NGR, Author at Newsgroup Reviews Blog

NGD Independence Day Sale

July 4, 2014 by NGR

NewsgroupDirect is celebrating the 4th of July, Independence Day in the United States, with a special offer on their 250 GB block account. The 250 GB block normally costs $32 but for one day only, July 4th, the price has been reduced down to just $10. That’s a great value on a perfect size block for helping with fills. Visit the NewsgroupDirect Independence Day Sale page before midnight EST to pick up a 250 GB block for just $10.

NGD 4tth of July Sale

Block Usenet accounts are a good choice for backup and fills. To fill missing content I would suggest a European Usenet provider. A 250 gigabyte block is a good size for fills. Most Usenet fans could use it for that purpose over a long period of time. Remember that NGD blocks are non-expiring. At just 4 cents a gig the price is great on that size block. NGD users enjoy high retention along with 50 SSL connections. Remember to sign up before midnight EST on July 4th because the deal is only available during Independence Day.

The 250 GB Independence Day promotion is also open to existing members. If you already have an NGD account then you’ll want to log into their website and click on add block. From there you can add a 250 GB block for the $10 discounted price instead of the $32 regular price. We’d also like to mention that NGD block accounts are shareable. Since you are buying a block of Usenet access they don’t mind you sharing the account.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet. Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest deals.

Filed Under: NewsgroupDirect, Usenet Providers

Newsbin 6.52 Beta 4 Released

June 20, 2014 by NGR

Have you been having issues with spam showing up in the Newsbin search results? Their new beta will help. I highly recommend you install the new Newsbin Pro 6.52 beta 4 release. The new version helps identify and filter out the spam from search results. Saving you both time and frustration. As always registered users have full access to all the current beta versions. Visit the Nesbin beta page to download version 6.52 beta 4.

Newsbin 6.52 beta 4 includes the following updates and bug fixes:

Now has the capability to hide encrypted and/or identified spam posts from search results as an option. Under Options/Spam Filter Settings.
Simplified spam filter options on the Spam Filter Settings screen.
Fixed issue receiving error popups for some types of search errors when resolving files.
Processed NZB files are stored in the loaded folder again, due to popular request.
Added new compaction code with filename removal when there is a duplicate filename in subject.
Increased NZB Password length limit when included in the NZB Filename, was limited to 60 bytes.
Now removes the password if it exists when using the NZB Filename for pathing.
Support allowing zip files inside of RAR files.
Change to make serves with “Typical Retention” more efficient. Looks like 4x faster than before.
Hopefully fixed intermittent crash issue reported when closing a tab.

Newsbin users can download version 6.52 beta 4 from their beta page. All full releases and betas are free of charge for users with a software license. New users can download a 15 day free trial to test the client.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to compare Usenet clients and providers. Join us on Twitter @NewsgroupRevs.

Filed Under: Newsbin Pro, Newsreaders

Eweka World Cup Promotion

June 5, 2014 by NGR

We’ve enjoyed sharing a few good summer Usenet promotions lately and will be adding more deals this week. Today we’d like to share Eweka’s World Cup FIFA 2014 Championship “Free Days” promotion. From June 12th through July 13th you have a chance to earn free days of Eweka Usenet access. Are you a big football fan? Do you know the World Cup teams well enough to choose the winner? Doing so could earn you two weeks of free Usenet. Visit the Eweka World Cup promo page to learn more and good luck to your team!

Eweka members (and new sign ups) will want to have at least 90 days of credits in their account for a chance to win free days during the World Cup Tourney. Having a year or more of credits will more than double your possible prize. With each win your team gets you earn more free Eweka days. Here’s a summary:

Eweka is a leading European Usenet service. Members enjoy over 2,100 days of binary retention along with free SSL and download speeds up to 100 Mbps. We ran a few speed tests on their network last week and Eweka performed very well. They support several payment options including PayPal, SMS and iDEAL.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn about Usenet. Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for more summer deals.

Filed Under: Eweka, Usenet Providers Tagged With: Eweka summer special

Win a Free Year of NewsgroupDirect

June 4, 2014 by NGR

NewsgroupDirect is celebrating their 10th anniversary with a special offer on 1 TB block plans along with a giveaway. Block accounts are great for fills and as a backup to your primary plan. A large 1 TB block might even last you awhile on its own. To celebrate their anniversary NGD is offering 1 TB blocks for just $30 through June 10th. They are also giving away 5 free Usenet accounts with a year of unlimited access every Friday in June.

