Configuring News Clients for Username/Password Authentication

Access to Usenet (newsgroup) services is available via username and password authentication only. This type of access allows customers to access Usenet and newsgroups through the news server from anywhere on the Internet. Please note that:

  1. We do not track reading or posting habits of customers. We do, however, reserve the right to check access logs for administrative purposes.
  2. The username/password you must enter to authenticate and connect to the server is the PPP login (hostname) and password you use when you dial in to connect to the Internet.
The following are step by step instructions to help configure some of the more popular newsreaders that are available. To set up your newsreader for username/password authentication, use the appropriate information below.

These instructions assume that your newsreader has already been properly configured to access the news server without username and password authentication.

Configuring Forte's Agent/Free Agent

  1. Select the Options menu, then Preferences.
  2. Under the User Profile tab, check "Server requires authorization login".
  3. Enter your hostname in the "Username" field and check "Remember Password between sessions".
  4. Enter your password in the "Password" field.
  5. Click OK.

Configuring Microsoft Internet News

  1. From Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.x, select "Go" then "Read News" from drop-down menu.
  2. From within Internet News, Select "News" then "Options" from drop-down menu.
  3. Click on the "Server" tab.
  4. Click on the "Properties" button.
  5. Select the "General" tab.
  6. Check "This server requires me to logon." "Logon settings" should now be enabled.
  7. Choose "Logon using".
  8. Enter your PPP login name in the "Account Name:" field and password in the "Password:" field.
  9. Click "OK".

Configuring Microsoft Outlook Express

  1. From Outlook Express, right click the news server name in the left hand window, then select Properties from the pop-up menu.
  2. Click on the "Server" tab.
  3. Check "This server requires me to log on", then choose "Logon using".
  4. Enter your PPP login name in the "Account name" field and password in the "Password" field.
  5. Click "OK".

Configuring Netscape Communicator

  1. From the Netscape Browser window, select "Edit", then "Preferences" on the drop-down menu.
  2. Expand "Mail and Newsgroups" by clicking on the adjacent 'plus' sign.
  3. Select "Newsgroup Server", then highlight the news server address.
  4. Click "Edit".
  5. Select "Always ask me for my username and password".
  6. Click "OK", then "OK" again.

Configuring Netscape Navigator 3.x

  1. From Netscape Navigator, select "Window", then "Netscape News" on the drop-down menu.
  2. Double-click the folder labeled with the news server address.
  3. The "Netscape User Prompt" dialog will appear. Enter your PPP login name and click "OK".
  4. The "Password Entry Dialog" will appear. Enter your password and click "OK".
Note: Netscape Navigator 3.x does not have the ability to save your news username and password settings. Each time you close and reopen Netscape, you will need to follow the steps above in order to access the news server.

Configuring Newswatcher

  1. With Newswatcher open, go to the "File" menu and select "Preferences..."
  2. In the Newswatcher Preferences window, click and hold down the mouse button on "Topic:" -- the box expands to show other options to choose from.
  3. Choose "Authentication".
  4. In "Username:", enter your PPP login name. In "Password:", enter your password.
  5. Choose "Save Password".
  6. Choose "Always Authenticate".
  7. Click "OK".