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VPN and privacy on Direct Connect

By default, other people on the network can see more than you might expect. This page covers what is visible, how a VPN helps, what to watch for, and how copyright enforcement differs by country.

What others can see​

  • The hub sees your IP address, nick, share, chat, and searches.
  • In active mode, other clients connect directly to you for transfers, so they see your IP too.
  • On a hub without TLS, anyone watching the network path can read chat and searches. See Active vs. passive mode.

Your IP address is the piece that identifies you.

What a VPN does​

A VPN routes your traffic through its server, so peers and the hub see the VPN's IP instead of your real one. For filesharing this is the main privacy gain: it hides the IP that copyright enforcement relies on.

It is not full anonymity. The hub still sees whatever you reveal, like your nick and chat, and a VPN does not encrypt your DC traffic on its own. For encryption, use TLS hubs (ADCS or NMDCS).

The port catch​

Direct Connect needs about three ports for active mode: TCP for transfers, TCP for TLS transfers, and UDP for search. Many VPNs do not allow port forwarding, which leaves you stuck in passive mode and its limits. Pick a VPN that supports port forwarding, ideally several ports.

VPNs that work with DC​

The links below are referral links that help support DCVault.

  • AirVPN lets you forward up to five ports, which suits Direct Connect well. Tested and working. This is our pick, and there is a full AirVPN setup guide.
  • Hide.me opens ports automatically through UPnP. Tested and working.

This is general information, not legal advice, and the rules change. The point is that almost all enforcement starts from your IP address.

  • Germany: the most aggressive. Law firms send mass cease-and-desist letters (Abmahnungen) based on logged IPs, demanding a signed declaration and a payment that is often in the four figures.
  • Rest of Western Europe: more graduated. France runs a warning and strike system (formerly HADOPI, now under the regulator ARCOM) that can escalate to fines. The UK leans on ISP warning letters. Mass-letter campaigns like Germany's are the exception.
  • Eastern Europe: enforcement is generally less aggressive and varies a lot by country.
  • USA: no German-style letters, but copyright trolls file mass lawsuits against IP-identified "Doe" defendants and use high statutory damages to push settlements. ISPs also forward infringement notices.
  • China: enforcement is inconsistent and works differently. The bigger factor is heavy state control of the internet.

Privacy tips​

Keep it private
  • Do not use your real name.
  • Do not reveal private data.
  • Stay careful and use common sense.