A series of upgrades to the network have recently been completed! The highlights include:

• TLS/SSL certificates - connecting to irc.synirc.net on TLS port 6697 will serve a valid Let's Encrypt certificate that your client can verify. On most modern clients, TLS/SSL verification should be on by default.
• SASL authentication - the ability to authenticate to NickServ prior to connection with SASL PLAIN (using a username and password) and SASL EXTERNAL (using a client certificate). Search [your client] sasl (e.g. hexchat sasl) to get specific instructions for your IRC client.
• Typing indicators - IRCCloud users can now see when other IRCCloud users are typing a message. To enable it in IRCCloud, tick the box at Settings > Chat & embeds > Share typing status. Support in other clients is may exist, but is limited at this stage.
• Hiding idle time - users can hide their idle time in /whois from non-staff by setting usermode +I.

For the technically inclined, UnrealIRCd was upgraded from 3.x --> 4.x --> 6.x, and Anope services from 1.x --> 2.x.

If you have any questions about these changes, please consult your IRC client's documentation, or drop by #help where someone can assist.

envy.il.us.synirc.net has been delinked. One of our first servers, it served us well through the years but its time came to leave.

lust.jp.as.synirc.net has been accepted as a full link. Congratulations, Hex!

We would like to welcome our new test link, lust.jp.as.synirc.net, provided by Hex. May the test link period go well!

jaf has stepped down as a member of the Executive Council. Congratulations to darkex who has been elected to succeed him!

hades.de.eu.synirc.net has been accepted as a full link.

synIRC has accepted a testlink for hades.de.eu.synirc.net - located in Germany, Frankfurt - administered by Aden.

I would like to welcome a new test link delta.fr.eu.synirc.net administered by Jordan to the network.

We have 3 new servers as part of the network. We have accepted 2 for a testlink -- logik.ca.us.synirc.net (admin darkex) and leilani.md.us.synirc.net (admin namreeb), and have commissioned sirocco.tx.us.synirc.net (admin Eien) as a full link.

The servers triton.az.us.synirc.net and destiny.nsw.au.synirc.net have been removed from the network. The associated administrators of each server, Danny and noob respectively, have been removed from network staff.