BEFORE YOU PROCEEED

Read the documentation

You must read the documentation in order to use the program to its full potential. The majority of support issues are fully explained in the documentation. You can access this manual any time by pressing the Help button while the program is running.

Make sure your computer is secure

BearShare, like all other Gnutella compatible programs or Internet servers, allows other people to connect to your computer to receive files and maintain their position on the network. Although BearShare only allows people to see and download the files you tell it to, if your computer is not secured properly a hacker could use it to compromise your programs and data. The best way to protect yourself is through knowledge, and Free Peers, Inc. recommends:

Make sure you have WS2_32.DLL

This Windows Update is required for most Windows 95 users. If you get an error when you launch the program about this .DLL, please visit the Support Center to get the update.

Make sure you can connect to the Internet

In order for BearShare to work, you have to connect to the Internet before you run the program. The "Auto connect" checkbox will automatically connect you to the Gnutella file sharing network by contacting the Gnutella Service Providers that are built-in to the program. These providers show up as blue "Service" connections in your Hosts List.

If BearShare repeatedly fails making a connection attempt to these providers, then you may not be able to use the program from that computer. In particular, users behind firewalls or proxies that only allow outgoing connections on specific port numbers may be unable to use BearShare.

If you cannot get a connection to the Gnutella network, please contact your network administrator to determine if this situation applies to you and can be remedied.

Make sure your software is configured properly

If you are using Internet Connection Sharing, or you use a hardware device to connect multiple computers to the Internet (for example, a LinkSys router), you need to set the proper IP address in the BearShare Setup dialog, as well as enable the correct port forwarding settings on your firewall.

If you are at a college or business that has strict rules in its firewall settings, you may not be able to use BearShare. Check your network administrator to determine the proper settings, or even if the software is allowed to run.

This version of BearShare introduces some changes to the default settings. If you have just upgraded BearShare, we recommend that you exit the program, delete the FreePeers.ini file located in the directory where you installed the program, and then run BearShare again. You will be prompted with the Setup Wizard, and the program settings will be optimized for you and everyone else on the network using new recommended values.

Use the Community to assist you

There are many users just like you in the BearShare.Net forums, and they like to help new people get the program working right so that everyone can share files with each other.

If you are having problems sharing, searching, or downloading, press the Community button in the BearShare window to get to BearShare.Net, or just go to BearShare.Net and visit the Forums.

You should always periodically visit BearShare.Net to stay informed about BearShare and Gnutella.

Freeloading

Freeloading is taking files without giving, and is highly frowned upon by users who contribute. If you don't have files, you can still contribute by running BearShare, since you are adding the 'glue' necessary to keep the network together. As you download files they are automatically added to your shared directories.

It is very important to share files. Without sharing, the Gnutella community cannot support itself, and the people who are willing to share will become reluctant to support freeloaders.

Make sure you share any files that you download, and any files that you already have. You should see people being uploading from you almost immediately if you have at least a small collection of files.

Sometimes, people think they are sharing but they aren't. To make sure you are sharing, click the "Share files" checkbox in the Uploads page, and make sure you are connected to the Gnutella network by checking "Auto connect".

Also make sure that your software is properly configured for sharing. If you are behind a firewall or proxy, it is especially important that you set the configuration properly. Visit BearShare.Net and post your specific question if you are having trouble sharing.