Free Usenet

[Shattered]

For the ones who want to test Usenet - you can do it for free here:

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http://just4today.net/

It offers 2 connections per user and 10 days retention. The download speed is around 250-300 KB/s last time I checked.

There is no signing up, just use the login codes on the site. The codes are valid for one day only. They are changed every day, so if you want to continue using it you need to renew them in your newsreader.

For downloading you need a newsreader, e.g. SABnzbd. SABnzbd is open source, supports NZB files and automatic RAR & PAR handling (extracting, repairing).

There are several search engines available to look for stuff, just Google for Usenet search.

[Meddle]

The only search engine I use for usenet is Binsearch. It searches through 730 days of posts and of course it makes NZB's. Consider yourself warned however, that there are untold numbers of viruses posted.

[3dslUserLoad]

Do you really think USENET iss for free?
I've seen so many offers of "free usenet accounts for two weeks".
My experience is: Watch out! - Because:
First: One has to reveal its personal data to this "free" service.
Second: Once one has revealed its personal data one will have agreed to accept an at least two years continuing contract, which results in paying a regular fee - except for these "free" first two weeks.
And what advantages will you have? "Maximum" download rate? What servers? Do these servers host all the files you want? For the money you have to pay? I think it's the same as if one does some advertising for BitTorrent, Rapidshare, 4shared, Megaupload...: you can't get all what you want from only one of these hosts.

[Shattered]

Do you really think USENET iss for free?

Yes, I really think it is. I already said there is no signing up involved (you can't even sign up), so I don't know why you are talking about personal data.

You are clearly missing my point here. It's not about the advantages or speed or the things you can get. The point is I merely want to show people here who never had experience with Usenet that there is a way to test it for free. No more, no less.

Anyway, if this is considered advertising (I have nothing to gain from this), then please remove this thread.

[InsaneFury]

Also, for a more advanced search-engine than binsearch (better fulltext searching), try http://www.nzbindex.nl and for a UseNet client, I'd suggest giving http://www.altbinz.net a try. It's a native Windows application that doesn't require a webbrowser as interface, unlike SABnzbd as far as I know.

[Shattered]

I might try altbinz later. I started with grabit, but it slowed my system down while downloading, so I changed to SABnzbd+. It works great so far.

[Meddle]

I like using Newsbin Pro, but it's not 'free'. I'd try out altbinz if I wasn't so used to my personal fav.

[JohnPhoenix]

Very cool I might try this. i used to use usenet alla time till the Evil AT&T dropped it from the isp service.

How does this just 4 today username and password work if your downloading a file that will take over a day? Do you get cut off at the end of the day and just have your client resume the download when you relog with another name and password?

[Shattered]

Just4Today.net doesn't seem to work anymore, but here are 2 more free servers:

XS Usenet

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https://www.xsusenet.com/sign-up/

Features:

- 2 Mbit free life-time account (the speed is actually only 1 Mbit)
- Retention: 10 days (at the moment it is around 30 days)
- 5 connections
- SSL supported
- Needs to be renewed every 30 days (you need to login into your account once every 30 days to reactivate it)

I have an account for more than 3 years now and it still works.

Free-Usenet

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https://free-usenet.com/

- 1 Mbit free account
- Retention: 2700+ days (tested a few posts of 2800 days old, downloaded OK)
- 1 connection
- SSL supported
- Needs to be renewed every 30 days (you need to login into your account to reactivate it manually)

I only found out about this one since yesterday, so I can't tell much more about it. The speed sucks, but the retention is great so far.