Direct connect & browse host work best if you & the others have chat enabled (tools > options > chat. Tick enable chat & apply). Also, if you or your friends are firewalled, that makes it hard if not impossible.

Here's some info on using DC & also browse host
http://www.gnutellaforums.com/showth...threadid=37676
(check out the info within about firewall config etc)

and some on problems with DC
http://www.gnutellaforums.com/showth...248#post190248