# Question about connecting to IRC. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 3, 2002, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-connecting-to-irc/135134 "2002-11-03T21:28:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-connecting-to-irc/135134/1 "2002-11-03T21:28:43Z")
Here’s the thing. I can’t connect, but I used to be able to. I’ve got mIRC and Klient 2.0 on my computer. Both magically stopped connecting. The error messages are “Can’t assign requested address” for mIRC and “Error: connection was actively refused” for Klient. Have I been banned from DALnet somehow? Is it down? Can someone help me? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-connecting-to-irc/135134/2 "2002-11-03T21:49:43Z")
This is not an answer to your question. It’s just helpful info about this board. When you compose a reply or a post, and you hit “SUBMIT REPLY”, just remember this: YOUR POST WENT THROUGH! It did, no matter WHAT the stupid board tells you. Once you press reply, DON’T repost or hit refresh. Your post went through the first time. This message is not directed just at you, [b[robert\*\* but anyone on here. It took me years to learn this myself. ---
**Author:** ![TBone2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@TBone2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBone2)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-connecting-to-irc/135134/3 "2002-11-03T21:56:12Z")
Hey, Bob! Hey, Bob! Hey, Bob! Hey, Bob! Hey, Bob! Hey, Bob! Hey, Bob! I scrolled down through the GD threads and found a SEVENTH post! I scrolled down through the GD threads and found a SEVENTH post! I scrolled down through the GD threads and found a SEVENTH post! I scrolled down through the GD threads and found a SEVENTH post! I scrolled down through the GD threads and found a SEVENTH post! I scrolled down through the GD threads and found a SEVENTH post! I scrolled down through the GD threads and found a SEVENTH post! Thanx for helping to clog an already-clogged server! Thanx for helping to clog an already-clogged server! Thanx for helping to clog an already-clogged server! Thanx for helping to clog an already-clogged server! Thanx for helping to clog an already-clogged server! Thanx for helping to clog an already-clogged server! Thanx for helping to clog an already-clogged server! ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-connecting-to-irc/135134/4 "2002-11-03T22:15:08Z")
In fairness to the OP, he posted when the board was even wonkier than usual. The rule “trust the CGI” or whatever breaks down under these conditions sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-connecting-to-irc/135134/5 "2002-11-03T22:17:00Z")
I’m sorry. I hit submit, it said page not found. So I went back and re-submitted. Repeat. Now I know better. ---
**Author:** ![zen101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c68b51/32.png) [@zen101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zen101)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-connecting-to-irc/135134/6 "2002-11-03T22:24:42Z")
Just a hypothesis but since the last use of an IRC or telnet client have you installed any firewall or internet security software or blocked off any ports on your system? If you have a pre-existing firewall does it upgrade itself automatically and therefore possibly have new settings you may be unaware of? P.S. If running a WinTel box hit “CTRL-ALT-DEL” and list every item running in the background. Then eliminate “Explorer” and do a Yahoo/Google search for each word along with IRC and you will likely get a result explaining how each one may or may not interact with the client. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2002, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-connecting-to-irc/135134/7 "2002-11-04T01:54:15Z")
DALnet has been having problems lately. Go [here](http://www.dal.net/servers/index.php3) and try different servers (starting with the ones closest to you) until you get one that works. ---
**Author:** ![Obvious\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Obvious\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obvious_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2002, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-connecting-to-irc/135134/8 "2002-11-04T04:24:49Z")
Now that we have that mess all cleared up… Like friedo said, Dalnet has and has always had lots of problems. I’ve noticed the choice in US servers are terrible. On top of that, theres alot of wanna be hackers who like to DOS attack the servers. My advice is to type **/server [drone-c.ca.us.dal.net](http://drone-c.ca.us.dal.net)**, which for the moment seems to be a good server. Once you are connected type **/links** for a list of all the current Dalnet servers. Now you can right click and save the list to file and connect manually if need be. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2002, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-connecting-to-irc/135134/9 "2002-11-04T08:39:26Z")
DALnet’s round-robin hostname [irc.dal.net](http://irc.dal.net) has been pointed to an invalid address, because there are no servers able to handle the load of being “[irc.dal.net](http://irc.dal.net)”. The network has been suffering denial-of-service attacks for weeks. Here’s an [unofficial list](http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/networks/servers/dalnet.html) of working DALnet servers. ---
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2002, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-connecting-to-irc/135134/10 "2002-11-04T12:19:07Z")
Wow. You all are, like, cool and stuff. Thanks.