Using Weechat remotely reddit / irc ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SirLouen · 2021-06-14 10:47 I've been using mIRC for 20 years, but recently, I've found IRCCloud, and I'm fascinated by the fact I can have my account 24/7 connected and receiving notifications without my PC active. I own plenty of VPS and I can think I can do my own "IRCCloud" without having to play the few monthly extra bucks. Furthermore, I've found Weechat but not confident about this idea. Has anyone done this setup Weechat in a headless VPS and access securely remotely? I see that most software combined with Weechat access to it from localhost or a private network, so I'm not confident that it could be secure enough to establish a 1on1 connection from outside the VPS without easy leaks. Hope to read experiences from anyone that is already doing something like this. Doesn't sound too crazy on my mind. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- killerj666 · 2021-06-14 11:50 Try Weechat on your VPS, then glowing bear as client ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SirLouen · 2021-06-14 12:58 Is Weechat relay enough secure? Which kind of protocol does it use? HTTP? TLS 1.3 like a web server or something? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mccobsta · 2021-06-14 13:06 With ssl and a good password it's safe ---------------------------------------------------------------------- dholdrums · 2021-06-14 15:44 Look into using an [IRC bouncer](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BNC_(software\)) (a good one is [ZNC](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZNC)). It was designed for this very purpose. ZNC is somewhat of a hassle to setup, but once that’s done, it works like a charm. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MechMaster48 · 2021-06-14 16:29 I connect using a couple different methods. IRCCloud pointed to my ZNC bouncer or SSH into my VPS and screen into my active weechat session. I am always connected up and IRCCloud is my favorite client for the phone. Very intuitive to use and easy to share pictures and videos ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [deleted] · 2021-06-14 16:51 [deleted] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- anths · 2021-06-14 20:03 Seconded. I have ZNC set up with three different networks on a cheap vps, and use multiple clients to connect, including from my phone. It’s not perfect, but it’s fairly easy to set up and works very well. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- P4k3 · 2021-06-14 20:35 The lounge is IRCCloud but selfhosted ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SirLouen · 2021-06-14 20:56 I used to use psyBNC to keep my connection always active a long time ago. But I forgot what was the utility of IRC bouncers nowadays With a VPS based hosting or using IRCCloud using a ZNC bouncer is a complete overkill? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SirLouen · 2021-06-14 20:59 Yes, but I want something easy to manage. I remember I used to use bouncers for channel bots. But nowadays I don't need this anymore. Something simple. I'm going to looking into TheLounge as some have already suggested, looks really amazing. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ChaiTRex · 2021-06-16 01:31 Yeah, I have WeeChat set up on an Ubuntu server in the cloud. I connect to it via Mosh (like SSH, except that it handles bad Internet connections better, so you can do things like chat on IRC on your mobile device with a Mosh client, even though it might lose connection sometimes). # Setting everything up 0. Get the Ubuntu server running (choose the latest LTS version, which is 20.04 right now) 0. Use SSH to log into it in the account you want to use to run WeeChat 0. Run `mkdir ~/bin ~/.ssh` 0. With `nano` or some other text editor, add to `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` all the SSH public keys of all the computers you'll be connecting to your server with, one per line. Save it. 0. With `nano` or some other text editor, add the following to `~/bin/starttmux`: #!/bin/sh source ~/.profile /usr/bin/tmux attach -d || /usr/bin/tmux new Remove the `-d` if you want to allow multiple computers to connect at the same time (`-d` disconnects all your other computers from tmux). Save it. 0. Follow [the instructions to add WeeChat's official Ubuntu repository](https://weechat.org/download/debian/) to Ubuntu's APT software updater so that I have the latest stable version of WeeChat. 0. Run `sudo apt install weechat mosh tmux` 0. Disconnect from your server 0. Connect to your server via Mosh 0. Run `starttmux` 0. Run `weechat` 0. Set up WeeChat to connect securely to your favorite IRC networks. Use SSL to connect to each server when possible. Use SASL to log in to NickServ when possible. Use a local cryptographic certificate with SASL to log in without sending your NickServ password when possible. An example of that is [Libera's instructions](https://libera.chat/guides/certfp). 0. `/save` your settings 0. `/quit` WeeChat 0. Run `weechat` to make sure your connections work # IP cloaks Some networks offer IP cloaks. Sign in to NickServ, join the official network support channel for each network you're on, and ask politely for an IP cloak. # Getting Tor connections working If your servers allow Tor connections and you want to hide your Ubuntu server's IP address, here's how to install a Tor proxy: 0. `/quit` WeeChat 0. In a web browser, go to [the official Tor Ubuntu installation instructions](https://www.torproject.org/docs/debian.html.en). 0. Go to the **sources.list** section. 0. Select the latest Ubuntu LTS version they offer (currently 18.04) from the dropdown list. 0. Something like the following will show up: deb https://deb.torproject.org/torproject.org bionic main deb-src https://deb.torproject.org/torproject.org bionic main 0. Run `sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/tor.list` 0. Copy the two `deb` lines from the Tor web site to the file. Save the file. 0. Run `sudo -i` 0. Go back to the web page 0. Copy the `curl` command without the starting `#` 0. Paste and run the `curl` command without the starting `#` 0. Copy the `gpg` command without the starting `#` 0. Paste and run the `curl` command without the starting `#` 0. Run `exit` 0. Run `sudo apt update` 0. If errors appear, you might need to repeat these instructions 0. Run `sudo apt install tor` 0. Run `weechat` 0. In WeeChat, run `/proxy add tor socks5 127.0.0.1 9050 weechat weechat` 0. Run this, with `whatever` replaced with the IRC network name `/set irc.server.whatever.proxy "tor"` 0. Change the IRC server DNS/IP addresses to the `.onion` addresses 0. Reconnect to the server to make sure it works 0. `/save` your settings 0. `/quit` WeeChat 0. Run `weechat` and make sure it connects to the Tor-proxied network # Disconnecting and reconnecting to your running WeeChat instance To disconnect and leave WeeChat running, press Ctrl-B, D. Then run `exit`. To connect again, connect via a Mosh client (or if none is available, an SSH client) and run `starttmux`. You may be able to get your Mosh/SSH client to automatically run `/home/ubuntu- username/bin/starttmux` (replace `ubuntu-username` with your Ubuntu username on the server) on connecting to your WeeChat server. # Periodic software updates With Ubuntu, about every week or two, `/quit` WeeChat and run the following: sudo apt update sudo apt full-upgrade -y sudo reboot Then reconnect via Mosh, run `starttmux`, and run `weechat`. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SirLouen · 2021-06-17 08:22 You connect straightly to your Weechat server without an UI? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ChaiTRex · 2021-06-17 10:08 I do personally because I prefer terminal apps, but if you want, you can use a remote UI. I'd recommend making sure it uses something secure like Mosh or SSH to connect to WeeChat.