Cant connect to IRC with XChat or anything else
 

I have been trying to get XChat and one other IRC client to connect to the internet but I am not having any luck. Does anyone know if there are some setting I need to change somewhere in Slackware 11 (2.6.21.5 kernel) to allow programs to connect? I know that when I use MIRC in windows, my schools firewall blocks port 6667 so I have to change the ports it tries to connect with. I did this in slackware (although i couldnt make the changes permenant by editing the config file) but Im still not having any luck.

Try /server server:port in XChat itself.
Now this is not as defacto on Slack, but 6667 port could be blocked for outgoing trafic. Try to open it:
Now you might need to change the -o value to your interface.
And what would be really usefull is the error from the IRC client. And maybe try a diferent server to connect to. Maybe the server is down or maybe you chosen a server outside you country and the server isn't opened up to the world it might only allow connection from the same country as the server is in.

Can you tell me what that command you gave me does? I had already tried the manual /server irc.freenode.net 6660 command and it just never connects. It will try for an hour and give up. Not much output other then connection failed. I can connect in windows so I know that it is possible from where im sitting.

I hadnt checked enough ports. 6665 came up right away. Can you still explain iptables to me?