-- AIM Configuration --

To make AIM connect through this program:
    1. Go to Preferences.
    2. Go to the "Sign On/Off" category.
    3. Click the "Connection" button.
    4. Enter the following information:
           Host: 127.0.0.1
           Port: 51900

After you have set AIM to use this server, then you will only be able to connect if AIM FixDC is running.  To restore AIM to normal operation, go back to the connection settings, and push the "Auto Configure" button.

In order to make file transfers work, go to the "File Transfer" Category in AIM Preferences, and put 4443 in the "Port number to use" box.



-- Router Configuration --

To allow the incoming connections to get through your router, you must forward TCP port 4443 to the computer you will be Direct Connecting from.



-- Multiple Clients --

If you have more than one computer that needs to be able to direct connect, then you will use the "Replace Port" feature.  Pick a unique port for each computer to use (for example: 44431, 44432, 44433, etc.) and, for each computer, forward the port you selected to port 4443 on the client.  Then enter that same port into the "Replace Port" box in AIM FixDC.

For example, if you have a client with an IP of 192.168.0.1, and you choose to use port 44431, then your router should be configured to listen on port 44431, and forward to 192.168.0.1, port 4443.

I've noticed that when you're connecting to someone who has a version of AIM older than 5.0, the port number will be ignored, and the remote user will always attempt to use 4443.  Therefore, if you need to direct connect to people who use AIM 4.x, then you should set the computer you use most often to use 4443.



-- Other Notes --

Note that AIM FixDC does not work in all cases.  For example, AIM Talk chooses a different port every time a connection is made.  However, you might be able to get other stuff working by forwarding the port listed in AIM FixDC's log when you connect.