ARCHIVED: At IUPUI, how can I read Usenet newsgroups?

Connecting to the Usenet server

Following is a list of what is required to connect to the Usenet server at IUPUI:

1. Your computer must be connected through IUPUI Ethernet or the IUPUI modem pool, or using the IU VPN. If you are using an outside Internet service provider (ISP), such as Kiva, BlueMarble, IQuest, or AOL, you must either use your ISP's news server or the IU VPN. For more information about using the VPN, please see the Knowledge Base document About the IU VPN.
2. Your web browser or newsreader must be configured to use news.iu.edu as the news (NNTP) server.
3. Your IP address must be registered as belonging to the IUPUI network. If your computer is not registered, you will receive an error message such as, "502 You have no permission to talk. Goodbye."
   • If your computer has a PPP connection via modem, there is no need to register your IP address. It is assigned automatically by the PPP server and is already registered. If you are having problems connecting to the Usenet server via PPP, contact the UITS Support Center in Indianapolis by phone at 317-274-4357 or send email to ithelp@iu.edu.
   • If you are connected to the IUPUI network through IU VPN, your computer can access IP-restricted university resources; you do not need to register your IP address.
   • If you live in Ball Residence Hall, your IP address should be automatically registered with the name server. If you are having problems connecting to the news server, please contact the UITS Support Center in Indianapolis by phone at 317-274-4357 or send email to ithelp@iu.edu.
   • If your workstation is in a university office or lab, your local support provider (LSP) normally registers your computer when assigning your IP address. If this has not happened, please contact the UITS Support Center in Indianapolis by phone at 317-274-4357 or send email to ithelp@iu.edu with the following information:
     • Your computer's IP address: If you don't know your IP number, please contact your LSP or mention it in the email message.
     • Your computer's name: Host names may consist of letters, numbers, or the hyphen (-) symbol. No other characters are allowed.
     • Administrative contact or primary user: Include the full name and IU username or email address of the administrative contact or primary user.
     • Your department and the location of the computer: Include the building and room number where the computer is located.

     Note: If your request is received before 3pm on a business day, it will be completed and in the name server the following morning. Requests arriving after 3pm will be processed the following business day.

Access to newsreaders

You will need access to a newsreader program that allows you to read and post to these groups.

Newsreaders on shared Unix computers

Steel, a shared cluster of Unix computers, offers several programs for accessing Internet services, including trn ("threaded read news", formerly named rn), tin (another newsreader), Pine (an electronic mail and news program), and Lynx (a text-based web browser).

For assistance with any of these newsreaders, see the references listed at the end of this document. You can also consult the Unix man pages by entering any of the following commands at the Unix prompt:

  man trn
  man tin
  man pine
  man lynx

Newsreaders on personal computers and workstations

For personal computers or workstations, a number of newsreader programs are available:

• Both trn and tin can be installed on personal Unix workstations.
• Many web browsers and mail programs, such as Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer, Outlook, and Outlook Express, offer newsreading capabilities.
• For information about Macintosh newsreaders, see the Knowledge Base documents ARCHIVED: In Mac OS, what software can I use to read Usenet newsgroups? and ARCHIVED: In Mac OS X, what software can I use to read Usenet newsgroups?