3) Download the mIRC application (mirc.com). It has a 30-day trial period but can still be opened and run after the 30 days are over. Once you download it and get it running, go to where you can add/select a server, then add this server:
Description = Syntaxnode
IRC Server = irc.syntaxnode.net
(Leave the other fields as is.)
Hit Add, then select it, and after that on the connect screen you can pick your nickname and whatever.