Question for newsgroups experts

[cooljoe666]

I have been reading and posting to newsgroups for years. Lately my messages are'nt posting to the groups. I have tried using NewsBin, Grabit, Power-Post, and Outlook. I am using all the same settings and retrieving works okay, the programs always say POST OK, or SUCCESS, or 240 OK. I can upload numerous files with POWERPOST but 2 days later and no posts. Have tried with 2 different newsgroups. Any ideas??

[cooljoe666]

Just tried posting to a newsgroup containing 13 articles. Though maybe since nobody posts to this group my message would be quick to post. 10 minutes later and no dice. SH!T

[stiltman]

Are you trying to post binaries? Not all news server allow binaries to be posted to non binary groups.

If you're just posting text, trying posting to one of the test groups.

Plus, some news servers have a cluster of severs for posting and another for storage and peering. Make sure they servers haven't changed.

[cooljoe666]

These are all biinary groups. There are about 7 groups I post to and the same problem exists for all of em. I tried using several text groups still with no luck. I have done this for a long time but all of a sudden my posts aren't showing up. I don't know if you are familiar with PowerPost but queing up numerous files and watching them get posted in parts and completed THEN still not seeing them on the group is a real Rod Serling.

[The village idiot]

Well I'm somewhat familiar with powerpost, normally it won't give you a post OK unless the server says it has received the posts. Only thing I can think of, is that your server is screwing you. Maybe that server has a VERY short retention. What server are you using for the posts, and what server are you using to read the posts? I have often seen a 20 minute wait between when I send messages and when I see the headers show up, using Giganews for both posting and reading. If you are getting a zero percentage of listed posting, then something is wrong. You should at least see incomplete posts, or at least 1 message out of each "chunks" that you post. You said these are posting to binaries groups, but are you posting as "one big message" or are you breaking the files up into chunks with something like winrar. Also how large are the individual messages? Sometimes if the messages are too large 8000+ lines, or are too small 2000- lines, then the server might reject them. Small posts equal spam, and large posts equal something else. Your size for the number of lines should be between 2500 and 5000 lines per message.

And now one stupid question... You haven't plonked yourself have you?

If you want I could check for you, just PM the groups and the message subject to look for. Giganews has about 14 days retention for all the binaries groups and 30 days for the popular ones.

[teegee420]

I finally gave up on posting a month or so ago. I had recently begun posting for the first time and successfuly for a few months. Then one day I noticed only 15 percent of my posts were showing up. That number quickly dwindled to 0. I was in contact with my ISP for 2-3 weeks letting them know of the problem because it was their news server I was using. They offered no solution and were unable to fix the problem. I even tried using a premium server to post to and nothing. My ISP is Adelphia Powerlink by the way. It's a shame because I really wanted to give back to the to some of the groups I downloaded from.

[cooljoe666]

Hmm,

My ISP is Powerlink also. I have an MFIRE dial-up account I kept because adelphia's news server sucks and MFIRE uses supernews.netrelated.com . No limits. I am not a big poster but I do favors and fill in where others don't. I have used several servers over the years and supernews seems to have high numbers and good retention. I just don't understand why my posts are gone. I did a test today. Using my Adelphia news server I posted on several groups that are also found on supernews. The messages showed up fine in a matter of seconds. Then I tried again using Supernews server and still no post. I am using the supernews server through my Powerlink ISP. Does this mean that MFIRE has nothing to do with it?? Like I am just logging into supernews bypassing MFIRE.

[Faustus]

This may be out in left field but make sure the date and time is correct on your system clock. Thats the only thing that ever stopped me from posting before.

[cooljoe666]

I'll try that but why would that affect posting....I am curious.

Actually my time and date are always correct.

[cooljoe666]

Hey teegee, what news server did you use with adelphia that you had problems with?

[teegee420]

I tried using nntp, news1, news2, and news3. All with the same results. Although to be fair, I haven't tested to see if they are currently working for at least a week or so.

[cooljoe666]

I wondered if you used those. They work but they highly filter their groups so there aren't many articles on any of em.

[Faustus]

I'll try that but why would that affect posting....I am curious.

Actually my time and date are always correct.

I know that the few times I've posted on usenet with AGent that if you date and or time are off, especually the date, the server will reject your post.

[cooljoe666]

Hmm,

That's good info. I try to keep my time and date set with the national. It usually sets itself upon a clean install but has never been a problem. I definitely think the problem has something to do with Supernews but where the membership comes free with an MFIRE dialup account I am not sure who is responsible for the problem. The NNTP is supernews.netrelated.com . I guess that is www.supernews.com??