The 1 TB block special for $30 is a great price. That’s just 3 cents a gig for Usenet access with over 2,100 days of binary retention. Block accounts include access to servers in the US and Europe along with up to 50 connections. The best part is that blocks are shareable. Since you are prepaying for a specific block size of data NGD doesn’t mind you sharing the account. That can really come in handy sometimes.

The other side of NGD’s anniversary celebration involves free Usenet access. Who doesn’t want that. Not only is it free, NewsgroupDirect is giving away a year of unlimited Usenet to 5 lucky winners every Friday in June. New and existing members can enter by sending an email to support (at) newsgroupdirect.com with #NGD10 as the subject. Cheers to the NGD team for 10 years of excellent service and many more to come!

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn about Usenet. Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest news and deals.

Filed Under: NewsgroupDirect, Usenet Providers

UseNetServer Global Search 2.0

May 29, 2014 by NGR

You might think it’s a quiet time for Usenet providers but a few are still making waves with new innovations. UseNetServer is certainly a top provider in the market today and they continue to improve the service. The release of UseNetServer (UNS) Global Search 2.0 is a huge improvement to their search engine. Think of it as Binsearch on steroids. That’s saying a lot because I’m a big fan of Binsearch. UNS Global Search 2.0 takes it a step further offering real-time results across their full range of binary retention. Best of all it’s free to all UNS members. Those new to UNS can sign up for unlimited Usenet access for just $10 a month or $95 a year.

Are you having trouble finding the content you want using newsgroups? If so then I suggest you give the new UseNetServer global search 2.0 a try. Prior to the new 2.0 Usenet search engine UNS many users relied on newsreaders like Newsbin Pro or NewsLeecher with built-in search. Others would use NZB sites to find content. Both are similar to the approach of UNS global search 2.0. The difference is that you can now search for content across UseNetServer’s full range of binary retention without leaving their site. Once you find the desired content you can pull the NZB file into your favorite Usenet client to download the related content.

Here are some of the new features and improvements in UNS Global Search 2.0:

A subject based on keywords can be performed for all article sets in the binary newsgroups spanning UseNetServer’s full retention and results can be filtered by specific poster names and or newsgroups.
Individual posts are collapsed into one single result for each article set that makes up the entirety of a post by a poster or posters.
Global Search 2.0 allows UNS to service many more queries faster. This results in a lesser strain on the hardware and much faster search results.

UNS members can access the new Global Search 2.0 engine by signing in here:

https://globalsearch.usenetserver.com/

If you’re not already using UNS I definitely recommend the service. They have some of the fastest servers in the US and Europe. Members enjoy acess to over 2,100 days of binary retention and growing. Along with 20 connections and unlimited Usenet downloads for $10 a month. You’ll also enjoy unlimited access to the new UNS Global Search 2.0 engine. You can read our UseNetServer review to learn more about the service.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet. Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest specials.

Filed Under: Usenet Providers, UseNetServer

Build Your Own Usenet Indexer

May 15, 2014 by NGR

Since the fall of Nzbmatrix and Newzbin2 there have been several new NZB sites launch and some close. There are still a lot of people interested in building their own Usenet indexer. Whether you want to index groups to share with friends or for personal use. You have a few options. Our favorites are Newznab (NN+) and nZEDb. Both will get the job done. We’ll share some helpful resources to get you started.

There are a number of options still available for finding Usenet content. From clients with built-in search to NZB sites and search engines. You can visit our main site – Newsgroup Reviews – to learn more about the latest software and websites available for searching newsgroups. With that said the rest of this post will focus on doing it yourself. With free source code and resources for getting everything set up.

We suggest you start by taking a look at Newznab. You can use Newznab’s free open-source code to build your own Usenet indexer. They offer both a free version and a premium Newznab Plus (NN+) release that adds additional features for around $20. Most the new NZB sites are built on the Newznab engine. For that reason you’ll notice a lot of similarities between the Newznab screenshots and some popular NZB communities.

If you decide to give Newznab a try then @taybgibb has written a great guide on the How-To Geek site. Taylor walks you step-by-step through how to build a Usenet indexer using Newznab on a system running Ubuntu. You will also need a Usenet provider with long retention and good completion to build the index. The guide is very informative. We noticed that both Taylor and Newznab have responded to users comments.

