There are many file sharing applications out there. Some of them specialise in searching MP3 music, while others are designed for finding general-purpose files. This section will describe the most common file searching programs used today:

• WinMX - MP3 file sharing program. Also used for general-purpose file sharing. Offers good results for basic MP3 search, mostly for popular music. It can also connect to various Napster servers. WinMX is suitable for downloading small files, such as MP3 files.
  
  
• SoulSeek - Another MP3 file sharing program. It can be used for general-purpose file sharing. SoulSeek offers excellent search results, making it suitable for finding non-mainstream music. Soulseek is suitable for downloading small files, such as MP3 files, etc.
  
  
• eMule and eMule MODs - Based on the eDonkey2000 file sharing program. Unfortunately, the eDonkey2000 client contains adware - an advertising program. eMule is an eDonkey2000 clone that completely eliminates the adware problem. Modified versions of eMule (referred as "eMule MODs") offer powerful features not available in the standard eDonkey2000 clients. eMule works by downloading files in small chunks from several sources, making them suitable for downloading large files. The eDonkey2000/eMule networks offer all sorts of files, including MP3 music, AVI movies, archive files, etc.
  
  
• KaZaA Lite K++ - This file sharing program is based on the original KaZaA Media Desktop. Unfortunately, KaZaA Media Desktop also contains adware - an advertising program. Therefore, a "hacked up" version was developed that is adware free, called KaZaA Lite K++. It offers the same features as the original KaZaA program. Unfortunately, the KaZaA Lite K++ project was shut down due to legal issues, but it is still available to download here. The KaZaA network provides a variety of files types, including MP3 music, AVI movies, archive files, etc.
  
  
• iMesh - Another general-purpose file sharing program. Its functionality and features are somewhat similar to eDonkey2000. Unfortunately, iMesh also contains an advertising program. iMesh networks offer all sorts of files, including MP3 music, AVI movies, archives, etc.
  
  
• BitTorrent - Unlike most peer-to-peer file sharing programs, BitTorrent does not display a client window. Instead, BitTorrent uses "torrent" links (contained in *.torr or *.torrent files) to initiate downloads. For example, a web site posts a *.torrent link to a particular file. When you click on the link, your browser will start the BitTorrent client installed on your machine. BitTorrent then begins downloading the file. BitTorrent works by downloading files in small chunks from several sources, making them suitable for downloading large files.

eMule is a peer-to-peer file sharing program, based on the eDonkey2000 client. The most notable differences between the two clients is eMule's open source nature. This means eMule is available free to download and you can obtain its source code. More importantly, eMule does not contain annoying adware or advertising spyware. Another advantage of eMule is you can also obtain eMule MODs, which are modified versions of eMule that provides users with additional features.

eMule uses a reward scheme (or a credit system) that works on a user-by-user basis. You are given download credits from a particular eMule user, depending on how much data you uploaded to that user. Therefore, the more data you upload to users, the more download privileges they will reward you. This means a broad band connection is required that allows free uploads (i.e.. uploaded data won't be counted towards your internet usage quota). Finally, eMule is most useful for downloading lots of large files. If you're after small individual MP3 files, you're better off using other peer-to-peer file searching programs (see Section 7.0.1).

eMule is fairly straightforward to setup and use. If you are a fist time user, follow these setup instructions:

1. Download the latest version of eMule. You can either get the original "generic" version at www.emule-project.net, or a modified version from www.emule-mods.de (recommended). The Sivka eMule MOD is probably the most popular version out there at the moment. You will need to download a RAR-packed binary file. These files are usually named eMule0.43b-sivka.v13b2-WinNT-bin.rar or something similar.
   
   
2. Extract the RAR file into your C:\Program Files\ directory (you will need WinRAR or WinACE to open such files). You will see a new directory called C:\Program Files\eMule0.43b-sivka.v13b2-WinNT-bin\ (or something similar). Rename it to something simple such as C:\Program Files\eMule\ - this will be the default eMule directory.
   
   
3. Start the eMule application. You will see the eMule First Runtime Wizard dialog appear. Proceed through the setup instructions and specify a new user name. You will also see other check box settings. You should leave them with the original settings. Finally, you will see the Finish button appear. Click it to close the wizard dialog.
   
   
4. You should see a connection settings dialog appear. Select a Connection Type that best matches your current Internet connection type. It is recommended that you set the Concurrent Downloads to 6-15. Click the Apply button when done.
   
   
5. You will notice that eMule has a number of buttons under the menu bar. Table 7.0 details some of the buttons (note, the icon graphics may look different for some eMule versions).
   
