[Regicide]

I am looking to set up a single file sharing program (not the illegal kind). To better describe what I want to do, this is how the idea came along. A few weeks back my friends and I were having a LAN party at our friends apartment. When we went to go play a new game, not everyone had the update patch. So, what we had to do was basically load the patch from one computer to a USB pen... then pass it around the room. As you can imagine, this took some time. Anyway, what I would like to do is be able to host a file from one computer, e.g. the patch or a saved game, then broadcast it throughout the network so everyone can get it at the same time with the client program I make. I am doing this program in C++ using Winsock. I haven't coded anything yet, but here is my idea of how it will run:
1. Ask user for file
2. Broadcast IP
3. Each time new connection is established, open a new thread to send the file
4. Once file is sent, do a MD5 checksum on it to check validity
I can do everything, except I am not too familiar with threads, an I have no idea how to broadcast my IP. My guess is that this program will be using the TCP/IP protocal. Anyway, any suggestions are very welcome

[Gibble]

why not just share a folder on your pc?

[Rockn]

If you were really creative (doesn't take much for this suggestion) set up a web server on your PC and you can list the files directory style and they can all access them from the LAN via their web browser.

[Regicide]

Lame

[Squashman]

It is almost like trying to reinvent the wheel. One of the first things I learned when I went to school was an acronym called K.I.S.S. KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID.

You could also use Direct Connect and make a private hub that only you and your friends are allowed to access.

You dont really want to be broadcasting your IP out on the network. That takes up bandwidth.