the future of IRC is encrypted.
irc.rest
Come for the chat, stay for the idle.
Now listening on port 6697
Modern IRC presence for quiet, focused chat.
A resting place
for your IRC life.
irc.rest is a small, opinionated home for IRC users and communities who want encrypted connections, clean defaults, and a cozy network that doesn’t try to be everything.
Features
Simple, opinionated defaults aimed at people who already know what
/nick, /join, and /msg mean — and want those
to keep working for another decade.
Network Shape
Small, human-sized network
No endless scroll of random channels. Just a curated set of rooms, private corners, and your own spaces. Less noise, more signal.
Identity
Nick & account services
Keep your nick parked with account authentication, SASL, and cloak support so you’re not leaking your ISP details all over whois.
History
Backscroll that just works
Join from multiple devices and keep your recent channel history, so you don’t lose context when your laptop sleeps.
Clients
Use what you love
irssi, weechat, HexChat, TheLounge, or your own bot. If it speaks IRC, it belongs here.
Culture
Cozy, not corporate
No feeds, likes, or algorithmic timelines. Just real-time text chat with people who opted in, on purpose.
Server list
IPv4 / IPv6All servers support TLS on port 6697. Connect to whichever is closest or most convenient:
| Hostname | Port | Address family | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| irc.rest | 6697 | IPv4 / IPv6 | Main entrypoint (round robin) |
| irc.pyr3x.com | 6697 | IPv4 / IPv6 | Linked server |
| irc.novanet.org | 6697 | IPv4 | Linked server |
| irc.blags.xyz | 6697 | IPv4 | Linked server |
| irc.llamahbutt.org | 6697 | IPv4 | Linked server |
| ircrestgg32hvakh6qxu344xnxvwkjlmhkspasxf7zjeewpynofj6fqd.onion | 6697 | Tor (.onion) | Hidden service |
Connect
Point your IRC client at irc.rest, enable TLS, and pick a nick. That’s it.
For SASL or services, see the quick reference below.
Client quickstart
Online
Minimal options for a typical desktop client:
/server -ssl irc.rest 6697
Connect with TLS
/nick YourNick
Choose your nick
/msg NickServ REGISTER <password> <email>
Register your nick
/msg NickServ IDENTIFY <password>
Log in to services
/join #chat
Say hello
Prefer SASL? Configure it in your client with your NickServ account and password, then connect directly — no extra commands needed.
Sample channels
Subject to change
| Channel | Topic | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| #chat | Main room — introductions, idle chat, status | +nt |
| #ops | Network operations and meta (invite-only) | +snit |
| #dev | Code, configs, self-hosting, bots | +nt |
| #quiet | Low-volume room for deep work and focus | +nt |
Have a small crew that wants a room here? Pop into #chat and ask
about channel registration and policies.
About
irc.rest is for people who still think in nicknames and channel lists, and would rather be in a single good conversation than chasing the next notification.
Why “rest”?
The modern web is loud. IRC doesn’t have to be. The idea behind irc.rest is to keep the protocol we love, but tune the environment for quiet, long-lived communities instead of drive-by drama.
There’s no growth hacking here, no engagement targets, no “social graph”. Just text, timestamps, and people you actually care to hear from.
Status & contact
The best way to get in touch is to actually join the network:
/join #chat and ping an op if you need something.
If you need to verify that you’re on the right server, check the
/motd for the latest fingerprint and policies.
Out-of-band status pages, policy documents, and additional contact methods can live here later if you want them — just add links in the footer.