   

   eMule Buttons The Connect button. When you see this icon, eMule is not connected to a server. Click on the button to connect. When eMule is connecting to a server, you will see this icon. You can click on the button to cancel the connection. When you see this icon, eMule is connected to a server. Click on the button to disconnect. The Servers button will display the current server list used by eMule. You can add/remove servers and view error logs. The Kad button will display the current Kademila connection list used by eMule. The Transfers button will list all file transfers selected for downloading. It also displays users downloading files from you (i.e.. uploads). The Search button will let you find files on the connected eMule server. You can select files for downloading and add them to the Transfers list. The Shared Files button will display all the files that is currently shared. It will also display the files you're currently downloading. The Messages button will let you to view messages sent by a user. You can also use it to send messages. The IRC button lets you chat on a IRC network. The Statistics button will display all the download and upload statistics for the current eMule session. The Preferences button allows you to configure eMule. Table 7.0

   
   
6. Before you connect to a server, you will need to configure eMule with the optimal settings. Click on the Preferences button. This will open the Preferences dialog box.
   
   
7. Click on the Connection icon in the menu. This will display all the settings related to your Internet connection. Make sure that the Clientport set to 4662 for TCP and 4672 for UDP (Note: If your machine is protected by a hardware firewall, see Section 7.0.4). Also make sure that the check boxes corresponds to the settings shown in Figure 7.2. If you wish, you can adjust the Download and Upload Limits (don't set the Upload Limit to the maximum, because this will slow down your Internet connection). Finally, the Capacities corresponds your connection speed in Kilo Bytes per Second.
   
   

   Figure 7.2

   
   
8. Click on the Server icon in the menu. Figure 7.3 shows the optimal settings. Enable the Remove dead server setting, and set it anywhere between 6 to 10 retries. This will automatically remove old/inactive servers from the server list.
   
   

   Figure 7.3

   
   
9. Click on the Directories icon in the menu. These preferences specifies where the downloaded and temporary files are stored (see Figure 7.4). The Incoming Files setting specifies where eMule should place new files once they're downloaded. The Temporary Files path is where eMule keeps incomplete downloads. It is highly recommended that you keep the Temporary Files on the drive with the most available space. Finally, the Shared Directories browser will enable you to share some local files.
   
   

   Figure 7.4

   
   
10. Click on the Files icon in the menu. For extra security, change the See my share setting to Nobody. This prevents other users from obtaining a complete list of your shared files. Also make sure you enable Intelligent Corruption Handling. This will minimise the chance of downloading broken files. As for the other settings, use Figure 7.5 as a guide.
    
    

    Figure 7.5

    
    
11. Click on the Extended Settings from the menu (Note: This option may not be available on some eMule versions). Set the Safe .met/.dat file writing to Always (Figure 7.6). This allows eMule to perform extra checks when saving partially downloaded files. It is a safety measure that makes sure files are written properly on the hard drive, which minimises file corruption during a computer crash (believe me, it will happen one day).
    
    

    Figure 7.6

    
    
12. Click OK to apply the new settings and close the Preferences box.
    
    
13. Go into the server list (click on the Servers button). Sort the list according to the number of users connected per server. You can do this by clicking on the Users field just above the list. Pick the server with the most users, right-click on it and Connect To Selected Server as shown in Figure 7.7.
    
    

    Figure 7.7

    
    
14. eMule is now ready to download files. Use the Search button to find downloadable files.
    
    
15. The latest eMule versions also support a new feature called the Kademila client. Kademila is a network that does not rely on central servers to estabilish peer-to-peer connections. It can greatly improve the performance of file downloads and peer-to-peer connections. To access the Kademila network, click on the Kad button. You will see a Boostrap panel on the right (see Figure 7.8). Click on the Boostrap button to connect.
    
    

    Figure 7.8

    
    

Now that you have eMule setup correctly, you should take note of the following:

• eMule Configuration Data - eMule stores its configuration, server lists, IP filters and credit files in a directory called C:\Program Files\eMule\config\. You should create regular backups of this directory, especially when you upgrade eMule to a new version. See Section 7.0.5 for details.
  
  
• Update the Server List Regularly - It is important to update eMule's server list every 2 or 3 days, because many servers go off-line. See Section 7.0.3 for details.
  
  
• Update the IP Filter Regularly - eMule uses an IP filter to increase peer-to-peer security by blocking unwanted IP addresses. The IP filter is stored in a file called ipfilter.dat and it is located in the C:\Program Files\eMule\config\ directory. The ipfilter.dat file should be updated at least once a month. To update this file, see Section 7.0.6 for details.
  
  
• Don't Throttle the Upload Limit Too High - If you set the Upload Limit too high in the Connection settings (located in the Preferences dialog), your Internet connection will decrease in performance. It is always a good idea to leave a 30% overhead for other Internet tasks, such as browsing the web, etc.
  
  
• eMule Servers Can Ban You - If you abuse your eMule client, some servers will ban you from connecting. For example, if you frequently connect/disconnect to a server or frequently start/resume a particular download, you can get banned. Some servers also allow only a limited number of file searches before they temporarily ban you.
  