[The village idiot]

I have seen a free server recommended, don't know if it works or not:

news.tele.dk


Slow 185Kbps (25) From aprox 04-05 pm to 01 am
Fast 512Kbps (60) Between 01 am and 04-05 pm

Might be worth tracking down for a test.

I know giganews and easynews are good, most likely usenetserver is good too. Yes they are all pay servers, but if you are a serious binaries user, you will need something that is complete and stores messages for a good amount of time.

[cooljoe666]

hehe,

thanks for the good info idiot.

news.tele.dk doens't seem to work.

[Faustus]

I have seen a free server recommended, don't know if it works or not:

news.tele.dk


Slow 185Kbps (25) From aprox 04-05 pm to 01 am
Fast 512Kbps (60) Between 01 am and 04-05 pm

Might be worth tracking down for a test.

I know giganews and easynews are good, most likely usenetserver is good too. Yes they are all pay servers, but if you are a serious binaries user, you will need something that is complete and stores messages for a good amount of time.

Good info, I've used alot of the usenet services and so far I've stuck with easynews, they are very good.

I wish Agent (my prefered reader) supported checking a second server for missing parts because then that info would be REALLY handy.

[cooljoe666]

I am trying to understand newsgroups and servers and rerouting. For instance, in Outlook I vreated a news account w/ Supernews, then I created another one for Adelphia. I clicked on the adelphia server and clicked NEW POST but I changed the drop down box to Supernews to send the message to. When it showed up the message showed Supernews routing through the Adelphia server. I am not quite undertstanding why this does it.

[The village idiot]

Yeah, I got checking that server too, couldn't find how to set up an account. Might help if I could read German

NewsBin pro and 2 or more servers rules! I really like the option to limit the bandwidth that Newsbin uses. That way you can surf while it works, when you are done surfing, set it back to max speed, and it will maximize your connection. Just use more than 1 connection at a time. I have found that 4 simultaneous connections will max out about any connection with a good server.

You actually use Outlook Distress? Try Xnews, it's free and WAY better than Outlook. Outlook is the butt end of all jokes on Usenet. http://xnews.newsguy.com/

[cooljoe666]

hehe,

actually I use Newsbin Pro cause I like viewing attachments before they complete. I was just using outlook for a test because Newsbin kept downloading certain text as an image file and ruined the text inside. But that's another story.

[Faustus]

As far as readers go, I likely will never use NewbinPro. I mean I'll check it out, but at this point I'm so stuck on Forte Agent its not funny. I won't even do ANY usenet on a mac because of Agent. I'm spoiled, still I have a few feature request if they ever ask me, and 2 or more severs is one of them.

[cooljoe666]

Hmm,

I used Agent one time and liked it but had to switch because it kept freezing on me. Don't really know why. It's a good one though.

[stiltman]

As far as readers go, I likely will never use NewbinPro. I mean I'll check it out, but at this point I'm so stuck on Forte Agent its not funny. I won't even do ANY usenet on a mac because of Agent. I'm spoiled, still I have a few feature request if they ever ask me, and 2 or more severs is one of them.

Yep, I'm the same way....I've tried a bunch of them, but Agent has always been the one I stick with and that's been for the last 8 years

[Faustus]

Yeah been using it for about 10 years here. It just perfectly suited to the way I use the usenet. Other programs have neat features but I feel like I'm fighting them. I've been using agent so long my friends call me when they have free agent issues, I can't count the number of times I've had to help them customize their purge options because they never seem to remember how.

[cooljoe666]

I'll have ta try it again. Since the time it froze I did a clean install for Win2k since I had too many programs installed at once. Funny,
some of my messages are posting today, not all though. Alittle too I might add. Everyone showed up on Adelphia but 1.5 days later some showed up on Supernews server. They must be havin some issues.

[stiltman]

Yeah been using it for about 10 years here. It just perfectly suited to the way I use the usenet. Other programs have neat features but I feel like I'm fighting them. I've been using agent so long my friends call me when they have free agent issues, I can't count the number of times I've had to help them customize their purge options because they never seem to remember how.

How many other programs have the header tweaks Pre-loading the headers and all....

And ya can't forget about Mad Hatter's website

[cooljoe666]

umm,

You just won me over. I haven't been paying enough attention. I hafta try Agent again with those tweaks.

[stiltman]

alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent.modified