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Home >> Articles >> Technology

Hey Kids, Wanna Start Your Own Peer-To-Peer Network?
August 18, 2002

In the old days (pre-2000) one had to rely on the services of Napster, Kazaa, AudioGalaxy, and Morpheus to join in on the file-sharing fun.

Now that they're being pegged off one by one, many people are creating their OWN peer-to-peer networks and it couldn't be easier.

Anyone with an Internet connection and the free Direct Connect Hub software can start their own network!

Then, people with the Direct Connect Client can connect to you. You can also create private hubs, which are account based with passwords, and completely moderate your network, keeping only the users you want!

Alright, where do I begin?

First you need the Direct Connect Hub Software from NeoModus. (Scroll down on that page, it's the link that says 'Direct Connect Hub')

The Direct Connect software is completely free, and contains no spy-ware. It's used by millions and millions of people.

Alright, now what?

Install the Direct Connect Hub software.

Run the Direct Connect Hub software.

Network Setup

Listening Port: This is the port you want others to connect to. If you can, just keep it as the default, which is 412.

Auto-Start Serving: Make sure there is a checkmark beside this.

My IP Address: Go to WhatIsMyIp.com and it will tell you what your current IP address is. Enter it in this box.

Name: whatever ya want

Description: whatever ya want

Client Stats

Don't need to configure anything here.

Security

If you want to make your hub a private one, this is where you create the accounts for people.

Put a checkmark beside Only Allow Registered Users. (If you want a private hub)

Click on Add Registered User. Enter in the username you want for yourself on your network. Enter in the password you want to use.

If you do not want a private network, you can just skip this section. Don't worry about the bot pass field, it's not useful to us at this point.

Client Interactions

This is where you can set the message that will be sent to people when they connect to your network. Can be changed at any time.

Status Messages

Nothing here to configure.

Scripts

Nothing here to configure right now.

Search Network

If you ever want to 'link' hubs together, this is where you do it. For now let's concentrate on getting your one hub up and running.

Optimizations

May as well take the checkmark off of enable scripting for now. The bot script that comes with Direct Connect is useless.

Done!

Pretty simple huh? If you click the X on the Direct Connect software window it will exit automatically without asking you (but it will save your settings). So just keep it open, and minimize it or whatever.

Alright, now what?

Well now you can test out your hub, either by yourself or have a friend connect.

First, just download the Direct Connect Client. (It's at the top)

Install the Direct Connect Client. (It's free as well, no spyware either).

Run the Direct Connect Client.

Settings (at the top, 4th icon from the left)

Personal Information Tab

My nickname: If you created a private network (see above), put in the nickname for the account you created. If not, just use whatever you want.

File Description: Type in a short description of the files you're sharing. (MP3s, Games, etc)

My Connect Speed: Choose one.

File Transfers Tab

Download files into the following folder: Pretty obvious.

Shared folders: Decide which folders you would like to share with others.

Connection Tab

This is probably the most important setting. If you have any issues, your problem is likely to be solved here.

Ideally, you will want to use Direct Connect in Active Mode so choose that one.

Where it says Force Direct Connect to accept connections on this port enter in the port that you would like to use.

On my system, I found out that I had to choose a different port than the one that was already being used by the Direct Connect Hub software we configured previously. Remember how we chose port 412 ?

Well on my system, I chose port 413 for my Direct Connect Client software. Now put a checkmark beside Force Direct Connect to report this IP and enter in the IP address we found out at WhatIsMyIP.com

Above you will see it says Auto Connect at startup. If you would like to, put a checkmark in this box, and enter in the IP address of your Direct Connect Hub.

However, for those of you like me who are behind a router (on a network) you will probably need to enter your LOCAL IP ADDRESS, and not the one we found out at WhatIsMyIP.com (that's your EXTERNAL IP ADDRESS).

Local IP addresses are different, and used only inside your network, and usually are something like 192.168.0.2 or 192.168.0.3 (It can be anything though, hopefully you know it.)

So for me, in this box, I had to enter:

192.168.0.2:412

Which is my local ip address, then a colon, and then the port number of my Direct Connect hub.

Alright, now what?

Click on Connect at the top left of your screen. Click on the Favorites icon and then right-click on the big window beside it (below 'Hub Name'). Choose create.

It will ask for a name for the hub entry you wish to create, call it whatever you want.

It will ask for an address. If you are on a network, you will probably want to enter in the local IP (as we discussed above). After the IP, you put a colon, and then the port number of your Direct Connect Hub (we set ours up as 412).

So you would put:

192.168.0.2:412

But of course, if your IP address or port are different, you'd have to change them. Also, when you tell your friends to connect to you, you give them your External IP, the one that you find at WhatIsMyIP.com.

Now it asks for a description, enter whatever you want.

Now highlight the hub entry and click the connect button (the one at the bottom of the hub entry window, not the one at the top left)

Hopefully it worked, if not....

Something's wrong!

You've got your Direct Connect Hub software running right?

Are you behind a firewall? If so, be sure to open any ports that are involved, such as 412 and 413. (Both TCP and UDP).

Are you on a network? Behind a router? If so, be sure to forward any ports involved to the client computer that you're using. (Both TCP and UDP).

Also, if you're on a network, when you try to connect to yourself, you'll need to use your local IP. When you tell others to connect, you give them your external IP.

Are you using WindowsXP? Don't forget, it has a built-in firewall!

Cool, it works, how do I get my friends to connect to the hub?

Tell 'em to grab the Direct Connect Client and give 'em your hub address.

Remember, your hub address will be in the following format:

IPADDRESS:PORT

Where IPADDRESS = the one found at WhatIsMyIP.com

Then a colon

and then PORT = the port you defined in the Direct Connect Hub software.

If you made your hub private, you will need to create their account for them under the Security section of the Direct Connect Hub software. They will need to use the same username in their client software when they're connecting to you.

If you set up a cool hub, be sure to let me know!






  

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