Everything you need to get on the network, register your nickname, and find your way around.
If you have never used IRC before, here’s the entire workflow:
#help or #india.That’s it. Everything below is optional — useful if you want to protect your nickname, run a channel, or use a dedicated IRC client — but not required to chat.
Open cosmicirc.com/chat. No download, no setup. Works on phones and computers.
Any standard IRC client works. Popular options:
Point any IRC client at the network with these details:
irc.cosmicirc.com6697 (SSL/TLS, recommended) or 6667 (plaintext)The web client at cosmicirc.com/chat works on phones. If you prefer an app, try Goguma (Android), Colloquy (iOS), or Quasseldroid (Android, advanced).
Anyone can use a nickname temporarily by simply choosing it when you connect. But to keep a nickname — so nobody else can take it — you register it with NickServ, the network’s nickname service.
While using the nickname you want to register:
/msg NickServ REGISTER yourpassword your-email@example.com
You’ll get a confirmation email shortly. Follow the instructions in it to complete registration. Your email is used only for confirmation and recovery; we don’t share it.
Each time you connect, identify yourself to NickServ so it recognises you:
/msg NickServ IDENTIFY yourpassword
Most clients can save this and send it automatically. Look for the “NickServ password” or “server password” option in your client’s settings for the network.
/msg NickServ RECOVER yournick yourpassword/msg NickServ RELEASE yournick yourpassword/msg NickServ SENDPASS yournick — a reset link goes to your registered email./msg NickServ INFO yournick — show information about a nickname./msg NickServ SET PASSWORD newpassword — change your password./msg NickServ SET EMAIL new@email.com — update your email./msg NickServ GROUP — group another nickname under the same account (useful for alternates)./msg NickServ DROP yournick — permanently delete the registration.Just type: /join #channelname. If the channel exists, you’ll join it. If it doesn’t, you’ll create it — and you’ll be its first operator.
If you want your channel to persist (with your settings, op list, and bans intact across reboots and empty periods), register it with ChanServ. You need to be a registered, identified nickname, and currently in the channel as an operator:
/msg ChanServ REGISTER #yourchannel
You are now the founder of that channel.
/msg ChanServ ACCESS #channel ADD nickname OP — make someone an op./msg ChanServ ACCESS #channel ADD nickname VOICE — give voice privileges./msg ChanServ ACCESS #channel LIST — see who has what access./msg ChanServ ACCESS #channel DEL nickname — remove access./kick #channel nickname reason — remove someone from the channel./mode #channel +b nick!user@host — ban a user pattern./mode #channel +m — moderate the channel (only voices and ops can speak)./mode #channel +i — invite-only./topic #channel New topic text — set the channel topic./msg ChanServ SET #channel TOPICLOCK ON — only ops can change the topic./msg ChanServ SET #channel KEEPTOPIC ON — remember the topic across empty periods./msg ChanServ SET #channel GUARD ON — ChanServ stays in the channel to protect it./msg ChanServ INFO #channel — show all current settings.| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
/join #room | Join a channel. |
/part #room | Leave a channel. |
/msg user text | Send a private message. |
/nick newname | Change your nickname. |
/whois user | See information about a user. |
/list | List channels on the network. |
/away message | Mark yourself away. |
/me action | Send an action (e.g. * user waves). |
/ignore user | Silence a user’s messages for you. |
/quit message | Disconnect from the network. |
irc.cosmicirc.com) and port (6697 for SSL, 6667 plaintext).If you connect with a registered nickname and don’t identify to NickServ within a short window, NickServ will change you to a guest name. Identify with /msg NickServ IDENTIFY yourpassword, or configure your client to send the password automatically.
/ignore user silences a user’s messages for you./who 0 o to find operators online).noreply@cosmicirc.com sometimes lands there on first contact./msg NickServ SET EMAIL.Email appeals@cosmicirc.com with your nickname, the approximate time of the ban, and a short note. We read every appeal.
Yes. The public network is free for anyone to use, forever. We do not run ads, we do not sell user data, and we do not have a paywall.
We are a small network and we focus on serving an Indian community. Restricting connections to India keeps out a great deal of automated spam and abuse that would otherwise consume our volunteer time. It is a deliberate choice.
No. Messages in public channels are relayed in real time and not stored. We retain only what’s necessary to operate the services — your registered nickname and channel information. See the Privacy page for full detail.
Yes, with permission. Send a short note to admin@cosmicirc.com describing what the bot does and which channel it’ll be in. We’ll usually say yes.
Absolutely. Use channel modes: /mode #channel +i for invite-only, or /mode #channel +k yourkey to require a password. ChanServ can also gate access to specific registered users.
Yes — Cosmic Network is our corporate-tier offering with dedicated infrastructure, deeper customisation, and SLAs. See cosmicirc.com/corp or contact business@cosmicirc.com.
Not on the public network — access is restricted to India. If you have a use case involving members across multiple countries (a creator community, a company team, a hobby group with international members), reach out and we can discuss a private space on our corporate tier where geo restrictions don’t apply.
The fastest way to get help is the floating Contact us button on the right side of any page. Click Chat with us — live after submitting the form, and you’ll be in a real-time conversation with a staff member within seconds.
Or by email:
On the network itself, join #help — one of our team is usually there.
irc.cosmicirc.com.