Usenet news software

It only takes a long time the first time. After that, your newsreader only updates the newsgroups list. The newsreader software displays the available groups you can subscribe to and often lets you search the names of newsgroups select to enlarge.

Most newsreader apps also let you search through the list of available newsgroups by keyword. For a quick taste of the newsgroups available, check our Newsgroup Search article. Entering the maximum number of connections supported by your Usenet provider into your newsreader might not always be the best way to maximize your download speeds from newsgroups. BTW, as important as choosing a newsreader is, the most important decision you'll make about Usenet is which provider to use.

We recommend Newshosting. Do you need 60? What are you missing out on if you have 60 instead of 30, or 30 instead of 4? In most cases, the more connections you get, the more you pay. The truth is, it depends on your Usenet provider, your internet service provider, and other factors. Usenet connections are like separate processes, threads or streams that take place every time you download from newsgroups.

When you start to download a larger file, a connection will download the first part or article of that file. While one connection is waiting to download its next part, another connection is still busy downloading a different part. And when you have say 60 connections, this means 60 different parts of a file can be downloaded simultaneously. Of course, there are limits to how many connections you can use. As we mentioned, some providers give you as few as 2 or 4, while others might give you up to Quite the contrary.

For instance, if you have a slower internet connection, using 60 connections is probably going to be a bad idea. On the other hand, someone with a very fast connection could benefit from all those 60 connections to get the most from their available bandwidth. So, how do you find out how many connections are right for you? Start with a low number of connections, like 1 to 4.

Then, monitor your speeds for around 15 minutes. Then add connections. Does your download speed go up or down? Wait 15 more minutes and add a few more connections. Why 15 minutes? Each Usenet provider will vary, but 15 minutes is a good guess as to how long it may take your Usenet service to recognize and adjust to the updated number of connections.

Once you determine the sweet spot number of connections for your Usenet setup, increasing the number of connections will lower your download speeds — but so will decreasing it. It will depend on a number of factors, including your internet connection, your Usenet provider, the current level of traffic on the news server which itself may depend on where it is located, the day of week or even the time of day , and more.

It may be worth trying a service with a bigger allowance, especially if you have a fast internet connection. And the satisfaction you have with your newsreader app will depend a lot on your Usenet provider. To make sure you are getting the best Usenet experience possible, check out our take on the best Usenet provider , with Newshosting being the top choice.

Grab one today! Try risk-free for 14 days. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. What is a Usenet Newsreader? Index What is a Usenet Newsreader? You can choose from subscriptions with and without a data limit. Pay attention to the maximum number of simultaneous connections and the maximum download speed.

Some examples of good providers are Tweaknews , Easynews and Newshosting. You can use these to get access to the news servers, so you can download software with Usenet.

Next, we recommend to download a newsreader. This software enables you to actually connect to the newsgroups you are subscribed to. As soon as you have an account and access to the newsgroups, you can use a download program to connect to the newsgroup.

This is what we call a newsreader — an essential part to downloading games or software via Usenet. You can download the software online, and subsequently use it on your computer.

You will be able to login with the username and password of your news server account. Once the software is installed, you will need to configure it. Start configuring the program by opening the software in your web browser and choosing your preferred language. Next, a Wizard will appear. Use the Wizard to setup the server name, port number, username, password and the number of connections. These details can be obtained from the Usenet provider where you subscribed. If you want a strong all-rounder of a Usenet service, then look no further than this provider.

Newshosting operates multiple US and European server farms and provides access to , newsgroups. All plans include unlimited downloads and a high-quality newsreader software with Usenet search and file previewing built-in, making it easy to find articles posted to newsgroups.

Newshosting runs its own servers globally and has the fastest, most consistent download speeds. Newshosting also provides access to over 11 years of binary and text retention -- the most available from any Usenet service provider.

Newshosting, instead, keeps a copy of every article posted, regardless of how old it is or how many users are requesting them. This means you will always get access to a complete and growing database of Usenet posts. A free Zero-log unlimited VPN account is also included for extra online security. Newshosting tested the fastest during our download speed tests. It buys priority, premium routed access into all major ISP networks whereas many other providers often buy cheaper traffic routes that can get overcrowded during peak traffic times.

It also passed our tests in retrieving old binaries we could not find on other Usenet servers. Are there any negatives at all here? Newshosting is well priced. Considering you get access to the most retention and fastest speeds, a free newsreader with Usenet search, and a free VPN, you will be hard-pressed to find a better value.

Get the best overall Usenet provider. Newshosting tops our charts for quality, and the price is good. Eweka is an independent Usenet provider that runs its own data centres throughout Europe. During our testing, Eweka delivered comparably high completion rates, meaning we were generally able to find posts on their servers that were not found elsewhere. This makes Eweka a good option for either primary or secondary Usenet server access.

Eweka operates its own trans-Atlantic Usenet backbone that provides fast and reliable speeds regardless of your location. High retention is an important feature because it determines how many Usenet posts you get access to. Providers that have low, limited retention will delete older posts to make room for newer articles that are posted to Usenet. You also get free access to the Newslazer newsreader, a helpful software that includes a Usenet search tool, among other features like file previews, nzb imports and auto-downloading.

The Official TechRadar offer gives you a 7 day free trial with unlimited downloads, unlimited download speeds, and a free newsreader to give the service a whirl. It also has a widely-used desktop client, which unlike competitor apps, is not locked to a particular Usenet host. Newsleecher's text retention is days, while binary retention is days.

You also get unlimited downloads, a maximum of Mbps, SSL, and the SuperSearch and SuperLeech features for fast file discovery and automated download. We tested Newsleecher on a 63Mbps connection, with a 2. Payment can be made using PayPal or credit card, but there is no privacy policy to refer to if your curious about how your data is used.

Despite comparatively low retention, Usenet. Farm offers good speed, easy sign up, smart user interface, and a free trial. Launching in , this Netherlands-based Usenet provider offers a range of bundles, from basic features to a vast 6TB monthly limit. There's also a stats dashboard, SSL support, 50 simultaneous connections, unlimited speeds, and account sharing. With days retention, Usenet. Farm delivers under 10 years' worth of Usenet binaries.

While not the smallest retention limit, it is certainly not the largest. It is surprisingly simple to sign up to Usenet. All the process needs is an email address and payment method. While PayPal might breach any perceived privacy, this Usenet provider accepts Bitcoin payments.