ZNC on a Seedbox: IRC Bouncer Setup

What ZNC Is

ZNC is an IRC bouncer (BNC). It connects to IRC networks on your behalf, holds the connection open even when you're not around, and lets you reconnect from your real IRC client when you come back. Backlog, away messages, channel persistence, all the things you want when you live on IRC.

It's the OG bouncer, around since 2004, lightweight, runs forever.

ZNC vs The Lounge

Quick reality check:

• ZNC. Pure bouncer. You connect from your real IRC client (HexChat, Quassel, irssi, mIRC).
• The Lounge. Bouncer plus client. Web UI built in.

If you have a desktop IRC client you love and want it always-online, ZNC. If you want one tool with a web UI, The Lounge.

Why Run It on a Seedbox?

Bouncers exist because home internet drops, laptops sleep, and ISPs change your IP. A seedbox bounces around all of that:

• Always on
• Stable IP for tracker IRC servers that whitelist
• One-click install
• Same panel as everything else
• EU servers in Luxembourg, France, and Netherlands

Installing ZNC

Open the Bytesized Panel, find ZNC in the app catalog, click install. The panel handles the binary, the config, the firewall.

ZNC has its own web UI for admin (separate from the IRC connection itself). The panel exposes that web UI at the URL it shows you.

First-Run Setup

1. Open the ZNC web admin. Sign in with the credentials from the panel.
2. Add a network. Server URL, port, your nick, channels you want to auto-join.
3. Add a user (yourself). Each ZNC user is a separate IRC identity that the bouncer manages.

Once that's done, configure your IRC client to connect to ZNC, not directly to the IRC server. ZNC handles the rest.

Connecting From Your IRC Client

In your IRC client:

• Server: the panel's URL for ZNC (the host, not the web admin URL)
• Port: the IRC port from the panel (different from the web admin port)
• Username: your-znc-user/your-network format
• Password: the user's ZNC password

Some clients want SSL/TLS; ZNC supports it. The exact connection string is in the ZNC user settings page.

Useful Modules

ZNC's module system covers most things you'd want:

• playback. Replays missed messages when you reconnect.
• savebuff. Saves channel buffers so you don't lose state on ZNC restart.
• awaynick. Changes your nick when you're idle.
• autoreply. Auto-respond to PMs while away.
• nickserv. Auto-identify with NickServ on connect.

Enable per-user under Web > Module Manager.

Tracker IRC

If you're using ZNC for private tracker IRC channels, two things matter:

1. Stable IP. Trackers often whitelist source IPs. Once you've registered the seedbox IP, don't change plans (which would change IP).
2. Cloak/IP rules. Some trackers ban connections through bouncers. Read the tracker's IRC rules first.

For announce-channel auto-grabbing, Autobrr is the modern tool that connects directly without going through ZNC.

Common Gotchas

Connection refused from client. Most often the IRC port (not the web admin port). Double-check the port from the ZNC user page.

SSL handshake fails. ZNC's SSL cert is self-signed by default. Either accept it in your client or replace the cert with a real one.

Tracker rejects bouncer. Some trackers explicitly ban ZNC. Read the tracker's IRC rules.

Backlog not replaying. Make sure the playback module is enabled and your client supports the playback protocol. Most modern clients (HexChat, Quassel, weechat) do.

FAQ

Is ZNC free? Yes. Free and open source.

Should I use ZNC or The Lounge? ZNC if you have a desktop IRC client. The Lounge if you want a web UI included.

Will it work with HexChat? Yes. HexChat is one of the most common ZNC clients.

Can I run ZNC and The Lounge alongside each other? Yes. Different ports. Most people pick one.

Does Bytesized's IP get banned by trackers? Generally no, but tracker bans target individuals more often than IPs. Your account behaviour matters more than the source IP.

Ready to Set It Up?

Browse Appbox plans, install ZNC from the panel, configure your networks.