What Usenet Provider

[RiverRapids]

Do you use a VPN mainly for NNTP or for other reasons? I can understand VPN for P2P but not sure there is much need for NNTP, unless uploading.

It depends on how seriously you take your security. Security isn't just one thing, it's layers of protection on top of each other. Who's to say that at some point in the future the NSA won't start selling access to all that private data they are stockpiling? Or maybe you just don't trust what your ISP may or may not be logging? In the end, you decide how much cost/inconvenience you are willing to put up with in order to have more, rather than less layers of security on your data, depending on how important that data is to you.

[Beck38]

Firstly, it completely obscures from my isp where my data is heading or to what site I'm connecting to (although I think every site should be encrypted, period, but they arn't; and nntp should be ssl but many are not as well.)

With all the (russian and otherwise) hacking going on out there, decent firewall/vpn routers are a must.

[Caballero]

With all the (russian and otherwise) hacking going on out there, decent firewall/vpn routers are a must.

Got a suggestion? If you had to do a set-up from scratch, what would you do/use?

[nQQ]

Firstly, it completely obscures from my isp where my data is heading or to what site I'm connecting to (although I think every site should be encrypted, period, but they arn't; and nntp should be ssl but many are not as well.)

With all the (russian and otherwise) hacking going on out there, decent firewall/vpn routers are a must.

I can see the need especially if uploading or getting around throttling, just not sure for NNTP. I guess on a general principle, so long as you can trust the VPN, just had wondered if there was new concerns for news users. Then again I did install Signal an encrypted mobile messenger app just could never get anyone else to install it.

[Philthy181]

I have found Newshosting to be great for completion as well as retention (back to posts from 2008 at present). The biggest issue I've had is the lack of an indexer going back far enough.
Fortunately I discovered NZBKing and this has helped greatly since NZBClub disappeared and NZBIndex lost their old archives and had to reindex. I always use an SSL port these days.
I think a VPN is essential for uploads and any torrenting but only slows down Usenet downloads with little benefit I can see.

[Yupitsme]

I have been using Newsleecher as BOTH a reader and a host provider - they have been rock solid for me for many years after using several of the other 'well-known' providers.
I like the one payment for all - I think it is a good service if you are looking.

[Gregg987]

If you're on a budget, have modest needs, or consider available payment methods inadequate or insecure, there are some free options, but they require discipline. Many providers have free trials, but eventually the trial ends.
free-usenet offers a free account with the current offer being that it lasts 24 hours, indefinitely renewable, you may have to enter a captcha before renewing, password changes with each renew, SSL, 1 thread, no browsing, bandwidth ~100 KB/s.
xsusenet offers a free account with the current offer being up to 25 GB per calendar month, does not need to be renewed, no SSL, multiple threads OK, bandwidth >100 KB/s.
At least that's how it is for "grandfathers", not sure if they're offering new accounts. Try!? HTH.

[anon]

free-usenet offers a free account with the current offer being that it lasts 24 hours, indefinitely renewable, you may have to enter a captcha before renewing, password changes with each renew, SSL, 1 thread, no browsing, bandwidth ~100 KB/s.

They also have "3100+ days binary retention" (which was proven true at least for some very old NZBs I tried to grab), actually give you those 100 KB/s, and don't log anything according their privacy policy.

I miss the trick of using Binload in a regular client, that was awesome while it lasted. just4today.net is also still around!