Getting Started With KDX

First download KDX Client. Then decompress/extract/expand the ".zip" or ".sit" archive file that you downloaded.

Contents of this webpage:

We also have a Frequently Asked Questions page.

 
CONNECTING TO A KDX SERVER

1.  Open the KDX Client program.

2.  Click the "Connect" button in the main button-bar window.

3.  In the "Address" box, type the address of the KDX server. For example, you can find some addresses on the Servers page.

4.  Click the "Connect" button in the Connect window, and KDX will display the progress as it connects to that server.

5.  Click the other buttons in the main button-bar window to explore the server, for example "News" and "Chat".

 
GETTING STARTED WITH KDX FOR VOICE CHAT

If you would like to use KDX like an internet telephone, then here are the instructions. Please note that it is usually easier than it looks -- these instructions are only long because we have purposely been verbose for the benefit of those who need extra assistance.

1.  Both you and the person you want to talk to must be running KDX Client.

2.  One or both of you should now determine the address of the other person. The address is like a telephone number, but on the Internet, we call it an address. Before you can call someone on the telephone, you must know their telephone number, and KDX is the same. In KDX, click "Commands" and then "Show My Address".

3.  Where it says, "Your address for KDX DCC is", this is the address that you need to send to the other person. You could e-mail it. Make sure the address you use is the one that says "DCC". An alternate way of getting your address is to use Haxial's What Is My IP Address? webpage.

4.  Now that you have received the address from the other person, you can connect to it. Connecting is like calling someone on the telephone, but on the Internet, we call it connecting. In KDX, click the "Connect" button.

5.  Set "Type" to "Client/DCC". Leave all of the boxes EMPTY except for "Address". Obviously in the Address box you type the address of the other person that you want to call / connect to. Then click the "Connect" button to begin connecting.

6.  A little window appears to show you the status of connecting. Once this window disappears and if no error message appeared, then you are connected. If you cannot connect, then please the section about that at the end of this webpage.

7.  Click the "Commands" button. At the top of the menu, you should see the name of the person that you connected to. Click it, and a sub-menu appears. Click "Send Message" so that we can test if it is working properly.

8.  A window appears, you can type a message to send to the other person, and then click the "Send" button to send it.

9.  The other person should promptly receive the message. If all is working well, then their "Messages" button will start flashing. Click the flashing button to read the message.

10.  Now if you would like to use Voice Chat, then both people should verify that their computer has speakers which are working and switched on. Actually it would be better if you use headphones because this eliminates the possibility of feedback/echo problems.

11.  Both people will also need to verify that they have a microphone which works. Obviously if your microphone is not working, then the other person will not be able to hear you. This is a very common problem -- people try to Voice Chat with KDX but it doesn't work because their microphone is not working. You can test your microphone and speakers/headphones using Haxial's AudioTester program (download for Windows, download for Mac).

12.  When you used AudioTester, if it was necessary to select a different input or output device before it worked, then you will need to do the same thing in KDX. Click "Commands", then "Settings", then switch to the "Voice Settings" panel in that window.

13.  Okay, so you know your microphone and speakers/headphones work. Now both people should now open their "Voice Controls" window in KDX (click the "Commands" button and then "Voice Controls").

14.  Click "Commands" again, then click the other person as you did when you sent a message before, but this time click "Voice Chat". The person who originally used the "Connect" button (the person who connected to the other person) is the person who should use the "Voice Chat" command. Actually it can be done in reverse, but we recommend against this the first time you use KDX. So 1 person should connect, and the same person should use the "Voice Chat" command.

15.  The "Voice Controls" window contains a list of the people that you are voice chatting with. If a person does not appear in this window, then they cannot hear you. After a moment, the other person should appear in the window.

16.  You can now click the "Start Microphone" button, and then speak into your microphone. This sound should then be transmitted to the other person, and played on their computer.

17.  The quality of the voice chat might below optimal if the "Rate", "Latency", and "Sensitivity" controls in the "Voice Controls" window are set inappropriately. It is especially important for "Sensitivity" to be set correctly. Please see the Documentation file that comes with KDX for instructions on how to set these controls.

 
GETTING STARTED WITH YOUR OWN KDX SERVER

If you would like to start your own KDX Server, then here are the instructions. Why would you want to use KDX Server? Perhaps because you want to transfer files and folders between computers on your LAN (Local Area Network). Or perhaps because you want to create a place on the Internet where your business associates or friends can gather in order to collaborate on a project, or just to chat with each other as a group. KDX Server is designed for use by multiple people simultaneously, and thus it includes features such as accounts and access control.

1.  Download KDX Server. Then decompress/extract/expand the ".zip" or ".sit" archive file that you downloaded.

2.  Run the KDX Server program. The first time you run it, it will ask you for a login and password to use for your administrator account. Enter the login and password that you would like to use. It is important that you choose a long and unguessable password (including multiple words and some numbers and symbols) because if anyone guesses or otherwise gets your administrator login and password, then they will have full access to the computer on which KDX Server is running.

