First of all, it is important to remember that it is IRC. Internet Relay Chat is a real-time communications protocol. Using IRC, users should not establish communication beforehand, so that all users on a channel can communicate with each other, even if they have had no previous contact. Widely used for discussions and technical support of many open source projects.

The lounge is a web-based IRC client. It has many modern features such as push notifications. Besides being open source, it is also cross-platform because it can be installed on various operating systems such as Windows, Linux or Mac OS. On the other hand, the application has a new responsive graphical interface, which makes it ideal for daily use, all this without sacrificing performance.

So, let us start.

1.- Upgrade the system

This is an essential step if you want to keep your operating system stable and robust. Therefore, it is always advisable to do it frequently.

Open a terminal and run the following command:

:~$ sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Upgrading the system is important because you will install all the necessary security patches to improve system security. Above all in a production machine.

2.- Install Node.js

The next step to install this modern IRC client is to have node.js installed. The Lounge is built with web technologies, and part of those technologies includes node.js.

The application requires at least version 6.

So, in this post, you will learn to install node.js on Ubuntu 20.04.

3.- Install YARN

YARN is dependency management that focuses on speed, reliability, and security. Using YARN we will be able to install the latest stable version of The Lounge in an easy way.

So, run these commands:

:~$ curl -sS https://dl.yarnpkg.com/debian/pubkey.gpg | sudo apt-key add -
OK
:~$ echo "deb https://dl.yarnpkg.com/debian/ stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/yarn.list

Next, install it.

:~$ sudo apt update && sudo apt install yarn

So, Node.js and YARN are correctly installed.

4.- Getting The Lounge on Ubuntu 20.04

Now it’s your turn to install The Lounge, so use YARN.

:~$ sudo yarn global add thelounge

Once you have finished the installation process run The Lounge with this command:

:~$ thelounge start

Then, you will see this.

After that, open your web browser and go to http://localhost:9000/ or http://SERVER_IP:9000.

5.- Create a new user for the Lounge

Now in order to enjoy The Lounge, it is necessary to create a new user. Stop, go to the terminal, and press CTRL + C to end the execution of The Lounge. And type the following.

:~$ thelounge add angelo

This command will create the angelo user and then you will be prompted to create the password and an option about the logs.

Start The Lounge again:

:~$ thelounge start

And come back to the web browser, and log in. You will see this:

On the previous screen, you will see the IRC options. You will be able to configure the nickname, the server, and the channel to use. Once you have done it, you can click on the connect button.

So, that is it.

Conclusion

The Lounge is a modern IRC client that comes to return faith in this protocol that allows people to discuss and interact for common purposes. Its installation is within the reach of a few commands and its use is well worth it.

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The post Install The Lounge on Ubuntu 20.04. A modern client for IRC. appeared first on Linux Windows and android Tutorials.

SSH, or Secure Shell, is a remote administration protocol that allows users to control and modify their remote servers over the Internet or on a LAN. One of its main characteristics is that it encrypts the connection session, making it impossible for anyone to obtain non-encrypted passwords. The port SSH uses is 22.

SSH and the importance of encryption

Many people don’t take the time to learn or use security tools. Fortunately SSH performs this whole process without the user taking sides on it, however, it is convenient to learn a little about it.

By default, the SSH operates on TCP port 22. The protocol then initiates communications to authenticate the client, ensuring that opening the connection is possible only if verification is successful. These credentials pass securely through the symmetrically encrypted tunnel, so there is no chance that they will be captured by a third party.

Once these credentials are confirmed, the server starts the connection process. First, it performs session encryption negotiation, in which they basically choose which encryption protocol will be used, and user authentication as such.

The objective is not to give you a security and encryption class, but to serve as a brief notion about SSH. And that you can understand that security when it comes to access to servers is of vital importance.

Install SSH on Ubuntu 18.04

In the first place, it is necessary to install the SSH package. It is available from Ubuntu’s official repositories and you won’t have to do much more. run:

:~$ sudo apt install ssh

Ubuntu by default will activate the SSH service, but it is always convenient to check. Run:

:~$ sudo systemctl status ssh

As you can see in the image, the service is running correctly.

Now you can use another computer to remotely access the server.

Using SSH

To access the server remotely, it’s really simple. The nomenclature of the command is ssh user@server. On the server, you can enter the IP address or the domain. For example:

:~$ ssh angelo@192.168.1.1
or
:~$ ssh angelo@osradar.local.com

In both cases, you will attempt access. Presumably, if the firewall has blocked port 22 on the server, the connection will be denied.

And that’s it, this will give you access to the server.

A little more security for SSH

Although SSH is a very secure protocol that receives constant security updates, it is possible to make certain configurations to increase its reliability. Run:

:~$ sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

In this file, you will have many options to configure. Everything will depend on your preferences and your needs.

It’s always a good idea to change the port SSH uses. We all know that the default port is 22.

Another thing you can modify is the time the user has to log in. Look in the Authentication section for the LoginGraceTime entry.

It is equally important to disable access to the root user. Doing so will ensure that the root cannot be invoked remotely and thus greatly improve security. Go to PermitRootLogin and type no.

In addition, you can limit the number of attempts allowed. If a person knows his user and password he won’t need many attempts. On MaxAuthTries define the number you want.

Enable SSH on Ubuntu 18.04

Finally, you have to manipulate the SSH service. If you want to stop it:

:~$ sudo systemctl stop ssh

To enable it and get it to start along with the system.

:~$ sudo systemctl enable ssh

and finally, if you want to start it:

:~$ sudo systemctl start ssh

The use of SSH is simple but very powerful and becomes the most commonly used protocol to remotely access servers that are not physically available.

We want to read you, have you used SSH? Do you know any tricks? Do you enable SSH on your system? Tell us in the comments

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