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Old 09-01-2010, 04:44 PM
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Default The Alizée Hub [girlpop.hopto.me]

The Alizée DC++ Hub: A User Guide and FAQ

Part One: The Alizée Hub Set-up Guide


AN INTRODUCTION



The Alizée Hub is a file-sharing portal utilizing the Direct Connect Protocol. Like other Peer-to-Peer file sharing options such as Bittorrent, it allows resume-able and rapid downloading of files from multiple sources. Unlike other options, the hub is heavily moderated and the files are marked with a unique hash ID, reducing the chance of picking up potentially damaging malware from a fraudulent or misidentified file. The Hub also boasts very active multiple real-time chat rooms, so it's a great place to connect with other fans and keep up-to-date with the latest news and information regarding our Corsican princess and other female pop stars.

Please note that the Alizée Hub's function is to approve new members, provide chat room functionality, and negotiate connections between clients. The Hub's server hosts no files: it only facilitates the sharing of files between users from their own private collections. The content of your share and it's compliance to the laws in your region are your own responsibility. A detailed guide to the hub's sharing policy will appear in Part Three of this guide.




PART ONE: HOW TO GET STARTED


1) Download the software


The DC++ protocol requires you to install client software, you cannot access the Hub through your web browser. Though there are many DC clients out there,
the best bet for stability is DC++ itself, known by some users as "Vanilla DC++." You can download the latest version at their website here:

http://dcplusplus.sourceforge.net/download.html

-- there may be other sites claiming a "fast free download" of some version or another. I've downloaded a few of them and an anti-virus scan has occasionally
found malware, root kits and trojans. Play it safe and stick with DC++'s own page at sourceforge.net.


2) Installing the program

Now that you've downloaded the program, you're ready to install DC++. After the usual language settings and selecting the location to install the program, you'll be ready to start the program for the very first time.


3) Configuring DC++

Once you start DC++, you'll be asked to answer a few questions:

Personal Information

a) Nick -- this is the name you'll be known by at the hub. Keep it simple and make it something you
can live with. Using the same nick in the hub as you use in the forum is always a good idea.

b) Email -- this can be handy if you're having problems with the program and need to be contacted.

c) Description -- here is a great place to let people know what they can expect in your share:
"Alizée and Fondue Recipes" or whatever applies to you.


Once you complete the personal info, you'll find a "help" screen to guide you through the rest of the configuration. If there is nothing between DC++ and the internet,
DC++'s new automatic configuration feature will attempt to connect to the internet. If DC++ is unable to obtain an ACTIVE connection due to a router,
software or hardware firewall (or both) coming in between the program and the internet, it will obtain a PASSIVE connection for you. More about advanced
connection settings will appear in Part Two of this tutorial.


4)Preparing your share.

--You'll need at least 10 gigabytes (GB) of Music Videos and/or Live Clips to join the Hub. The Hub's specialty is
female pop singers so videos and clips of Alizée and other singers like her are perfect content to place in your share.
The files you share are presumed to be in the public domain, so DVDs like "En Concert" or mp3s of her albums
are NOT allowed. The Alizée Hub neither permits nor advocates the illegal sharing of copyrighted material.


a) Select "File">>>>>"Settings">>>>>>"Sharing" and click the button "Add folder"

b) Point this toward the folder where you keep your Alizée or other vids. Click "OK."
Give the folder a few minutes to hash.

c) You can add additional folders by repeating this method. The more you share, the easier it
is to gain the respect and priority connections from other hubbers. Remember to add the files
you download from other hubbers to your own share as quickly as possible.


5)Setting Up the Connection to the Hub


a) Click on the "Favorite Hubs" button (the gold star)

b) Select "new" and fill in the following info:

Name: The Alizée Hub

Address: girlpop.hopto.me:1209


c) Click on the "OK" button.

d) Select the new "Alizée Hub" group and click on the button "connect."

-- you're now at the front door!


