This is a step by step guide about how to install and configure the DC++ software to connect to the Queen HUB.

Downloading and installing the software
The official website of DC++ is dcpluscplus.sourceforge.net. Download the software in this site by selecting the nearest mirror server:

Click on the icon to download DC++ software (a new window will spawn)

For installing the software on your PC, just double click on the file you have just downloaded (the filename should be something similar to 'DCPlusPlus-XXX.exe').
The installation itself is very simple, just select the destination folder you want DC++ to be installed on (or use the default).

Configuring your account

Once DC++ is correctly installed on your computer, the first thing we need to do is to configure our account and connection data. To enter the configuration panel, just go to File menu and on Settings option .
In the first tab (Personal information) there are 4 fields to fill:

- Nick: You have to fill in here the username that has been given to you by email.
- Email: Your email address (optional).
- Description: Try to put here a description of what files you are sharing. If you connect in passive mode, please specify it here adding "[passive]" at the beginning of the sentence.
- Line speed (upload): Upload-speed you have (optional).

Fig. 1: Personal information tab in Settings panel

Configuring your internet connection mode

Active/Passive Mode: Direct Connect software establishes the communication between users' computers through virtual doors called "ports". Some networks have firewalls which restricts the ports that can be used, specially those that are used by peer-to-peer programs. If you are in one of those networks you must set Direct Connect in passive mode; it will work normally with the only limitation that you won't be able to browse or download files from other passive users. Advanced users can change the firewall/router configuration to open a port for Direct Connect to use in which case the IP and port number must be specified in the connection settings.

Fig. 2: Passive mode settings

Fig 3: active mode settings

Configuring your download folder

It's time to configure your downloads folder. If you haven't done already, create a specific folder where you put all the files and folders you want to share with the Queenhub-members into your hard disk. Create also two different folders where all the incomplete and completely downloaded files will be stored (for example call them “hubdownload” and “incomplete hubdownload”)

- Default download directory: Press the "Browse" button and select the “hubdownload” folder previously created.
- Unfinished downloads directory: Press the "Browse" button and select the “incomplete hubdownload” folder previously created.

Fig. 4: Downloads tab in Settings panel

Configuring your shares

In the following step (Sharing tab) you must specify your shared folders:

- Add folder: This button is used to browse the folders that you want to add to your shares' list.
- Remove: Will remove the select folder from your shares' list.
- Upload slots: This is the number of upload slots you have open, that is, the number of users that can upload files from your computer at the same time.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you are sharing more than the minimum required to log in to the HUB and verify that you have at least the minimum number of slots needed (read the HUB rules)

Fig. 5: Sharing tab in Settings panel

Hashing of files: When you have added a folder with some files in it, the DC++ program is going to “hash” the files. This means that the program will give the file a unique ID-code. It takes some time to hash all the files, especially when there are much files in the folder or you have an older PC. Give the program some time to hash all the files.

Fig. 6:DC++ is hashing the new files

Configuring the appearance

This is the least importart part of the configuration since it only allows you to change the appearance of your DC++: Setting the window and text colors, using timestamps in chat windows and similar options. Just personalize the program to fit to your own style!

Fig. 7: Appearance tab in Settings panel

Configuring the Advanced/Logs

You can log all the activity of your Direct Connect: The public and private chats and also the downloads and uploads that have been processed will be written into text files if you specify so in the text boxes that appear in this window.

Fig. 8: Logs tab in Settings panel

The other options in the Advanced tab allows you to modify some additional settings of your DC++ which are not essential for the correct functioning of the software. You can come back to this option once you are more experienced with DC++ and change them according to your needs and tastes.

Logging in to the HUB

Once all these steps have been completed, now we proceed to connect to the HUB.
Firstly, go to the File menu and select Favorite Hubs option(). Press on the "New" button and then fill in all the connection settings:

Fig. 9: Adding to Favorite HUBs

Once we have added the HUB to our favorites list, you can click on "Auto Connect" if we want that the next time DC++ is opened the Queen HUB is opened automatically. To connect manually, just click on "Connect button".

Fig. 10: Favorite HUBs

Logged in to the HUB

Once connected to the Queen HUB a window similar to Fig. 8 will appear on the screen.
On the left you can see the main chat window where you can talk with other users.
On the right you can find the list of users that are connected at the moment. By right clicking on their names you can perform some actions such as sending a private message or browsing their shared files.
At the bottom, there's the transfers' console where you can monitor all the files that are being transferred at the moment.

Fig. 11: Logged in to the HUB