What you need

• IRC server host name (use in telnet command)
• IRC server port (use in telnet command)
• a nickname (use in NICK command)
• a user name (use in USER command)
• a real name (use in USER command)

What to do

The intial client: > symbolizes your shell prompt.

telnet: > telnet irc.example.com 6667
telnet: Trying 192.0.2.2...
telnet: Connected to irc.example.com.
telnet: Escape character is '^]'.
client: PASS *
client: NICK MyNickname
client: USER MyUsername 8 * :My real name
server: :irc.example.com 001 MyNickname :Welcome to the Internet Relay Network MyNickname!~MyUsername@client.example.com
server: :irc.example.com 002 MyNickname :Your host is irc.example.com, running version 2.10.3p5
server: :irc.example.com 003 MyNickname :This server was created Mon Oct 13 2003 at 15:56:53 EEST
server: :irc.example.com 004 MyNickname irc.example.com 2.10.3p5 aoOirw abeiIklmnoOpqrstv
server: :irc.example.com 251 MyNickname :There are 123375 users and 7 services on 48 servers
server: :irc.example.com 252 MyNickname 204 :operators online
server: :irc.example.com 253 MyNickname 6 :unknown connections
server: :irc.example.com 254 MyNickname 55926 :channels formed
server: :irc.example.com 255 MyNickname :I have 3981 users, 0 services and 1 servers
server: :MyNickname MODE MyNickname :+i
client: JOIN #twilight_zone
server: :MyNickname!MyUsername@client.example.com JOIN :#twilight_zone
server: :irc.example.com 353 MyNickname @ #twilight_zone :MyNickname @thor-work @Diazemuls @thor @thor-away @Actilyse 
server: :irc.example.com 366 MyNickname #twilight_zone :End of NAMES list.
client: PRIVMSG #twilight_zone Hello.
client: QUIT
server: ERROR :Closing Link: MyNickname[MyUsername@client.example.com] (I Quit)