6) Joining the Hub

--The Alizée Hub is a PRIVATE Hub, so until you are registered by a Hub Operator (or "OP")
and log in with your password, chat and downloading will be disabled.

a) Your mouse cursor should be blinking in the dialog box (in roughly the middle of the screen).
Type the following into the dialog box:

!regme "password" ( replace the phrase "password" with your choice of password.
You don't need the "quotes")

b) Hit "enter" and wait. Though several hub Operators may be online at the time, they may
not be at their keyboards at the moment you decided to join the hub. Please be patient
and wait for someone to get to you. You can send a private message to the OPs if it seems
you've waited a really long time.

c) You will eventually be contacted by an OP. If he asks for you to remove or change some files that
are in your share, be sure and do so and let him know that you've done what was asked. When the OP
finishes your registration, you'll recieve a message with your password info. Be sure and save that and
activate the checkboxes to "save chat" in the "Log" settings.

d) Now click on the "Favorite Hubs" (gold star) button once again and select the Alizée Hub and push the
"Properties" button. Input your password in the space provided ("Password") and select "OK."
DON'T MAKE A MISTAKE TYPING IN YOUR PASSWORD! You won't be able to get in if you make a typographical error here.

e) While you still have the "Favorite Hubs" window open and highlighted on the Alizée Hub, click the button "Move to group"
and select "Auto-connect group." This means when you initiate dc++, it will automatically connect you to the Alizée Hub
and you'll log in with your password. Now you can close the Favorite Hubs window.


f) Go to "File>>>>>"Reconnect" and if you did everything right you should log into the hub as the newest Alizée
Hub member.


***CONGRATULATIONS... YOU ARE NOW A MEMBER OF THE ALIZEE HUB!****



================================================



An Alizée Hub FAQ: Easy Solutions to Sticky Problems
PART TWO: ADVANCED HUB CONFIGURATION and CONNECTION SETTINGS



Q): "I'VE FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS IN PART ONE FOR CONNECTING TO THE HUB BUT STILL CAN'T DOWNLOAD ANYTHING, INCLUDING
OTHER HUBBER'S FILE LISTS. WHEN I TRY, I GET THE MESSAGE: "Connection timed out." HOW DO I FIX THIS PROBLEM SO I CAN BEGIN
DOWNLOADING FROM THE HUB?





A): Solution # 1: CHANGE YOUR CONNECTION SETTINGS TO A "PASSIVE" CONNECTION



Chances are, you are behind a firewall or router and it is blocking your ability to connect to the hub.
The quickest fix to this problem, so you can connect to the hub and begin downloading right away,
is switch to a PASSIVE CONNECTION.


Here's how to do that:

a): Go to "File>>>>>>>>Settings>>>>>>>>>Manual Configuration"

b): Select the option "Passive Mode (last resort)"

c): Click "OK"

YOUR CONNECTION SHOULD NOW WORK. TRY DOWNLOADING A FILE LIST FROM AN OPERATOR TO BE SURE.


---OR----


Solution # 2: ENABLE PORT FORWARDING FOR AN "ACTIVE" CONNECTION



Passive connections have their drawbacks: you can only download from ACTIVE users, not other PASSIVE users,
your connection is a bigger resource drain on the hub, and there are limitations of the "Search" function.
Eventually, you'll want to try to enable an ACTIVE CONNECTION.

You will do this by "poking a hole" through the HARDWARE firewall (like a router or hub or some broadband
modems) or SOFTWARE firewall (like Zone Alarm or the Microsoft Internet Firewall)-- or BOTH-- that's blocking
your connection by opening a port (called "Port Forwarding").


Let's get started:

ACTIVE MODE OPTION ONE:

a) If you have a more advanced "Plug and Play" router, sometimes DC++ can configure
the settings for you. The first thing to try is to change your settings to allow that to happen.

Go to "File>>>>>>>Settings>>>>>>>>Manual Configuration"

b) select the option "Let DC++ configure my router."

c) You may have to re-start DC++ or re-boot your computer to release the old (passive) connection
and enable the new (active) one.


