Must have done something wrong or omitted something...

[tempgal]

Hi --

I've been a Usenet enthusiast since 1996 but have always just used Outlook Express -- not that I haven't tried other news readers, but the sad truth is that I've never, in all those years, been able to get one working.

So here I have alt.binz, all configured, I think, according to the instructions, but nothing is happening.  It says "connected" but I am not getting any headers.  Have searched for several different things but not a one was found.  Can't tell if my search is too esoteric and there is nothing or whether I am configured wrong.

Here is part of log.  The rest of the other entries just say "connected" but there is nothing there.  What is wrong?

[7/25/2009 4:01:07 PM] [Main] Alt.Binz 0.25.0 [27.09.2007] started.
[7/25/2009 4:01:07 PM] [Main] Windows Vista detected
[7/25/2009 4:01:07 PM] [Main] Download queue list ageing done in 0ms
[7/25/2009 4:01:07 PM] [Main] 0 items loaded into download history list in 0ms.
[7/25/2009 4:01:07 PM] [Main] 0 outdated items removed from download history list in 0ms.
[7/25/2009 4:01:08 PM] [T1] Hello
[7/25/2009 4:01:08 PM] [T2] Hello
[7/25/2009 4:01:08 PM] [T2] Connecting (public.teranews.com)
[7/25/2009 4:01:08 PM] [T1] Connecting (202.177.16.121)
[7/25/2009 4:01:09 PM] [T1] Connected (202.177.16.121)
[7/25/2009 4:01:20 PM] [T1] Connecting (202.177.16.121)
[7/25/2009 4:01:20 PM] [T1] Connected (202.177.16.121)
[7/25/2009 4:01:29 PM] [T2] Connected (public.teranews.com)
[7/25/2009 4:01:31 PM] [T1] Connecting (202.177.16.121)
[7/25/2009 4:01:32 PM] [T1] Connected (202.177.16.121)
[7/25/2009 4:01:43 PM] [T1] Connecting (202.177.16.121)
[7/25/2009 4:01:43 PM] [T1] Connected (202.177.16.121)
[7/25/2009 4:01:54 PM] [T1] Connecting (202.177.16.121)

[Hecks]

Firstly, the integrated search engines no longer work in version 0.25.0, as explained in this stickied thread:

https://www.altbinz.net/forum/index.php?topic=2485.0

You can follow the links in that thread to search & download NZBs using a browser, though, and import them into Alt.Binz.

Secondly, Alt.Binz does not handle headers, it only uses NZBs.  I suggest that you look through the starter guides in this stickied thread to understand the difference:

https://www.altbinz.net/forum/index.php?topic=787.0

The wiki has all the rest.  Enjoy.

[Jesus]

Also, you're trying to use poor or dead servers.

202.177.16.121, also known as 'freenews.netfront.net' is a text group server in Hong Kong with a very limited amount of binaries on it and I wouldn't attempt to use it for that.

The free server known as 'public.teranews.com' has been defunct for a while.

Maybe your ISP offers something?
http://www.usenettools.net/ISP.htm

[tempgal]

I'm one of the "lucky" ones for whom AT&T/Bellsouth just discontinued all newsgroups.  They discontinued the binaries a long time ago.

The 202.177.16.121 server hosted a bunch of groups that I recently subscribed to via Windows Mail.  When I go to any of them in Windows Mail, there are many current headers but not anything that I was looking for. 

For sure, teranews was always pathetic.  Oddly enough, I cannot connect to that one at all via Windows Mail but it shows as "connected" in alt.binz.

[Hecks]

Astraweb $11/month offer still available, apparently:

http://www.news.astraweb.com/specials/kleverig-11.html

Remember that Alt.Binz is for binary downloads only, not text groups.