What are the settings to allow me to access the Ubuntu IRC from empathy?

I want to chat with other Ubuntu-ers but I'm lost on how to do this properly. Do I have to sign up anywhere? Is there only one Ubuntu channel?

Solution 1:

Step by Step Guide to connect to an IRC room

Launch Empathy:

From the global menu Edit - Accounts click the + button and change the chat to IRC as shown. Enter your nickname and click the Login button.

After a few seconds you should see the green icon now blinking indicating that you have connected to the server

Next action is to join a Room.

Enter the room name - all rooms start with # e.g. #ubuntu. For a list of Ubuntu rooms, see the link below.

After joining the chat window should open displaying all chat-room users and the current chat activity.

Useful Link

1. https://wiki.ubuntu.com/IRC/ChannelList

Solution 2:

IRC channels of ubuntu are on Freenode AFAIK. You can use empathy or any other irc client.

/join #ubuntu

If you are registered in irc it's better. Here is the way on setting up nick on freenode. Here is basic idea of irc on ubuntu. I recommend x-chat for irc rather than empathy.

edit: list of irc channels related to ubuntu

You don't really have to be registered to irc to use it. But some channels only allow registered users. You can choose a nickname/username and enter. If it is already taken you will be allocated a guest id otherwise you can register the same nickname.