The Audiogalaxy Search Engine is used to search a database of FTP sites for files in the MP3 format as well as our own Audiogalaxy music database. Audiogalaxy is not responsible for the specific contents of each site, and Audiogalaxy is not responsible for what you do with the files themselves.

Refer to the diagram for explanations of each part

1. IP Address and Port - An IP Address is a group of four three-digit numbers, separated by decimals (i.e. 123.456.789.634). The IP address is used to identify a machine on the internet whether it be the Microsoft FTP Server, or your neighbors old 386. Usually provided by an ISP in either static or dynamic form, an IP address is what allows the user to connect to another machine on the 'net.

   A port is a location on the server machine that listens for access requests. The conventional port number for FTP is 21, but other numbers are acceptable depending on the configuration on the server. If either the port or the IP address are incorrect you will not be able to connect to the site, so always double check these settings in your FTP client when attempting to connect.

2. Logon/Password - The USER ID and PASSWORD that is needed to connect to the FTP site.

3. Last Checked - This is the last time the indexer checked the status of the site.

4. Chance of Being Open - This is the % chance that a user will be able to connect to this site. Many sites will only allow a set amount of users to access the site at one time. If a site is very popular or the number of users allowed is very low, then this percentage will also be low. A ? means that the site speed is currently unknown.

5. Ratio - If there is a Y or a ratio here, then this site is a Ratio site.

6. Site Speed - This is an indicator that measures the average speed of a site. The more arrows you see, the faster the site.

7. FTP Hot Copy - An easy way to use a Window FTP client. This program will watch the Windows clipboard and connect to any FTP: URL you copy.
   1. Run Internet Neighborhood 4.0

   2. On the Search Results page, highlight the text starting with ftp:// and ending at the end of the line

   3. Type CTRL-C or go to edit->copy in your browser

   4. The FTP program should start connecting to the specified server

   5. Make sure to change your FTP program's retry delay to 60 seconds or more. Otherwise you face a good chance of getting banned from ftp sites for overloading them.

   Macintosh users should also be able to paste this URL into the connection dialog box of Fetch

8. What is a Ratio site?

   A Ratio site is one in which you are required to upload before downloading. Most Ratio sites are set up this way so that the site operator can gain files to add for download and as compensation for providing the server. Download credits are earned when uploading to a Ratio site. For example a site with a ratio of 1:10 would give you 10 MB of download credit for every 1 MB that you uploaded.

1. What is FTP?

   FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and was originally used to transfer files between remote UNIX workstations. Today, it is used for much the same purpose and is a standard protocol to transfer files between remote systems on the Internet.

   There are various methods to access files by FTP, but the most conventional way is through an FTP client. Many browsers can act as such, but it is recommended that you instead use a true client such as Internet Neighborhood, rather than the browser, to connect to these sites.

   You will connect to an FTP site by IP address and you must specify a port number when connecting. FTP sites you connect to will require a login and password. Some sites allow anonymous access and others require a specific login, depending on the level of security the site operator wishes to have. All of this information will be provided when you make a search, so don't worry if all this seems a bit overwhelming.

2. Why don't the links work? / Why do I have to use FTP to get MP3's from your site?

   The protocol supported by the sites in our database is FTP. The files for download WILL NOT be links if they are on a Ratio site, so you will need FTP client software. You should not use your browser to access these sites because some require you to upload and a browser will not allow FTP upload. So if you plan to download MP3's using the Audiogalaxy Search Engine, please obtain a copy of your (or our) favorite FTP client.

3. What are some good FTP clients?

   Here are a few of the more popular FTP clients:

   Win 95/98/NT:

   Internet Neighborhood 4.0 - by Deerfield.com - Integrates FTP right into your Windows Explorer. There's no need for those "Explorer-like" FTP applications when you can use Explorer itself! You may even forget that you're looking at files on a remote FTP site. Internet Neighborhood is the premier FTP shell extension for Windows 95, 98, 2000, ME and NT.