See how others are going about creating their own Usenet indexer. Here are some additional resources:

Regardless of whether you choose Newznab, nZEDb or something else to build your Usenet index we hope you enjoy the outcome of having your own private newsgroup index. If that doesn’t work you can always fall back on the old school method of downloading and searching your way through the headers for lost treasure.

Filed Under: NZB Sites Tagged With: Newznab, nzedb, Spotweb, Usenet indexer

NewsgroupDirect May Terabyte Tuesday

May 13, 2014 by NGR

If you’ve been following our blog long you might be able to guess the topic of today’s post without reading the title. As NewsgroupDirect has been offering their popular Terabyte Tuesday promotion around this time each month. Once again you can enjoy a 1 TB block account for just $35. That’s over 50% off the regular price and works out to just 3.5 cents a gig. Visit their Terabyte Tuesday page today to sign up and enjoy the savings.

NewsgroupDirect’s Usenet blocks are an excellent choice for a backup or fill account. At 1 TB some users can use the block as their primary for several months. At 3.5 cents a gig the price is a great value. The block is also non-expiring so you can download until the 1 TB is all used up. NGD members enjoy high retention along with 50 SSL connections. Sign up before 12 AM EST through the NGD Terabyte Tuesday page and enjoy!

Visit NewsgroupReviews to learn more about newsgroups. Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest deals.

Filed Under: NewsgroupDirect, Usenet Providers Tagged With: NewsgroupDirect May Terabyte Tuesday

Response to NZBSooti Site Crash

May 8, 2014 by NGR

This morning NZBSooti crashed. The admin of the site has been working the last few days to stabilize issues with the site. Unfortunately the operating system crashed this morning leaving the admin without access. He has a backup of the data but can’t access it after the crash. It’s possible the site might be down for good. If so NZBSooti’s admin is offering to refund members who paid within the last 90 days.

Here’s the message NZBSooti’s admin shared earlier today on Reddit:

Hi Everyone, Last few days the server has been acting crazy and I have done everything I can to stabilize it… Sadly this morning the OS completely crashes and won’t let me log in no matter what.

Right now it looks like there are two solutions:

Close the site and refund anyone who want their money back with the money left. (newer members first of course)

Wipe the site and start over, tbh, I just lost my job and don’t have much time or money, but I am willing to start over if that’s what everyone wants.

We tried backing everything up, but I don’t have access even to the backup.

I’ve spent the last year and a half working very hard on providing as good a service, sadly its taken a toll on my work and finance.

If you guys have any other solutions ill be glad to hear.

Hope everyone understands.

NZBSooti Admin.

P.S If the majority here wants to shutdown, those who want a refund please send your transaction ID in a PM, it must be within the last 90 days so I can refund you, otherwise paypal won’t allow it

NZBSooti is a good site and hopefully will be for some time to come. The crash may be the end of NZBSooti or perhaps a fresh beginning. A number of Usenet fans have stepped forward on Reddit to offer help. The event is still evolving but there are a number of helpful tips and offers for assistance in bringing the site back online. Best of luck to everyone involved. I look forward to an even stronger NZBSooti in the future if possible.

While the site is down I’m sure some will be looking for alternatives. There are several other NZB sites and search engines to choose from. It’s really a matter of preference. Here are some options:

Usenet clients with built-in search engines:

Newshosting client (free for members)
NewsLeecher
Newsbin Pro

Usenet search engines:

NZB Sites:

DOGnzb (occasionally open to new members)
Nzbplanet

Once again I’d like to wish the best of luck to NZBSooti’s admin and everyone who is helping to bring the site back online. We appreciate all of your efforts. You can follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest updates.

Filed Under: NZB Sites, NZBSooti

DOGnzb API Server and URL Update

April 30, 2014 by NGR

Are you having issues with DOGnzb giving an error that looks something like this one “No data returned from http://dognzb.cr/api?apikey” lately? If so we have good news. DOGnzb isn’t broken and the fix is simple. You just need to update the API URL. DOGnzb rolled out a new API server along with a new URL. You’ll want to use either https://api.dognzb.cr or http://api.dognzb.cr depending on your profile configuration.