ACTIVE MODE OPTION TWO (old school):


Sometimes you've got to do all the work yourself and that involves setting everything up manually.

I) Step One will be to open up ports on your router. This is usually found on your routers setup screen
as "Port Forwarding" or "Gaming." Consult the manual for your router (or look it up online) to
find the settings that apply to you. Be aware that some router/modems provided by ISPs offer NO
Port Forwarding functionality, and in that case you're stuck with either changing your ISP or
settling for a passive connection.

You'll want to point the incoming and outgoing ports (TCP, UDP and TLS)to the same port, let's say port 1209.
Remember this setting: you'll need it later.

II) Step Two will be to make sure you are not being blocked by your software firewall (Zone Alarm, Windows Firewall,
Norton Internet Firewall, etc). In most cases you'll need to create a "firewall exception" for the DC++ program
to pass through unimpeded.


III) Step Three will be to set up DC++ to use these new settings.

a) Go to "File>>>>>>>Settings>>>>>>>>Manual Configuration"

Select the option "Manual port forwarding (I have configured my router by myself)."

b) Type in your external IP address (NOT your internal address which is usually something like "192.168.xxx.xxx").
You can find your external IP address by typing "!myip" into Robocop's chat window or visiting one of the following websites:

http://www.dslreports.com/ip.html

--or--

http://www.geobytes.com/IpLocator.htm?GetLocation

c) Now assign the ports. We will use the port we opened in the router, (1209) for both our incoming and outgoing connection.
Click "OK."

d) You may have to re-start DC++ or re-boot your computer to release the old (passive) connection
and enable the new (active) one.




Since this is meant to be a concise guide, the detailed instructions to obtain an active connection in each and
every case is well outside the parameters of this FAQ. However, an excellent guide can be found at the DC++ website.
The link to the "Getting Started" FAQ is below:


http://dcplusplus.sourceforge.net/we...t_started.html


The "Broadband Reports" website has an excellant dc++ FAQ also. Here's a link:


http://www.dslreports.com/faq/dc



--GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY DOWNLOADING!---




==================================================




"The Most Frequently Asked Questions About the Alizée Hub"


PART THREE: AN ALIZEE HUB FAQ



Q: "WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR THE HUB?"



Alizée DC++ Hub - Rules:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rule #1 Share at least 10 GBs of Alizée or other video clips. Video clips are
defined as Music Videos or Live TV Performance clips presumed to be
in the public domain.

Rule #2 Have 2 upload slots open, for DC++ use 2 slots per HUB [Scripted]

Rule #3 Don't share any illegal content or non music-related files!!! [Kick + Ban]

Rule #4 Do NOT close your uploads or leave the hub while downloading. You are here
to share! Any attempts to prevent sharing with others will result in a ban.

Rule #5 Public chat is to remain on-topic (music-related subjects only). Foul
language or talk meant to demean others is banned. So that everyone
can participate and chat can be monitored, the primary language is English.

Rule #6 The OPs are here to help you. Failure to respond to their inquiries
in a timely basis will result in being kicked.

Rule #7 You are strictly forbidden to advertise other hubs or websites either in
main or personal chat without the express permission of the hub administrator.
Any attempt to do so will result in a lifetime ban from this hub.

Rule #8 You are here to share. Because of this, we insist that you add all the
clips you download from this hub to your share -- and share them-- for
a minimum of thirty days.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



================================================== ===========



Q: "WHAT MATERIAL IS LEGAL TO SHARE IN THIS HUB?"


A: IT IS LEGAL TO SHARE VIDEO CLIPS AND OTHER MUSIC-RELATED FILES



("Video Clips" are defined as: 1) Promotional Music Videos or 2) Live TV
Performance and Interview clips presumed to be in the public domain.)



PROMOTIONAL MUSIC VIDEOS are what they play on MTV and other similar stations.
Because they are considered "promotional material" by the record companies (who
retain all the rights to distribute them), they have traditionally allowed Music
Videos to be exchanged between fans as long as no money changes hands.