   Mac:

   Fetch 3.0.3 (Shareware) - by Dartmouth Software - Popular Mac FTP client with tons of features, including resume. Free to student and non-profit users.

4. How do I setup my FTP client to connect to sites on Audiogalaxy (Windows)

   Knowing where to place the information and connect to the MP3 FTP sites can be quite confusing for first time FTP users. Below are step-by-step instructions for oneof the more popular FTP clients, which should get the average user up and running in no time.

   Using Internet Neighborhood 4.0

   1. Download Internet Neighborhood from the following URL: http://in.deerfield.com/download
   2. Double-click on the inpro.exe file that was downloaded. This will install Internet Neighborhood.

   3. After installing Internet Neighborhood you will be required to reboot your computer.

   4. After rebooting, you should see the following icon on your desktop.
      

   5. Double clicking this icon will take you to Windows Explorer where Internet Neighborhood is located.
      
      

   6. Here you will see Deerfield.com's FTP Site already setup. To setup a new profile to connect to a new FTP Server double-click the "FTP Site Wizard" icon.

   7. Once in the Wizard, you will want to enter the URL or Hostname of the IP Address. Then enter a User Friendly Site Name. This is what the profile will be saved under.

   8. If this FTP Server requires a User ID and a Password to be entered you will want to select the "Advanced" button.

   9. Here you will want to uncheck the "Login as Anonymous" option and then enter your assigned Username and Password.
      

   10. After you select OK you will see an icon with your sites name on it. Double click this icon to connect to the FTP Server.

   11. To download a file from this FTP Server simply drag the file from the right hand window to a location in the left. This will start the download process. Likewise, to upload a file simply drag a file from the local drive to the FTP Server.

5. Specific Problems with Downloading/Uploading

   Check out this section if you have any problems connecting or downloading from FTP sites on Audiogalaxy.

   1. Why can't I connect to any sites?

      When trying to connect to sites, the best thing to do is make sure all your FTP settings are correct. Check the username and password, the IP Address, and the Port number, and if all of these are correct then there are numerous reasons why you might not be able to connect. A few of these are:

      • The site is down - This rarely happens due to the nature of our site checker, which updates about every 15 minutes. If you are unable to connect to a site, probably it will be for another reason.

      • The site is FULL - The maximum number of users to this site has been reached. You should try again later.

      • You have been banned - Usually only happens if you cause trouble, such as repeatedly attempting to connect to a busy site over a short time (hammering), or uploading unwanted material.

      • You are behind a firewall and/or proxy - Accessing FTP sites through a proxy and/or firewall may not allow access to ports other than 80 or 21. Please consult your system administrator or ISP for instructions on accessing FTP sites through a firewall and/or proxy.

   2. I can't upload/download! What do I do?

      These are common problems with many FTP sites. Usually this has to do with the site operator, more than then the user, but here are a few reasons why you may not be able to upload/download:

      1. Ratio Site - You are trying to download without having uploaded first. Upload to the proper directory (usually named /uploads) and try again.

      2. Banner Site - This is a site that requires you to visit a web page and/or click banner ads (usually pornographic material), in order to gain access to the site. These sites are NOT ALLOWED on Audiogalaxy as they are run for profit. If you run across one of these sites please send e-mail to containing the IP address of the offending site.

      3. Private/Trade-Only Site - A Private site is one that provides a look-only account to Audiogalaxy, and the user must e-mail the operator for access. A Trade-Only site will usually only allow trades of full albums and also require sending e-mail to the operator. These sites are NOT ALLOWED on Audiogalaxy. If you run across one of these sites please send e-mail to containing the IP address of the offending site.

      4. Incorrectly Configured Site - The operator has not correctly configured his site to allow read permissions. These sites are NOT ALLOWED on Audiogalaxy. If you run across one of these sites please send e-mail to containing the IP address of the offending site.

   3. I can't find "Song Title" by Artist! Can you send it to me?

      Sorry. Audiogalaxy does not fill requests. Please try our selection of independent artists to find something you might enjoy.