DOGnzb API update

Here’s the URL structure for the old API server:

http://dognzb.cr/api

If you are still using that in SABnzbd then you’re getting errors as DOGnzb is moving everything over to the new server. To fix the issue simply change your API URL to one of the following:

https://api.dognzb.cr
http://api.dognzb.cr

Whether or not you use https is up to you but a little extra privacy never hurts. While we’re on the topic of privacy I wanted to pass along that DOGnzb was not affected by the heartbleed bug. The bug impacted those running OpenSSL v1.0.1. Since DOGnzb is still running OpenSSL 0.9.8 they were not affected. With that said if you use the same password across multiple sites it’s time to change that strategy. Better safe than sorry.

Anytime we mention DOGnzb there are requests for invitations. My suggestion is that you keep an eye on our NZB sites post along with r/usenet for the latest open registrations. The DOGnzb team has been kind in opening the site to new users a few times already this year. If you get a chance in the weeks or months to come I definitely recommend you sign up. When you do the site is free to use for 30 days. From there you can get a VIP membership for a $10 one-time fee. I personally think the project is well worth supporting with a donation.

Visit Newsgroup Reviews to learn more about Usenet. Follow us @NewsgroupRevs for the latest deals.

Filed Under: DOGnzb, NZB Sites

OZnzb Heartbleed Security Update

April 25, 2014 by NGR

In a moment we’ll share a security update from OZnzb in response to the Heartbleed bug. Whether you are a member of OZnzb or other indexers I agree with their recommendation of updating your credentials. Especially if you share passwords between sites. Heartbleed hit over half the worlds websites. Usenet providers NNTP servers are safe from Heartbleed but your indexer may very well be affected. Ask them if you are unsure.

OZnzb Heartbleed security update

Here is the Heartbleed update OZnzb shared earlier this morning:

URGENT SECURITY UPDATE

After consultation with some external security experts we have taken the following steps to protect our users privacy and security.

1. Affective today we have reset ALL users API / RSS security keys, if you are using our RSS services or Automation with an API key you will need to update your programs with the new keys. they are located in your profile https://www.oznzb.com/profile

2. All users are urged to change your passwords ASAP, to change your password go to you profile https://www.oznzb.com/profile click on the orange edit button and type in new password, repeat the password in the confirm password field and then scroll to the bottom and click save profile.

If you have accounts on other indexers then we would strongly recommend that you also reset these credentials on those sites.

Our experts have confirmed that any site that was vulnerable to the Heartbleed SSL bug (which most indexers were and 60% of the worlds websites), anyone who had exploited this bug could have access to your accounts.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you, however we believe this is a necessary step in protecting our users.

More information about the Heartbleed bug

Heartbleed is not a virus, but rather a mistake written into OpenSSL— open-source software for SSL implementation across the Web. It is a security vulnerability in OpenSSL software that may affect nearly two-thirds of websites online and allow hackers to access data servers that may contain username, password and other sensitive information.

With the disclosure of a bug in OpenSSL’s implementation of heartbeat, it is no longer necessary for cybercriminals to hack into the server to steal the credentials or private keys. An easy execution of a small code will provide them with wealth of information just by exploiting the vulnerability in OpenSSL. While this is happening, the server admin will never know that their server has been exploited and how much of the information has been leaked by the exploit.

Security researchers found out that an encryption technology SSL/TLS that helps in providing communication security and privacy over the network for various applications viz. web-based applications, email and VPN had this security flaw. This encryption technology that used to safely transmit e-commerce transactions, email, social networking data and other Internet traffic was affected by Heartbleed and this security flaw was enough for hackers to access user’s sensitive personal information.

This vulnerability allows anyone to steal the information which under normal circumstances is protected, by the SSL/TLS encryption. Therefore, attackers can steal a server’s digital key which is used to encrypt data and get easy access to an organization’s sensitive documents.

Security researchers also add that this newly discovered security vulnerability is extremely dangerous as it remained undiscovered for more than two years. However, Wolfgang Kandek, chief technology officer for Redwood City security company Qualys said that, it still remains unclear if hackers have taken advantage of the flaw to steal sensitive data from vulnerable sites.

Researchers at Codenomicon say that OpenSSL is used by two of the most widely used Web server software, Apache and nginx. This means a lot of internet sites would possibly have this vulnerability.

Kandek added, many affected websites will now have to have their encryption keys recertified as safe. That’s because even after fixing the flaw in their software, unsafe keys can easily allow hackers to steal sensitive personal information.

Moreover, every website / server / service admin, who uses OpenSSL should be concerned about this vulnerability as it breaks everything for which SSL encryption was deployed in the first place.

Filed Under: NZB Sites, OZnzb