The title compound, 2C36H39N3O4·H2O, is a linear π-conjugated ladder oligomer with an alkyl chain on the central nitrogen atom. This diindolocarbazole, prepared via a twofold Cadogan reaction, adopts a sligthly convex shape, anti to the disordered octyl group. The unit cell contains nine molecules of the title compound and half a water molecule per main molecule. The water molecule forms hydrogen bridges, connecting the carbazole-NH and methoxy groups of different molecules. The crystal contains solvent molecules which are located in a channel parallel to the c axis. It was not possible to determine the position and nature of the solvent (a mixure of choroform, n-pentane and DMSO). The SQUEEZE [Spek (2015). Acta Cryst. C71, 9–18] option of PLATON was used to model the missing electron density. The given chemical formula and other crystal data do not take into account these solvent molecules.