usenet.plus.net

[#1]

Are there any other dinosaurs like me who access usenet news groups via the usenet.plus.net server?

For some reason my newsreader (Thunderbird) has just today started asking me for a username/password for the server. These were never needed before; I thought all Plusnet ip addresses were accepted by the upstream (Giganews ?) server without needing authentication.

Either way, it won't accept my "normal" Plusnet credentials.

[#2]

Same for me.  As soon as first group is selected, response "RC=480 [S] (authentication required), Line='480 authentication required'".

Mike.

[#3]

I just realised that pinging "usenet.plus.net" shows it's aliased to "europe.isp.giganews.com", so somehow Giganews are no longer accepting Plusnet traffic.

[#4]

I would guess that someone has misconfigured something at Giganews.

I wonder if @bobpullen could be persuaded to look into this.

[#5]

usenet.plus.net not working for me either.  Just get an ‘authentication required’ message.

[#6]

Same issue here.

[#7]

I've raised a support ticket, I suggest everyone else does too, as it will only numbers of complains which have any chance of getting this fixed.

The raise a ticket page took some finding, try logging in to plus.net and follow:-

Help -> Contact us -> Make a complaint -> raise and online ticket

The link for me is https://www.plus.net/wizard/?p=wizard&page=22909&wizard_id=38

[#8]

Same problem here:-

~$ telnet news.plus.net 119
Trying 216.166.97.131...
Connected to europe.isp.giganews.com.
Escape character is '^]'.
200 News.GigaNews.Com
group plusnet.service.customer-feedback
480 authentication required

I've raised a support ticket with Giganews (ref: #4684139).

[#9]

Just to add my name to the list of those also affected. Using news.plus.net here.

[#10]

Same here, using text.news.plus.net

[#11]

Thanks Bob,

I am not sure if I am going over my sisters later today, but I probably will and I'll try it out.

Wondering if it some GeoIP thing?

I am currently at home on my Branson Media connection, but I don't suppose there is much I can do at the moment as I assume your servers won't like a non PlusNet IP?

[#12]

Alex,

AFAIK you cannot connect to Plusnet Usenet from a non-Plusnet network.

BTW it's happening to me too and, yes, I am a (proud) dinosaur still accessing Usenet...

[#13]

Don't think it is Geo-related, as I have a static IP address. More likely Plusnet haven't paid the bill...

[#14]

Thanks @iw6dgm 

That's what I thought, I'll try it later on.

[#15]

Add another usenet punter here.
Mine did that yesterday - however shutting down Thunderbird, waiting 5 mins and then restarting Thunderbird saw everything back to normal.
Not tried it yet today (isolating with the C word...... )