LIVE TV INTERVIEW AND PERFORMANCE CLIPS have generally been recorded from chat, variety
or award shows off of broadcast television and can be distributed in the hub as long as
they are not commercially available, and are being exchanged free-of-charge between
collectors. The exchange of archival works that are otherwise unavailable is permissible
according to the provisions of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.


FAN-CREATED DVDs. These are totally acceptable as long as the CONTENT of the disc conforms
to the above guidelines. Be aware, however that a DVD (whether posted as an ISO or
as a duplicate of the contents of the disc) does NOT count as part of your "1 GB of music
clips" requirement. You must have 10 GB of INDIVIDUAL MUSIC CLIPS that can be individually
downloaded to qualify. The clips must also have a name that clearly identifies them (Name
of Artist and Song Title at least) so other people can tell what they are.


OTHER PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS- this may include promotional photos, sound clips, video edits
or fan-created remixes that were either created by yourself, taken from websites or
scanned from out-of-print magazines and are presumed to be in the public domain.
In all cases, the rights of the copyright holder are to be respected and the item is to
be removed upon their request or a request from the operators of this hub.




--In any of these cases, if the copyright holders request an item be removed, we must
honor that request or risk being shut down by our service provider, and the user
posting the clips risks civil penalties and possible criminal prosecution.--


================================================== ==========



Q: "WHAT IS ILLEGAL CONTENT?"


A: "ILLEGAL CONTENT" ARE ITEMS NOT TO BE SHARED IN THIS HUB.
THEY INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:




1) Pornography. Since there is no adult-verification feature to this hub,
the sharing of pornography is illegal in many countries this hub serves.


2) "Cracked" Programs (or "warez")- This is considered unauthorized distribution
of copyrighted materials and is illegal in every country I am aware of.

3) "Ripped" copies of commercial music CDs or movie DVDs- this once again
is unauthorised distribution of copyrighted material. The stated LEGAL
purpose for peer-to-peer file-sharing applications is to share files that
are NOT commercially available or are licensed by the content creator to
be freely distributed. Please don't forget that fact.


-- If you are asked to remove an item by an Operator, either remove it or risk
being kicked from the hub. Chances are, you are NOT a copyright lawyer,
so arguing your point will only get you BANNED--


The best rule of thumb to use is: if there is a question in your mind about
whether or not something is OK to share, then DON'T SHARE IT.

If you have an questions about a specific item, you can ask an OP for help.



================================================== ==========






Q: "HOW DO I GRANT A FAVORITE USER AN AUTO-SLOT?"



--This means as long as it is activated, the designated user will be automatically
granted a slot no matter how many upload slots you currently have open--


1) Right-click on the nick of the person you want to grant an auto-slot to,
and select "add to favorites."

2) Open your "Favorite Users" Menu (the blue star on the menu bar)

3) Click on the icon in the "Auto grant slot/nick" column next to that
user's nick. The icon should turn green.



--You're done!----



================================================== =======



Q: I CAN NEVER SEEM TO GET AN OPEN SLOT TO DOWNLOAD THE FILES I AM
LOOKING FOR. WHAT CAN I DO?



A: MANY OF THE MORE EXPERIENCED MEMBERS OF THIS HUB HAVE DEVISED
A STRATEGY FOR GETTING THE FILES THEY WANT. THIS IS JUST ONE
WAY TO GO ABOUT IT:



1) Go to "File>>>>Settings>>>>Advanced" and change your settings to
"Don't delete file lists when exiting". This will eliminate
the need to download the same file lists over and over again.


2) You can now use a user's file list that is large and particularly
well-organized as a "shopping list" WITHOUT having to wait
for a slot from that user, which could potentially take WEEKS
if it's one of the more popular members of that hub.

3) Right-click on the file you want and select "Search for alternates"
Another window will pop up. Give it a minute or two to complete
the search.


