1. Installation
The first step to using DC++ is to actually download and install it. If you have already done this, you may skip ahead to the next section, Basic Settings.
1.1 Download
The DC++ setup file can be found at the DC++ web site located at http://dcplusplus.sf.net. On the left side there are links to the current version of DC++. The one covered by this installation section is the "Installer" version. Click on this link and download the installer.
Note that if you are a Windows 95 or Windows NT user, you will need to install the Common controls Update before you install DC++.
1.2 Install
Run the setup file to begin installation. The installation consists of three main screens.
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License Agreement. Read the license and then click on "I Agree".
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Installation Options. This shows the components to be installed. It is highly
recommended that you leave all the items selected. Click on "Next" to continue.
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Installation Folder: The location where DC++ is to be installed. This can be
left at the default. Click on "Install" to begin the installation.
Once the installation has completed, you may now run DC++ from the Start menu.
2. Basic Settings
There are a few basic settings that need to be entered before you can use DC++. Some are essential whereas others are not, but in my opinion make things easier in the long run.
2.1 Personal Information
Location: Settings --> General --> Personal Information.
The only piece of information that is required here is Nick. This is the username you will use on DC++. This can be anything you want but avoid using characters that would be illegal in filenames, such as '*' or '/'.
Entering a connection type is recommended. The other two fields, E-Mail and Description, are optional.
2.2 Connection Settings
Location: Settings --> General --> Connection Settings.
As mentioned on in the box, I highly recommend reading the ReadMe file as suggested to explain these settings.
If you are behind a router or gateway, select Passive mode initially. You can switch to Active mode later by referring to the "Configuring Active Mode" section.
If you are directly connected to the Internet then leave Active mode selected.
If you are behind a SOCKS proxy, select SOCKS5 and enter the appropriate information.
If you unsure which applies to you, select Passive mode.
2.3 Download Directories
Location: Settings --> Downloads --> Directories.
Default Download Directory: Enter a folder where finished downloads should go. If left blank, it will default to a folder called Downloads in the main DC++ folder.
Unfinished Downloads Directory: Enter a folder where downloads should go while they are downloading. Once they have completed downloading, they will be moved to the folder specified above. If no folder is given here, finished and unfinished downloads will reside in the same folder and may therefore be confusing.
2.4 Upload Slots
Location: Settings --> Sharing --> Upload Slots
File transfers in DC++ are based on slots. Each file being transferred takes up one slot. You need to open up a number of upload slots to gain access to hubs. The minimum needed will depend on the number of hubs you are connected to. Usually it is two slots per hub, though it will vary from hub to hub. Set it to 2 for the moment and remember to adjust it as you connect to more hubs.
3. Get a Public Hub List
a) DC++ versions 0.263 or higher
If you have DC++ version 0.263 or higher, you may proceed to section 3 ("Share Some Files") as these versions have a working public hub list.
If for some reason the list is temporarily unavailable, or you wish to try a different list, please read section b) below.
b) DC++ version 0.262 and earlier.
If you have DC++ version 0.262 or earlier, you need to get a working public hub list.
Go to the following thread on the DC++ forums:
http://dcplusplus.sf.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7106
There you will find a list of Public Hub Lists. Pick one and put it into your browser to check if is currently active. If you are given the option to open or save the file, then the list is active.
Type the selected list address in the "Public Hub list URL" box in the Downloads window.
Open the public hub list to confirm that the list is working. The window should fill with hub information like this.
4. Share Some Files
The spirit of DC++ is to share, so that's what this section is about - what to share (and what not to share!) as well as how to do it. Sharing is also essential to enable you to get into hubs and download anything.
4.1 What to Share
Anything you may have on your computer that you think others may find useful. Examples of such things may be music, videos, software, etc.
Think carefully about what you share. If it isn't something you would like to download yourself, then it's probably not worth sharing it.
