# Get started

Hello and welcome! DC++ is a free, open-source client for Direct Connect file sharing networks. It is fully compatible with and supports connection to hubs using the earlier NeoModus Direct Connect (NMDC) protocol, but its primary purpose is to be a client for a new generation of file sharing using a protocol called Advanced Direct Connect (ADC).

The newest version of DC++ should work well on any modern Windows NT-based operating system, including 2000, XP, and Vista. Some older versions will run on Win9x/ME but using DC++ on these ancient operating systems is neither recommended nor supported. As long as it downloaded from the official site, DC++ contains no viruses or adware of any kind. DC++ is free; if you paid for it, ask for a refund!

## Structure of the Direct Connect network

The Direct Connect (DC) network is a decentralized network, made up of individual servers (hubs) that users join to share files. Users can search for files and download them from other users connected to the same hub. A hub only helps to find files and connect users; it does not store any files. File transfers are done directly between clients, in peer-to-peer fashion.

Every hub also acts as an instant messaging server. Users can chat with other users of the same hub using the main chat (visible to every user on the hub) or, alternatively, start a private conversation with a particular user. Some hubs also have special chat rooms for groups of people, such as having a chat only for operators.

Each hub is individually administered, and some hubs are built around sharing a particular type of content. Rules vary from hub to hub, but most have a restriction on the minimum amount and type of content a user may share (for example, some hubs disallow sharing of pornography). Hubs typically have operators (or ops) appointed by the actual owner of the hub to police these rules and ban offenders, as well as help new users.

There are two basic kinds of hubs. Public hubs are available to anyone who adheres to the rules and require no registration for connecting. Some allow you to connect, but require registration to search or download - this is a grey area. In contrast, private hubs always require user authentication at login, using a username/password combination. To gain access to these hubs, one must get registered through other channels, such as a web forum or a public hub maintained by the same people.

There are Hublists hosted by individual hublist servers to allow users to find hubs that they might like. These lists contain the name, address and description of each hub along with other data. Some big hublists try to contain almost all available hubs while others contain only a list of hubs meeting certain criteria, such as hubs in a specific country.

## Connecting to DC hubs using DC++

DC++ has a few public hublist servers configured by default. They are the most popular and reliable ones so they are available most of the time. You can open up the Public Hublist window by using the View/Public Hubs menu item or by clicking on the appropriate icon in the Toolbar. You can add other hublist servers or manage a list of your own Favorite hubs. If you simply want to connect to a particular hub with a known address you can do it using File/Quick Connect.

However, before connecting to any hub you should familiarize yourself with the basic principles of the DC network and have your client set up correctly to enjoy all the possibilities and benefits of Direct Connect.

## Basic settings and usage

TheParanoidOne's beginners guide is easy to understand and contains plenty of screenshots. It explains basic DC++ usage and the minimum settings required to get things up and running. Make sure you configured all the minimum settings (entered a unique nick in General settings, etc...) or you won't be able to connect to any hub.

## Checking software firewall settings

Software firewalls often cause problems as they can completely prevent DC++ from connecting to the Internet. You can skip this section if you can download hublists and connect to hubs. However, if you can't connect to any hub or download any hublist while your other programs are able to access the Internet then it's possible that a software firewall is blocking DC++.

Newer Windows operating systems (XP with Service Pack 1,2 or 3 and Vista) have a built in firewall enabled by default. Moreover, almost all anti-virus suites (Norton, McAfee, CA, Eset, Kaspersky, F-Secure, AVG, etc.) include a firewall component with their "typical" install method. Because of this, you can still have a firewall running even if you've never installed a separate firewall product or seen a sign of its operation.

If you use Windows XP with third party software firewall installed then make sure you have the internal Windows firewall disabled. On Vista this should be always done by the firewall application.

The easiest way to check if DC++ is blocked is to go the Help/About menu in DC++ and check if it can download the Latest Version number (bottom box of the window). A version number should appear in the box soon. If you get error message instead it means something is preventing DC++ from accessing the Internet.

The method for unblocking programs in firewalls varies from product to product. Check your firewall's help or manual for instructions. The best practice is to exit DC++ and remove ALL the rules for DC++ in the firewall configuration. In most cases the time of next start of DC++ you'll be shown a popup window where you can re-enable DC++. You can find configuration instructions for some popular firewall software here.

## Setting up your connection

To make your life easier while using DC++ you should find out what connection mode works for you. From a protocol perspective, there are two connection methods available: active mode and passive mode. While passive mode is almost guaranteed to work, it does not work as well as a properly configured active mode connection. For a more in-depth explanation, read Why do I need active mode?

It is very important to decide what active connection mode is available for you. It depends on your network structure, so you need to know exactly how you access the Internet. Is it a direct connection through a modem or do you have a local network and access the Internet through a router or other gateway? If unsure, this page should help you figure it out.

If you're still unsure what network devices you use to connect to the Internet, then use Google! It can give you information on every network device you own, just by searching for the model number printed on the device. Many ISPs call their device a simple modem when it is actually a router, so it never hurts to check.

In order to choose a proper active connection mode, you must know whether you are behind a router or gateway or if you access the Internet directly. You can also determine if you have a router or not by checking your external and internal IP addresses. If these IP addresses do NOT match then you access the Internet through a local gateway or router.

- To see your internal IP address go to the Windows Start menu, click Run... and type : cmd /k ipconfig
- To see your external IP address go to one of the following websites : www.whatismyip.com, www.dslreports.com/ip, www.ip2location.com

If you are still unsure you may want to consult your ISP support hotline or system administrator (if on an organization's network).

When you look at the Connection Settings you will find 3 options for active mode and the last option for being passive as a last resort. For being active:

- You can use the Direct Connection option ONLY if you don't have a router/gateway.
- If you have a router/gateway you can use ONLY the 2nd or the 3rd option : Firewall with manual port forwarding or Firewall with UPnP

For setting up any of the three active mode options follow the active mode setup FAQ.

If none of the above helped or you are not able to use active mode in your network (e.g. you have no access to the configuration page of the router/gateway or you have firewall service provided by your ISP) then you must choose Firewall (passive, last resort) option in Connection Settings. As linked above, however, passive mode has several disadvantages.

## Help resources

Need more help?

- You can find FAQs and explanation of ALL settings in the built-in context sensitive Help of DC++. Just move the question mark icon from the Toolbar to any part of the interface you are unsure about, or simply select a control and hit the F1 key.
- There is a complete Direct Connect FAQ maintained at dslreports.com.
- There are more answers to the most frequent support problems at the FAQ section of the DC++ Launchpad page.

There is an online support forum and a bug & feature tracker also available. You can access these pages through the Help menu of DC++ or from the links page. Please go through all the documentation mentioned above before asking for support. Most of the questions asked in the support page are already answered in the FAQs or even in the built-in Help.

Important : before asking for support please keep in mind that DC++ is a client for connecting to a network and developers of DC++ have no connection to the owners of individual hubs or hublist servers. So when you have a problem with a particular hub or hublist server (and you can use others without problems) the DC++ support team is unable to help you in any way.