Options for running an IRC server

Reznik

Situation: I have a small community running on Discord. It is nice enough, but there are some features I don't like and I would rather have more control over everything than leaving it up to Discord.

I found an IRC client/server that basically slaps a Discord skin on top of IRC that looks very promising: thelounge.chat

Problem: I can't set up thelounge on my web host. I have a shared hosting plan and when I ssh in the shell is pretty well locked down. I can configure Node.js through cpanel but I cannot install thelounge.

Main goals: have an IRC server that I have full control over. I want to be able to log everything. The main selling point of thelounge for me is the fact that it has message scrollback in private mode. Message scrollback or complete logs being available to users is key.

What are my options? I've seen a lot of IRC shell providers but I don't know how reliable they are and I don't know if they would support thelounge since it requires a Node.js install

Also if it matters I do have my own domain

Thanks

twmjr

Maybe check out Amazon Lightsail? It's pretty inexpensive for the lowest tiers; you should be able to host your site and install the application(s) necessary without any issues and with full control over the instance.

It's been a long time since I've looked at shell providers, but I would assume that most of them expect you to run a traditional IRC server (possibly even limiting you to certain IRCd releases).

Reznik

Lightsail looks like it'd do. I'm paid up on my current host for the next 2 years and I like their service and don't really want to move everything else over -- is it possible to have a subdomain point to the lightsail instance while the main points to my current site?

twmjr

Reznik wrote: »

Lightsail looks like it'd do. I'm paid up on my current host for the next 2 years and I like their service and don't really want to move everything else over -- is it possible to have a subdomain point to the lightsail instance while the main points to my current site?

Should be -- all you'd have to do is use whatever DNS service you have to create a subdomain and point it at the IP you get for your instance in Lightsail.