Cant get any newsreader software to work

[strey101]

Had Newsleecher going for the past year or so now and just the other day it just up and quit working dont know what to do help?

[zot]

Are you a Cox customer?

Cox sent out emails to customers a few weeks ago saying that they would shut off their (free) Usenet service July 1.

[strey101]

no i use giganews and have verizon fios but i dont think that is the problem.

[strey101]

still need help been a few days without getting anything to work.

[zot]

The obvious question is - have you already asked Giganews tech support for help? Also, have you changed anything lately, such as installing software, changing settings, or whatever?

You don't say if you use a router, or what your ISP is. Those are potential (but unlikely) problem sources. Have you enabled and looked at Newsleecher's log file? **Can you copy and post it here?** Do you have an antivirus installed? a 3rd-party firewall? Windows firewall enabled? Can you ping Giganews server?


Your basic end-to-end 'routing' goes something like this:

Newsleecher --> (antivirus) --> (firewall) --> PC connection ----> (router) ----> ISP -----------> Giganews

So there is obviously a failure/blockage at one of these approximately 7 possible points along the way

Just using basic logic, I would try eliminating non-essential services and substituting the essentials, and narrow down the problem by the process of elimination.

I would do the easy stuff first: connect to a different Giganews server and change the port.

Then I'd (temporarily - for testing purposes) turn off the antivirus and if that doesn't help, disable any 3rd-party firewall.

In case the problem lies with Newsleecher, there many other newsreaders available to try out, a lot are free.

To see if the problem is at Giganews end, there are many free usenet providers to try out, (many with binaries) Here's two that offer easy (no credit card) trials.

http://just4today.net/
http://www.hitnews.eu/

If using a different usenet provider as well as a different newsreader - as well as eliminating the possibility of the problem originating with the AV/FW/etc, and it still fails to connect, then what could have been missed?

[Mokhtar]

i use outlook for RSS feed.

[strey101]

Well im running windows 7 now if that might be a problem>

[Expeto]

get a vpn from itshidden.com
try to use your software with it,
no vpn
Newsleecher --> (antivirus) --> (firewall) --> PC connection ----> (router) ----> ISP -----------> Giganews
vpn;
Newsleecher -(encrypted tunnel through ISP)-> itshidden -----------> Giganews
also disable firewall as zot said for testing, but if you haven't got a new update soon I wouldn't suspect the antivirus

if it works with vpn and not works without vpn, it means there is block somewhere in your connection.

also zot have some good advices,

more info on vpn;http://filesharingtalk.com/vb3/f-guides-and-tutorials-65/t-vpn-guide-for-n00bs-406755

[zot]

strey101 - Windows 7 should not be a problem on any recent (<4y.o. or "Vista compatible") version of ANY software. Presumably your version of Newsleecher is much newer than that - therefore Windows 7 compatibility should not be an issue.

You've not said if you reported the problem to Giganews, and if they have been any help or not. As a Giganews customer, you're already paying twice the price that other usenet providers charge. Why not at least try to get your money's worth and have Giganews tech support earn their pay? (no one is paying me, so maybe I shouldn't be doing Giganews's work for free :) )