Help using "Direct Connect" feature

[midwestec]

I often use direct connect with no problem but I am having one. There are times when I'm downloading with no problem but the minute I tend to leave my computer Idle for awhile say half hour or so. I can't seem to download from the host I was browsing. I use direct connect but to no avail. I get the "cannot browse host" Can someone tell me why this happens and can I prevent it or find the same host? Thanks

[Only A Hobo]

well the host may well have gone off line, or their ip number may have changed if it is a changeable number ... This last point may not apply or be possible while a host is on line , I'm a little unsure.

Sometimes it is not possible to browse hosts even if both hosts have everything set up correctly and are both actively trying to connect. possibly restarting LW with new connections can help in this sort of case.

Finding the same host could well be best done by searching for a reasonably rare file that you know they have, this again if they have a changeable ip number

I'm not sure if this helps atall, but please tell me if it does or doesn't

[Lord of the Rings]

Another possible reason you can't reconnect with them is their upload slots have been taken up. And perhaps you lost your connection with them because LW sometimes works in tandem in queue with others uploading. ie: for some mins you're uplding from them, then someome else is, then another person, then it might be your turn again. Do you just lose connection or do you go into waiting mode? But if their upld slots are busy then that explains why you can't direct connect any longer.

I've direct connected to someone & their results were 4 stars. 20 mins later I've redirect connected or browsed them & they were only one or 2 stars. That suggests they suddenly became busy & not many slots or bandwidth available. One or the other or both.

[midwestec]

No I don't lose my connection I just get "waiting for busy hosts". That's when I try to browse the same host and there are times when I can re connect to them but I still can't download from them. And many times their stars are at 4.

[midwestec]

Thanks for replying. I have already tried locating a specific file that I downloaded from the host of my choice. I would browse the host of the specific file but no luck. I usually get "cannot browse host".

[Lord of the Rings]

That means you're in a queue with them. As suggested, you're swapping uplding positions to them with others also. This sometimes happens. It's just how it is & there's not much you can do except search for more sources so you don't have to rely on that one source with the good speeds (or not). So that means they're a popular host for files. Either that or they don't have many slots open for uploading. Well hey.. it's better that than not connecting at all. Try re-searching the topic to see if you can find more sources!

Try broadening your search. Try an AnyType search. Try browsing those that also have the same file from your browse results on the person you're trying to get the file from, etc. Try brain-storming with other possibilities for finding other sources using an any type search. I find these are better than specific file type searches IMHO. Sometimes people misspell filenames, etc. or just rename the same content differently. Using Bitzi lookup can help to give you clues as to what other names the same file might be known under.