This hub software is no longer used on DC. The guide will be kept around for historical purposes.

How to create a hub using NeoModus Direct Connect Hub version 1

1. Download the hub software from www.neo-modus.com; make sure you download "Direct Connect Hub (v1.0)."

2. Install the program to any location you wish. C:\Program Files\Direct Connect Hub is the default.

3. Once it's installed, start the hub.

If you receive that error message, you need to either install NeoModus Direct Connect version 1 or download DCSysTray.ocx and put it in your \Windows\System32 directory.

4. Once you have started the hub, you will be at a screen that looks like this:

• Listening Port: This is the port the hub operates on. 411 is the default port used. If you run multiple instances of DCHub on the same computer, you MUST use a different port for each hub.
  
• Register hub with: This is the address the hub will register itself with so others can find it.
  
• Auto Register: Disable this if you want the hub to not show up on the public hub list. Although, it seems the hub will do so regardless of the setting (bug).
  
• Auto Start Serving: Enable this if you want to have the hub software start to host right on startup. Otherwise, you must click on 'start serving' in the bottom right before users can enter the hub.
  
• Redirect Address: You can redirect users to another hub when your hub is full or going down for maintenance. Many scripts require something in this field, so if you don't want to forward to another hub enter 127.0.0.1.
  
• Min Client Version: Only applies to NMDC clients, DC++ is unaffected. 1.0091 is the latest build of the NMDC v1 client.
  

• Max Users: Limit the number of users the hub will hold.
  
• My IP Address: You can either enter your IP or a use a dynamic host service like Dynip or DynDns. It's recommended that you use a dynamic name for this reason. Append the port number if not using 411.
  
• Name: Enter in a unique hub name.
  
• Description: It's good practice to list your basic hub rules in here (i.e. share, slots). You can also list the theme for the hub.
  
• Start Serving: Click this once you have the hub set up. It will be automatically checked if 'Auto start serving' is enabled.
  

5. Client Stats

This window will show you all users that are currently logged on. If you double click on a name, the user will be disconnected.

6. Security

Here is where you can add registered users and operators. Also, you can see which IP's are permanently and temporarily banned in the hub. Default temp ban time is 10 minutes.

• Bot Pass: It's very important to use a password that uses letters, numbers and shift characters so an outsider cannot control the bot.
  
• Only allow registered users: If you want a private hub, enable this setting. Only users who are registered will be allowed to enter.
  

7. Client Interactions

In this window you can setup the welcome message that everyone will see on logon. You also can send a mass private message to every user in the hub (this is a good idea when the hub is being restarted, etc).

8. Status Messages

This window will show you all the things the hub is sending and receiving. The window is read from bottom to top. In the above window, the hub registered itself on the hub list. Then a user with the name 'BSOD2600' logged on to the hub using DC++ 0.263. Then the client searched for an MP3. The bottom two windows will occasionally show hub or script errors.

9. Scripts

Ahhh, the most important component of the hub, its scripts. First you need to find the scripts you want to use in the hub. A list of sites has been compiled here. Once the scripts have been downloaded, place them into your Scripts directory (i.e. C:\Program Files\Direct Connect Hub\Scripts). Scripts will have the .script file extension, and its icon will have .ico (if present). If you don't see the extension, then enable it on windows.

You can edit scripts two ways, either with a text editor like notepad or using the script host window. When you click on a script name in the left window, it will open up the file. Be careful, though. The editor has a 64k size limit for editing. This means that if your script file is 104K, it will only be able to open the first 64k. When you save the file, it will be unusable to the hub since half of it will now be missing.

10. Network Searching

The description in the hub software is pretty self-explanatory about how this is used. It's really not used all that often.

11. Optimizations

• Enable Scripting: Disabling scripts will lighten the load on the computer. Of course, without scripts, the hub is pretty wide open.
  
• Block chat messages: Basically an anti-spam setting for main chat.
  
• Do not send chat messages to away users: Self-explanatory. If a user is away, the hub will not send messages to them; generally not recommended to enable.
  

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by USR56K edited by JMGullett
last modified: 2007-02-01 16:58:01