# Problems connecting to Java irc

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problems-connecting-to-java-irc/107105>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 3, 2002, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problems-connecting-to-java-irc/107105 "2002-05-03T17:36:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Pucette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/278dde/32.png) [@Pucette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pucette)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problems-connecting-to-java-irc/107105/1 "2002-05-03T17:36:58Z")

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I am trying to connect to irc via [www.undernet.org](http://www.undernet.org), using their webchat client. (Firewall problems at work aren’t letting me connect via mIRC.)

Here is the connection error message I receive:

java.net.SocketException: connect

I checked to make sure my brower options were set to enable Java, so that shouldn’t be the problem. I also glanced through the undernet FAQs and didn’t find anything…

Any ideas on what this error message means, and on why I can’t connect?

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**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problems-connecting-to-java-irc/107105/2 "2002-05-03T19:05:53Z")

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IANAIRCJ (IRC junkie), but as far as I know if your firewall blocks the irc client, it’ll probably block the javascript version too. I could be wrong though.

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**Author:** ![Pucette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/278dde/32.png) [@Pucette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pucette)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problems-connecting-to-java-irc/107105/3 "2002-05-03T19:34:59Z")

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That would explain the problem, yes. It’s weird, because I can use AIM and ICQ with no problems. Grrrr.

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**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problems-connecting-to-java-irc/107105/4 "2002-05-03T19:51:35Z")

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Same here. Everything except IRC usually works fine. You can chat with me, but I’m so bored today I’d put you to sleep in less time than it’ll take Woody Allen’s new movie to drop out of sight.