Connecting to Libera.Chat through Matrix

After the last IRC changes, some of the Matrix->IRC bridges got disconnected, some rerouted (to Libera.Chat), and everything is work in progress. I’ve been a Matrix user for the past few months, and I definitely don’t want to go back to IRC. But in order to stay connected to the Fedora community, some steps were needed. Here’s a blog post to help me remember the necessary steps, in case I need it again in the future.

Note: Ideally, I wouldn’t need to interact with Libera.Chat in any way, and all important Fedora Matrix rooms would be bridged to IRC. However, that’s not the case at the moment (they are working on it). Also, some IRC rooms require registration, otherwise you can’t talk to them. It is unclear whether some solution is implemented to allow Matrix users to speak in such a room without Libera.Chat registration. So I had to give up and create a Libera.Chat account and set up services to identify me on that network. This guide includes the necessary steps. Hopefully it can be avoided in the future.

This guide will make all necessary steps from your Matrix account. No IRC client is needed.

First, join some bridged room in your Matrix client, #fedora-devel:matrix.org is a popular choice. This should create a connection to Libera.Chat as well, because of the bridge.

Second, create a discussion with a bot named @appservice:libera.chat. That’s your IRC admin room. Type !help for a list of commands.

Type !nick to see your current Libera.Chat nick. Mine was kparal[m]. I changed it to kparal using the same command:

> !nick

Format: '!nick DesiredNick' or '!nick irc.server.name DesiredNick'
Currently connected to IRC networks:
irc.libera.chat as kparal[m]

> !nick kparal

Nick changed from 'kparal[m]' to 'kparal'.

> !nick

Format: '!nick DesiredNick' or '!nick irc.server.name DesiredNick'
Currently connected to IRC networks:
irc.libera.chat as kparal

Now, type !listrooms to list all IRC rooms you’re currently connected to, including where the bridge points to. You should at least see the room you joined originally. If you are connected to a room which is not listed here, it means it is not bridged to Libera.Chat. My example:

> !listrooms

You are joined to 4 rooms:

#fedora-admin which is bridged to Fedora Infrastructure Team, !jaUhEeJGegYfphMOke:libera.chat
#fedora-workstation which is bridged to Fedora Workstation
#fedora-devel which is bridged to Fedora Devel, !OiUqPxkucYgjgQVNoR:libera.chat
#fedora-qa which is bridged to #fedora-qa

Now you have to register your username on Libera.Chat. In your Matrix client, create a discussion with a bot named @NickServ:libera.chat. That’s an account service bot. Type help to receive some basic help.

If you type info, you’ll probably receive a message that you’re not registered:

> info

kparal is not registered.

Now pick a password and your email address and register:

> register your-password your@email

An email containing nickname activation instructions has been sent to your@email.

Check your email for a verification code, then type it in (and wait, this took a few minutes in my case):

> verify register your-nick verification-code

your-nick has now been verified.

Type info, this time you should receive lots of information about your account. You can also use status or acc (the right return value should be 3):

> info

Information on kparal (account kparal):
...

> status

You are logged in as kparal.

> acc kparal

kparal ACC 3

OK, it’s now time to return back to @appservice:libera.chat and set up automatic identification (“logging in”) for Libera.Chat, any time you re-join the IRC network. Store your username and password with the appservice:

> !username your-nick

Successfully stored username for irc.libera.chat. Use !reconnect to use this username now.

> !storepass your-password

Successfully stored password for irc.libera.chat. Use !reconnect to use this password now.

Now test it by reconnecting to Libera.Chat and checking your nick and rooms:

> !reconnect

Reconnecting to network...

> !nick

Format: '!nick DesiredNick' or '!nick irc.server.name DesiredNick'
Currently connected to IRC networks:
irc.libera.chat as kparal

> !listrooms

You are joined to 4 rooms:

#fedora-admin which is bridged to Fedora Infrastructure Team, !jaUhEeJGegYfphMOke:libera.chat
#fedora-workstation which is bridged to Fedora Workstation
#fedora-devel which is bridged to Fedora Devel, !OiUqPxkucYgjgQVNoR:libera.chat
#fedora-qa which is bridged to #fedora-qa

Everything seems to be working now, hopefully.

Remember, you can join Matrix-native rooms by searching for them in your client, and check whether they’re bridged using !listrooms. If you need to join a non-bridged IRC room, you can join it by entering #room-name:libera.chat room.

I hope this helped somebody (of the future me). The user experience is likely to get improved in the future.

Source: Kparal's Fedora Blog