Most hubs will have minimum share limits. This limit is usually in terms of x GB of files. Some hubs have other specifications based on the type of hub. For example, a "Friends" hub may ask that you have at least 5 episodes of "Friends" in your share. Conversely, some hubs may disallow certain types of files. For example, a Movie hub may not want MP3s in your share.
The restrictions are all things that will not affect you until you attempt to join a hub, but you should bear them in mind. For the moment just share as much as you can.
4.2 What NOT to Share
Just as there are good things to share, there are also bad things that could get you banned from a hub.
Universally Disapproved Files
The following list of items should never be shared under any circumstances as they are bound to get you into trouble:
- Windows directory
- Temp directory
- Browser cache
- Unfinished files (DC++ incompletes, Kazaa *.dat files, etc)
Depending on the Hub
The following is a list of items that are generally frowned upon but may be acceptable in some hubs:
- Pornography
- Raw media rips (WAV files, VOB files, etc)
- Installed applications/games
Remember the rule of thumb: If you wouldn't want to download it yourself, don't share it.
5. Connect to a Hub
The next major step is to actually connect to a hub and join the DC++ community.
5.1 Connection Methods
This can be done in one of three ways, with the first being the simplest and most informative to a new user.
Browsing the Public Hub List
As you will be aware, the Public Hub list is a list of hubs made available to public users. Each entry in the list contains a hub name, description, number of current users and address. Take note of the hub description as it will usually show the minimum share required as well as other useful information.
The list can be filtered for a search term (eg. games) by entering it into the Filter box and pressing Enter. The full list can be seen again by clearing the Filter box and pressing Enter.
Once you have found a hub that you are interested in, right click on it and select Connect.
Manual Address Entry
If you know the address of a hub (either and IP address or a domain name) then this can be manually entered into the "Manual connect address" box. To connect to the hub, click on Connect.
dchub:// Link
DC Hubs can be addressed in a similar way to web addresses. They have the format dchub://some.hub.net. You may receive such a link in an email or on a web page, just like in the previous sentence. Simply click on the link to connect to the hub in DC++.
Note that handling of dchub:// addresses is not turned on by default and must therefore be enabled. This is discussed in the Advanced Usage section as well information on different ways to use dchub:// addresses.
5.2 Once Connected
When you have attempted to connect to a new hub, a new window will open for the hub. The tab at the bottom of the window will contain the hub name. You should see some welcome messages as well as the hub rules. Please read these rules and observe them.
A list of users within the hub should also appear on the right hand side of the hub window.
If you have reached this point then you have successfully connected to the hub. If however you receive error messages, please refer to the troubleshooting section.
6. Begin Downloading
Now that you have shared some files and connected to a hub, you are ready to begin downloading. There are two ways to queue up files for downloading.
The first is browsing the share of a particular user by downloading their file list. This is useful if you do not have a particular file in mind or want to download a large number of files from a particular user.
The second way is to use the search function. This is useful if you have a specific file in mind.
Note that a passive user cannot connect to or download from another passive user.
6.1 Browsing File Lists
To browse a user's file list, select a user from the list in the hub window and right click on their name. Select "Get file list" and the list should start downloading.
Once the list has downloaded it will automatically open a new window with the users name on the tab at the bottom. The window will be split into two part in a similar way to standard file navigation windows. The left hand contains the directory tree while the right hand contains the files and sub-directories.
To queue up a file for download, either double click on the file or right click on it and select Download. Multiple files can be queued up in a similar way. An entire directory can also be queued by right clicking on the directory and selecting Download. Note that the entire directory and its subdirectories will be added to your queue.
6.2 Using the Search Function
Click on the Search button to open the Search window.
Enter the name of the file you wish to search for. You can also narrow the search criteria by restricting the results by file size, file type and whether or not the user has any slots free.
Once you click on Search, the window should show some results. Select one or more of the results and right click on them. Select Download to queue them up.
Note that as long as the search window is open, you will continue to receive search results.