3.  If you leave the "Guest access allowed" option ticked, then people will be able to connect to your server using no password. However, guest users have limited access (for example, by default they are not permitted to delete files).

4.  Put any files or folders that you want to make available to users of the server into the folder "Default" inside the folder "Bases" which is in the same folder as the KDX Server program. If you don't want to move or copy a folder, then you can make a shortcut/alias/symlink to it, and place that into the "Default" folder instead.

5.  Now open KDX Client and click "Connect". Set "Type" to "Server".

6.  Type the address of your server into the "Address" box. If you don't know the address, then you can click on the running KDX Server program to bring it to front, and the address is displayed in the first journal/log entry. Or click the button which looks like [/////], and then "Copy Address To Clipboard". Or you can type an address of 0 to connect to a server on the same computer as KDX Client.

7.  Enter the login and password that you chose previously. Click the Connect button.

8.  You are now connected to your server using the administrator account which has full access. Other people should be able to connect to your server using guest access by leaving the login and password blank (unless you disabled guest access).

9.  To see the files which you made available, click the "Commands" button in KDX Client, then click the name of your server, a sub-menu appears, then click "Files".

10.  If you want to create accounts for other people, click the "Commands" button in KDX Client, then click the name of your server, a sub-menu appears, then click "Accounts".

11.  Please note that KDX Server is almost entirely configured by using KDX Client. This allows you to configure the server remotely, without having to be present at the computer on which the server is running.

 
USING A KDX TRACKER (FINDING SERVERS)

KDX Trackers are a special type of server that keep track of other servers in order to make them easier to find. Using a Tracker, you can obtain a listing of KDX Servers that you can connect to, including the name and description of each server -- like an online directory of servers.

1.  Please don't download KDX Tracker unless you want to run your own tracker. If you just want to USE a tracker, then you do so by using KDX Client, which has the ability to connect to trackers.

2.  Open KDX Client and click "Connect".

3.  Set "Type" to "Tracker".

4.  In the "Address" box, you need to type in the address of a KDX Tracker that you have obtained yourself. Please note that Haxial does not maintain lists of servers or trackers because it would take too much time to moderate them, maintain the lists, etc. You might search elsewhere on the web for help with getting the address of a KDX Tracker.

5.  Leave the other boxes EMPTY.

6.  Click Connect, and wait a moment.

7.  When you see "General" in the list, click it (or any other the other groups).

8.  A list of servers appears in the bottom list after a moment. Click one to connect to it.

9.  You can repeat this process with a different tracker address to find different servers.

 
PROBLEMS TRYING TO CONNECT?

Is it displaying an error message? If so, check the Error Descriptions page. Also, here are the top reasons why connecting fails:

  • If the address that you are trying to connect to is incorrect. Check it.

  • If the address that you are trying to connect to was previously correct, but is no longer correct because it changed. You need to find the new address. Sometimes people change the address of their server, or their ISP changes the address without telling them.

  • If you or the person you are trying to connect to is sharing their Internet access between multiple computers, then that means they are using a router, and the router needs to be configured.

Here are some more reasons why connecting fails:

  • If the version of KDX on the computer that you are trying to connect to is a different and incompatible version. KDX on both of the computers should be upgraded to the most recent version.

  • If you attempt to connect to a computer that is not running the KDX software.

  • If the owner of the remote/other computer has decided to stop running the KDX software or has failed to keep it running.

  • If you attempt to connect to a computer that IS running the appropriate software but you specified the wrong port number. The port number is a number optionally appended to an address. For example, in the address "10.20.30.40:10700" or "bucketinthesky.com:10700", the port number is 10700. It usually identifies which program on the remote computer you want. If no port number is specified in the address, a default number is used.

  • If you attempt to connect to a computer that is behind a router or firewall which is blocking incoming connections. Talk to the Network Administrator or the person in charge of the router/firewall about configuring it to allow access.

  • If you are accessing the internet via a router/firewall/proxy that is blocking most outgoing connections. Schools and companies sometimes have firewalls that permit web browsing but nothing else. Talk to the Network Administrator person about enabling access for you.

  • If you are trying to connect using an address that begins with 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x then that will only work if the computer is located on the same LAN as your computer (ie usually in the same building, or nearby). Otherwise this means that the person has a NAT router which needs to be configured.

  • If there is a problem with the Internet or your connection to the Internet. Sometimes computers on the Internet will become temporarily inaccessible due to faults in the network, equipment failure, equipment maintenance, etc. Solutions include complaining to your ISP, or trying again later.

  • Incorrect login and/or password -- check that you are using the correct login and password. Or maybe guest access is disabled at the server that you are trying to connect to. See the above Error Descriptions page for more information about this error.

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