SignalR Console app example

To build on @dyslexicanaboko's answer for dotnet core, here is a client console application:

Create a helper class:

using System;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.SignalR.Client;

namespace com.stackoverflow.SignalRClientConsoleApp
{
    public class SignalRConnection
    {
        public async void Start()
        {
            var url = "http://signalr-server-url/hubname";

            var connection = new HubConnectionBuilder()
                .WithUrl(url)
                .WithAutomaticReconnect()
                .Build();

            // receive a message from the hub
            connection.On<string, string>("ReceiveMessage", (user, message) => OnReceiveMessage(user, message));

            var t = connection.StartAsync();

            t.Wait();

            // send a message to the hub
            await connection.InvokeAsync("SendMessage", "ConsoleApp", "Message from the console app");
        }

        private void OnReceiveMessage(string user, string message)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"{user}: {message}");
        }

    }
}

Then implement in your console app's entry point:

using System;

namespace com.stackoverflow.SignalRClientConsoleApp
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var signalRConnection = new SignalRConnection();
            signalRConnection.Start();

            Console.Read();
        }
    }
}

The Self-Host now uses Owin. Checkout http://www.asp.net/signalr/overview/signalr-20/getting-started-with-signalr-20/tutorial-signalr-20-self-host to setup the server. It's compatible with the client code above.

Example for SignalR 2.2.1 (May 2017)

Server

Install-Package Microsoft.AspNet.SignalR.SelfHost -Version 2.2.1

[assembly: OwinStartup(typeof(Program.Startup))]
namespace ConsoleApplication116_SignalRServer
{
    class Program
    {
        static IDisposable SignalR;

        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            string url = "http://127.0.0.1:8088";
            SignalR = WebApp.Start(url);

            Console.ReadKey();
        }

        public class Startup
        {
            public void Configuration(IAppBuilder app)
            {
                app.UseCors(CorsOptions.AllowAll);

                /*  CAMEL CASE & JSON DATE FORMATTING
                 use SignalRContractResolver from
                https://stackoverflow.com/questions/30005575/signalr-use-camel-case

                var settings = new JsonSerializerSettings()
                {
                    DateFormatHandling = DateFormatHandling.IsoDateFormat,
                    DateTimeZoneHandling = DateTimeZoneHandling.Utc
                };

                settings.ContractResolver = new SignalRContractResolver();
                var serializer = JsonSerializer.Create(settings);
                  
               GlobalHost.DependencyResolver.Register(typeof(JsonSerializer),  () => serializer);                
            
                 */

                app.MapSignalR();
            }
        }

        [HubName("MyHub")]
        public class MyHub : Hub
        {
            public void Send(string name, string message)
            {
                Clients.All.addMessage(name, message);
            }
        }
    }
}

Client

(almost the same as Mehrdad Bahrainy reply)

Install-Package Microsoft.AspNet.SignalR.Client -Version 2.2.1

namespace ConsoleApplication116_SignalRClient
{
    class Program
    {
        private static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var connection = new HubConnection("http://127.0.0.1:8088/");
            var myHub = connection.CreateHubProxy("MyHub");

            Console.WriteLine("Enter your name");    
            string name = Console.ReadLine();

            connection.Start().ContinueWith(task => {
                if (task.IsFaulted)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("There was an error opening the connection:{0}", task.Exception.GetBaseException());
                }
                else
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("Connected");

                    myHub.On<string, string>("addMessage", (s1, s2) => {
                        Console.WriteLine(s1 + ": " + s2);
                    });

                    while (true)
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine("Please Enter Message");
                        string message = Console.ReadLine();

                        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(message))
                        {
                            break;
                        }

                        myHub.Invoke<string>("Send", name, message).ContinueWith(task1 => {
                            if (task1.IsFaulted)
                            {
                                Console.WriteLine("There was an error calling send: {0}", task1.Exception.GetBaseException());
                            }
                            else
                            {
                                Console.WriteLine(task1.Result);
                            }
                        });
                    }
                }

            }).Wait();

            Console.Read();
            connection.Stop();
        }
    }
}

First of all, you should install SignalR.Host.Self on the server application and SignalR.Client on your client application by nuget :

PM> Install-Package SignalR.Hosting.Self -Version 0.5.2

PM> Install-Package Microsoft.AspNet.SignalR.Client

Then add the following code to your projects ;)

(run the projects as administrator)

Server console app:

using System;
using SignalR.Hubs;

namespace SignalR.Hosting.Self.Samples {
    class Program {
        static void Main(string[] args) {
            string url = "http://127.0.0.1:8088/";
            var server = new Server(url);

            // Map the default hub url (/signalr)
            server.MapHubs();

            // Start the server
            server.Start();

            Console.WriteLine("Server running on {0}", url);

            // Keep going until somebody hits 'x'
            while (true) {
                ConsoleKeyInfo ki = Console.ReadKey(true);
                if (ki.Key == ConsoleKey.X) {
                    break;
                }
            }
        }

        [HubName("CustomHub")]
        public class MyHub : Hub {
            public string Send(string message) {
                return message;
            }

            public void DoSomething(string param) {
                Clients.addMessage(param);
            }
        }
    }
}

Client console app:

using System;
using SignalR.Client.Hubs;

namespace SignalRConsoleApp {
    internal class Program {
        private static void Main(string[] args) {
            //Set connection
            var connection = new HubConnection("http://127.0.0.1:8088/");
            //Make proxy to hub based on hub name on server
            var myHub = connection.CreateHubProxy("CustomHub");
            //Start connection

            connection.Start().ContinueWith(task => {
                if (task.IsFaulted) {
                    Console.WriteLine("There was an error opening the connection:{0}",
                                      task.Exception.GetBaseException());
                } else {
                    Console.WriteLine("Connected");
                }

            }).Wait();

            myHub.Invoke<string>("Send", "HELLO World ").ContinueWith(task => {
                if (task.IsFaulted) {
                    Console.WriteLine("There was an error calling send: {0}",
                                      task.Exception.GetBaseException());
                } else {
                    Console.WriteLine(task.Result);
                }
            });

            myHub.On<string>("addMessage", param => {
                Console.WriteLine(param);
            });

            myHub.Invoke<string>("DoSomething", "I'm doing something!!!").Wait();


            Console.Read();
            connection.Stop();
        }
    }
}