  
• Search Strings - Keep your search strings short and simple. If your search string is too specific, the search results will be poor. Therefore, it makes sense to use only a few keywords in the search string. For example, if you want to find material related to "Bruce Lee - Game of Death", use a search string such as "Bruce Game Death", etc.
  
  
• Change Search Methods - The default search method works by querying the current eMule server you're connected to. However, you can search various other networks to improve your results. Furthermore, latest eMule releases will allow you to search on the new Kademila network. You can even search files on the web trough the eMoogle and FileDonkey search engines. To change the search method, use the Method pulldown menu as shown in Figure 7.9. Note: Kademila searches tend to take longer compared to Server searches, so be patient.
  
  

  Figure 7.9

  
  
• Downloads May Not Start Immediately - If you selected some files to download, the transfers will not start immediately. There could be a number of reasons for this: 1.) You don't have enough credits to start downloading immediately and you will be queued; 2.) There are not many sources available; 3.) There are too many users wanting the same file. Either way, the download will eventually start as you gather more credits (i.e.. download privileges) in time. The number of sources per file will also increase as eMule finds more clients (with the same file) on the network.
  
  
• Download Large Files - As stated earlier, eMule is only suitable for downloading large files, especially many large files. You should prepare to run eMule over long periods of time, possibly for several days. If you only want the odd 20MB file now and then, eMule is NOT the best choice.
  
  
• Obtaining More Information and Help - Visit the official eMule home page (www.emule-project.net) and open the Help & Support section. You will find plenty of help and other information relating to eMule.

It is important to update the server list every 2 or 3 days, because many servers go off-line. You should also perform this update straight after installing eMule, because the original server list is probably out of date by now.

1. Start eMule and view the server list by clicking on the Servers button. Right-click on one of the server entries and select Remove All Servers from the pop-up menu. This will clear the list.
   
   
2. Open a web browser and visit the ed2k.has.it or www.emule-mods.de site. These pages will list the most up-to-date server lists for eMule. Click on one of the Add to eMule links on the web page. This action automatically updates eMule.
   
   Optional: You can manually update eMule by downloading the server.met file directly off the above web sites. If you choose this method, make sure eMule is not running. You will need to save the new server.met file into the C:\Program Files\eMule\config\ directory and replace the old file.
   
   
3. Once the server list is updated, close eMule (if you haven't already) and restart it. Done.

eMule stores its configuration, server lists, IP filters and credit files in a directory called C:\Program Files\eMule\config\. Another important directory to remember is the C:\Program Files\eMule\TEMP\ directory. Preserving these settings is straightforward, just follow these steps:

1. Close the eMule application.
   
   
2. Before you upgrade eMule, it is essential that you create a backup of the C:\Program Files\eMule\config\ directory. You can do this by moving the entire config directory into a backup location. Dont forget to backup the C:\Program Files\eMule\TEMP\ directory, because this is where the incomplete downloads are stored. (Note: If the TEMP directory is in a different location, you don't need to move it.)
   
   
3. You can safely delete the entire C:\Program Files\eMule\ directory.
   
   
4. Install the new eMule application. Follow the steps outlined in Section 7.0.2. Once the setup is complete, make sure you closed the eMule application.
   
   
5. Now restore (or move back) the entire config and TEMP directory (if applicable) from your backup location into the C:\Program Files\eMule\ directory. Make sure you overwrite existing files.
   
   
6. Start eMule and you will find that all settings are restored.

eMule stores its IP filter file, called ipfilter.dat, in the C:\Program Files\eMule\config\ directory. You can update this file by using a program called Blocklist Manager. This program can be also used to to create IP filters for other peer-to-peer filesharing progrmams, such as KaZaA, etc.

1. Download, install the Blocklist Manager application and run it.
   
   
2. Click on the Check Sources icon. This will allow the program to access IP filters from the newest servers.
   
   
3. Click on the Download Blacklists icon. The application should start dowloading the latest blacklisted IP addresses. Note: It may take a while to access some of the blacklisted IP addresses, so be patient. When the download is complete, you should see a list of IP addresses updated in the main window.
   
   
4. To export these blacklisted IP addresses, click on the Convert button, which will open a small Convert... window.
   
   
5. Use the Convert to Output for pulldown menu select the eMule/cDonkey/IPFilter.dat option. (As you can see, there are options for other peer-to-peer programs, but we choose eMule in this example.)
   
   
6. Click on the Convert button. After a while, you should see list of IP addresses appear in the small window. If you get a dialog box stating that there were some errors during the conversion, click OK to ignore it.
   
   
7. Now click the Save As... button. Choose the Save as type to Data Files (*.dat).
   
   
8. Browse to the C:\Program Files\eMule\config\ directory, backup the old ipfilter.dat file (just rename it to ipfilter.old.dat or something similar), and save new file as ipfilter.dat.
   
   
9. You should close eMule (it it's running) and restart it again.