4) Scroll over to the "slots" heading and look for someone with an
open slot. "0/4" means they have no available slots out of four slots
allocated. "3/4" means they have three slots free. Good! Double-click
on that file with that user and your download will start right away.


5) Now that your download has begun, you can take the other users that are
listed as having the file you're downloading and add them as a "backup
source" in case the person you're downloading from goes offline.
Right-click on the other users in the list and select "download to..."
At the bottom of the menu that pops up, you'll see the file name you're
now downloading. Click on that listing, and that user will be added as an
alternate source. You can repeat this process for each user the search
function found for that file. You can also use this technique for every
file in your download queue.



-- Remember that the wider the variety of vids you have in your share the easier
it will be to "trade auto-slots" with another user, which is another favored
way to get slots (see above for "How To Grant an Auto-Slot"). If all you
have in your share is the minimum 10 GB it took to get into the hub in the
first place, the harder you will find it to get a slot from other people
over a period of time. The key to your success in a file-sharing hub is very
simple---- SHARE FILES!---



---GOOD LUCK. IF YOU NEED MORE HELP OR ADVICE, BE SURE AND
ASK AN OP OR A VIP MEMBER OF THE HUB--





================================================== =======


Q: I AM HAVING PROBLEMS PLAYING BACK THE VIDEOS I HAVE DOWNLOADED.
AM I DOING SOMETHING WRONG OR ARE THE FILES DEFECTIVE?



A: MOST OF THE TIME IT IS EITHER A CODEC PROBLEM OR INCOMPATIBLE
VIDEO PLAYBACK SOFTWARE. HERE IS WHAT TO DO:



1): Go to the website "http://www.codecs.com/"

2) Download and install the following codec pack:


The "K-Lite Codec Pack" -- this contains EVERYTHING needed to play virtually any file found on this hub. The FULL version
also contains the latest version of "Media Player Classic" (also known as "MPC") which is a very popular and stable
media player that you should install on your computer AT LEAST as a "backup player."


--THIS SHOULD SOLVE 95% OF ANY VIDEO PLAYBACK PROBLEMS YOU MIGHT EXPERIENCE.


================================================== =======



Q: I KEEP ON GETTING THE FOLLOWING ERROR MESSAGE:


1) "No connection could be made because the target machine
actively refused it."

--or--

2) "A connection attempt failed because the connected party did
not properly respond after a period of time, or established
connection failed because connected host has failed to respond."

--or--

3) It says "connected" but nothing else happens. The hub seems dead.


DID I DO SOMETHING WRONG? HAVE ALIENS TAKEN OVER THE EARTH?
WHAT'S GOING ON: I NEED TO KNOW ?!?!?!?!?



A: THE HUB IS UNRESPONSIVE FOR THE MOMENT.


-- The cause of this could be for a variety of reasons: the hub software has crashed,
an Operating System bug, the hub server is down for service or the host computer has
"frozen" and needs to be re-booted.--

Be patient: you can rest assured the hub will be back up as soon as possible. Stay connected
to the hub: your running downloads and uploads will continue with no problems. Some of the more
popular hubs have a secondary site or a "sister hub" that you can visit while the main hub is down.

In the case of the Alizée Hub, it is the POPASIA HUB located at:

"popasia.no-ip.org:23"

You might want to add this Hub to your Favorite Hubs to be safe. Keep in mind to connect to BOTH hubs
(or any two hubs) you'll need FOUR open slots (two per hub).

"File">>>>>"Settings">>>>>>"Sharing" Change the value of "upload slots to at least "4".

Keep in mind each hub has it's own rules so make sure you're following the rules of that hub
if you're planning an extended stay. Since the POPASIA Hub is an Asian Pop Hub, it requires
a share that contains at least 1GB of Asian Pop.



*** This should cover most of the issues one would encounter visiting the Alizée Hub. Feel free to contact me
at the hub with any additional questions*******





digimaze
Hubmaster
The Alizée Hub

Last edited by digimaze; 03-11-2016 at 09:56 PM..
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