Emule Server List Auto Update
To ensure your eMule client consistently connects to reliable, non-fake servers, you can configure it to automatically update its server list upon every startup. Manual Configuration for Auto-Update
You can set up a persistent update source by following these steps:
Access Preferences: Open your eMule client and click the Preferences button in the top toolbar.
Server Settings: Select the Server category from the left-hand menu.
Enable Auto-Update: Check the box labeled "Auto-update server list at startup". emule server list auto update
Edit the URL List: Click the List... button next to this option. This will open a text file (typically addresses.dat) in Notepad.
Add a Source: Paste a valid URL for a server.met file (for example, http://emule-security.org) into the first line of the document. Save and Close: Save the text file and close Notepad.
Finalize Preferences: Click Apply or OK in the Preferences window. One-Time Manual Update
If you don't want an automatic update at every startup, you can perform a manual update at any time: Go to the Servers tab. To ensure your eMule client consistently connects to
Find the box labeled "Update server.met from URL" on the right side.
Paste your chosen server.met link and click the Update button. Recommended Security Settings
To prevent your list from being populated by malicious or fake "anti-P2P" servers, experts recommend these additional tweaks:
Disable Dynamic Updates: Uncheck "Update server list when connecting to a server" and "Update server list when a client connects" to keep your list strictly based on your trusted URL. Health checking and scoring
IP Filtering: In Preferences > Security, enable "Filter servers too" to block known bad actors. Download Emule Kad Server List - Google Groups
Health checking and scoring
- On add, perform lightweight health checks (TCP connect on port) in a rate‑limited pool.
- Maintain metrics: lastSeen, latency, successRate, sourceCount, verifiedSig.
- Compute a score for ordering servers used for connection attempts.
- Demote or quarantine servers based on failed attempts; re‑try after backoff period.
8. Troubleshooting Auto-Update Problems
| Problem | Likely Cause | Solution |
|---------|--------------|----------|
| "Failed to download server.met" | URL dead or HTTPS mismatch | Replace URL; try HTTP version |
| Servers remain empty after update | File corrupted or wrong format | Manually download & check with met file reader |
| eMule crashes after update | Merged corrupted entries | Restore from backup server.met.old (eMule creates one) |
| Auto-update option grayed out | Old eMule version (<0.50a) | Upgrade or use external script |
| Duplicate servers appear | Multiple merges | Enable "Remove duplicate servers" (right-click Servers pane) |
3. How eMule Server Lists Work
eMule uses server.met files – a binary format storing:
- Server IP address and port (usually 4661, 4665, or 4242)
- Server name, description, and priority flags
- Ping and user counts (when updated)
Auto-update replaces or merges the local server.met with a freshly downloaded version.