How Peer Cache Servers and hosts files work

[Gemini777]

This explaination was contributed by Son-of-Sam.


If you're not very computer savvy, much of what I talk about will be initially over your head- but as you read on hopefully everything will be explained. At the end of my post is a link to an excellent explanation of some of the technical terms such as "peer cache server", "WinMX Peer Network" "primary connection" and "secondary connection." My explanations are not 100% accurate- just as you can't bring me completely up to date in your field with one article, some generalizing must be done. But hopefully it will be in terms that can be understood by the end, if not sooner.

As of Sept 20'th, 2005 winmx.com and all its peer cache servers have disappeared. This means two things. First, anyone doing a fresh install of WinMX or running the Setup Wizard will fail the TCP and UDP packet test. During the test your computer tries to communicate with WINMX.COM, which no longer exists. After the test fails you're given the option to configure ports manually- which is what everyone will need to do from now on. If you do this, and if you don't need to use a SOCKS proxy and if you can send and recieve TCP and UDP packets and if you have a broadband connection you should still be able to make a primary connection. If you were on WinMX before Sept 20'th as a Primary connection, you should be able to do so again after you follow the steps below. The second- and greater- problem with the loss of the peer cache servers was that without them nobody was able to establish a connection to the WinMX Peer Network (hereafter referrred to as WPN). What this means is that unless you make some changes WinMX can run virtually forever and never connect to the WPN- no file transfers for you!

If you were able to connect to the WPN in the past, you do not need to change any settings in WinMX itself. In fact, doing so is likely to cause more problems and is extremely unlikely to solve any!

While the exact reason for loss of the peer cache servers is right now unclear- there are two popular theories, but no definite answers- the WinMX community has banded together and come up with solutions.

When you first fire up WinMX, it tries to connect with a peer cache server at winmx.com. There are thousands of people running WinMX right at that time and connected to the WPN, and all you have to do is find them in order to connect to the WPN yourself. The peer cache servers direct your computer to several people who are already on the WPN, and the WinMX running on your ocmputer connects to their WinMX running on their computers and viola- you've joined the WPN. The problem is that winmx.com and their peer cache servers no longer exist- so your WinMX gets no response, and you never get to join the WPN. The solution that the WinMX community (actually a handful of people) came up with is to set up their own peer cache servers. Which in and of itself is useless- your copy of winMX is looking to find them at winmx.com, and they're not there!

It's time for a little lesson, in layman's terms, of how computers find each other on the internet. The best analogy I can come up with (actually I think someone else used this years ago and I'm repeating it, but I forget who so I can't give credit) involves people names and telephone numbers. When you wan tto get to winmx.com or any other site on the internet the name does nothing for your computer. Just as when you want to call "John Smith" that does nothing for you. You need John Smith's telephone number, and your computer needs the Internet Protcol (IP) address. The IP address is four numbers from 0-255 separated by a "." such as 205.63.127.5 When you type "www.winmx.com" into your web browser, your computer looks that name up in the phone book, called a Domain Name Server (DNS). The nearest DNS will usually be at your Internet Service Provider (ISP). If it's not found there, your ISP's DNS checks with a regional DNS- much like you looking in another town's phone book if it's not in your phone book. This is where the "fix" comes into play. Just as you can record important phone numbers to save time looking them up, your computer can record important IP addresses to save time looking them up. This is stored in a file called "hosts" in a specific location on your computer. This "hosts" file is a speed-dial on your telephone. By putting the addresses of the new peer cache servers in this "hosts" file, your computer will communicate with them when you try to go to winmx.com instead of being sent to the old peer cache servers which are offline.

Simple solution, but not one that was easy to implement. It's still very much a work in progress, but progress is being made. The following link will direct you to where you can find the installer for the hosts file as well as instructionson what to do. What I've written does NOT replace any of the directions on this page. Just because you've read my post does not mean you should skip anything on the following page!

This is the automated installer, and will work in most cases. Connection times can be higher than before, please allow WinMX at least ten minutes to connect before you panic. If you are not conencted after ten minutes, go back to the link above and make sure you followed all of the instructions on this page, especially the ones directing you what to do if you still can't connect. Go to the link for Operation PIE now, but come back here and read further if you have problems afterwards.

This project has been name Operation PIE, and you can get PIE Patch here:http://www.vladd44.com/mx/peercaches.php

If you've followed all the previous directions and were patient enough to wait ten minutes (note: times will improve in the future!) then come back to the forums here for help. Odds are pretty good that any problem you've had, someone else has already had- most of the time you'll be able to solve your problems by reading posts other people made. If you have a truly unique problem there are a bunch of people here who would be willing to help you, however if it's a problem that's been addressed before multiple times and you didn't bother to look, then expect a wiseass answer from us.

For more info on how the WPN functions, see Gemini's post here: http://www.vladd44.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=5821
This is the explanation of peer cache servers, WPN and primary versus secondary connections I promised you back at the beginning.