F.a.q. proposal
 

What Phex is really missing is a good faq for new users.
I understand that at the moment, the development team is only 2 persons, Gregor and Peter, and we can't expect them to to everything.
So what if some of the more experienced users start writing on a faq and make it sticky ?
I am willing to contribute

RaaF

As a new user, it would sure be appriciated. Most of what I do is in a Windows platform. I've bumbled through setting up the Java environment, but it looks like I've got a ways to go!

FF

Installing Phex for Windows
 

Installing Phex,

This is simple, just unzip the zipfile you downloaded to the directory of your choise.
That's all, no instalation, no setup !

Now in order to run Phex, you need a Java Runtime Enviroment (JRE)
If it is not yet installed on your system you can download it HERE .
Have you used Limewire ? ok don't bother about downloading and installing the JRE, Phex runs on the JRE that came with Limewire.

Starting Phex,
If you go to the directory where you unzipped the Phex-zipfile you downloaded, you will find a phex.jar file.
Try double clicking on it and phex should start up.

If this fails you need to change the application Windows uses, to open a .jar file.
R-click on the phex.jar file and choose:
open with > select programme > browse the list with programme's you'll see and choose "javajaw"
Don't forget to mark "always use this programme to....."
(sorry I am using a dutch version of windows an don't know what it says in other language versions)

The simpelest way to start-up Phex in future times is to make a shotcut to your desktop from the phex.jar file (just R-click again to make the shortcut)
And if you want the Phex shortcut to look better, you could try the Icon that's added.

Connection Problems
 

As Gnutella is a decenteralised network your client needs IP adresses that run a gnutella client in order to connect .
Normally Phex gets these adresses from the Hostcaches in your Auto Connect Hosts screen ( C ) and they are stored in your Host Catcher screen ( D )
But sometimes the default hostcaches don't work for several reasons (to busy, offline) ,so in order to get adresses you could try 3 possible solutions.

1 The first thing you could try is to add exta hostcaches in your Auto Connect Hosts screen ( C ).
At gnutella uk they keep a list of working hostcaches.
Here are a few from their list you could add, Just copy (crtl-c) and paste (crtl-v) them to the box above your Auto Connect Hosts screen and click add.

gnet2.ath.cx:6346
gnutella-again.hostscache.com:6346
gnutella.hostscache.com:6346
gnotella.fileflash.com:6346
public.bearshare.net:6346


2 You could go to a "manual hostcache" Gnufrog and copy a adress from their website into the connect box ( B ) and click connect.
If this fails just use another adress, once you are connected to a client you will get more adresses from that client.


3 You can download a large phex.hosts file from the Phex developers site at Sourceforge
Just place this file into your phex directory where your phex.cfg is located and also raise the value mNetMaxHostToCatch in your phex.cfg file to 3000 or higher.

At gnutella uk they also have a hosts file, they call it a gnutella.net file.
You can copy the adresses from that file and replace the adresses in your phex.hosts file (use a tekst editor like notepad to open your phex.hosts file)


If your Hostcatcher screen is nicely filled, but all connection attempts in the Connections screen ( A ) fail,
(this possible becouse the adresses you have don't always have a Gnutella client running)
you could refresh your Host Catcher screen by clicking reset so you get fresh adresses to connect to.
And make shure Auto Connect is enabled

Connection settings?
 

Can anyone describe the connection settings? For example, what does "maximum bandwidth" refer to? Is that how much of my total bandwidth will be used for any Phex function, or does it only refer to one type of connection or what?

I'm trying to figure out how to adjust my settings so I can:
- conduct searches well
- contribute my files well
- download at reasonable speed
- still surf the web without slowdown

With DSL, I can get pretty good download speed, but only 64 upload. I don't want Phex to use all that upload speed because a lot of web browsing requires two-way communication....


P.S. Using MacPhex, OS X http://homepage.mac.com/macxster/index.html#macphex

Connection settings (not yet)
 

The connection settings in the new 0.6.2 version look pretty straight forward to me, and are a great improvement when compared with the earlier versions.

But before you start to adjust, make shure you got an global idea of how the gnutella network works.
The Knowbuddy's gnutella FAQ is a good place to go .

I suggest to just play around a bit with your bandwith settings in order to get the performance you want .

New user question
 

Well, I am a new user to p2p in general. From a plethora on gnutella clients, I arbitrarily chose Phex.. (well, 2 vague reasons - java, and cause LimeWire failed to install)..

How do I actually use these clients? Is there a FAQ? (guess not as per the earlier post) or any place on a web which describes how to use these clients in general??

I am a developer and am willing to contribute too, once I get a feel of things.

Thanks.

Re: Installing Phex for Windows
 

I made this one; just sharing it in case anyone wants it:

http://saskatoon.d2g.com:1248/phex.ico

Looks good !

Re: Installing Phex for Windows
 

As mentioned in another thread, JRE 1.4 is out and Phex seems to run better on it in Windows.