Direct Connect, mostly used with the DC++ Client, is another very old file sharing protocol that has stood the test of time. Having been released the same year as Napster in November 1999, you can safely say it is “old school”, though never a very mainstream software. Nevertheless, it has gained a strong and dedicated fanbase that is still active all around the world.
Sounds cool and groovy? Watch out, aspiring newbie, you’re in for quite a ride.
The downside to many, community based P2P clients is that it is not too easy to use correctly, and it can be tough to get the full potential out of it if you don’t want to spend time on learning about network protocols, configuring your router, and sometimes sharing loads of files. Using it anonymously with a VPN is not that easy either.
The upside? As you get experience, it can be a dream come true. Relatively fast downloads, finely curated file lists from dedicated users often sharing several terabytes of movies, software, music and whatnot, you name it.
Still with me? Let’s dive right into it.
1. How The Interface Works
Yay! Settings, buttons, text everywhere! But that’s not the real issue. With a little bit of patience, the different features and windows are not to difficult to figure out either. And it’s got a search engine that works really well (for the most part)! We leave this for our tutorial on how to use it.
What can be kind of confusing for beginners is that Direct Connect consists of a mishmash of servers (called hubs) in all kinds of languages, including Russian, the notoriously difficult connectivity settings, and a whole bunch of sharing restrictions you have to consider.
Also, see those little chat windows in the top bar? These often contain quite important information, such as “do this and that or we’re going to kick you from the server”, or “the user you wanted to download from just went offline, tough luck”.
With a little bit of patience, the different features and windows are not to difficult to figure out. We leave this for our tutorial on how to use it.
