news group / usenet access

[#1]

I know that PN were doing some work but my Newsgroup access is dead and just keeps asking for a username/password combination.

[#2]

Thanks Steve.
We're aware of issues on Usenet which we're working to fix.
We're in course of writing a service status message.

[#3]

Anyone else having issues with usenet  at the moment ? (news.plus.net)
I am continuously getting "480 authentication required"  at the moment ...

[#4]

Yes there are issues and a service status has been posted

Quote

Service: USENET Posted: Mon, May 11 2009 at 13:30:18 Subject: Problems accessing USENET services (56479) - UPDATE This is an update to our previous alert regarding our USENET services. We have raised this problem with our supplier and expect to have an update in the next couple of hours. Please accept our apologies for the continued disruption. Kind Regards, James Bailey Customer Support

[#5]

[Moderator's note by Adie (Adiewoo) threads on issue merged. ]

[#6]

Thanks, Adie ...

[#7]

I'm not being asked for login details, but interestingly I am getting an error message I've never seen before:  "Outlook Express is unable to switch to the newsgroup..."

[#8]

Same here - I hadn't seen that top level error message before either ...

[#9]

Hi guys,
We think that this should be working now.  Can you please try checking it out for me?
Please also note, if you're on a RIN connection (if you need to ask if you are, then the answer is that you're not) then this will not work.

[#10]

James - it would appear to be back to normal ...

[#11]

Thanks for the confirmation

[#12]

Well it was, but it asked for my user name again and now its just sulking

[#13]

Well it just managed to down load 5 headers in one group since my last posting.
Something is NOT well
Edited to add: It took 1 minute and 35 seconds to load the body of one message

[#14]

Yup, it seemed to come back OK, but now just extremely slow as SteveA says.
Looks like a problem at Giganews' end:
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.
C:\Documents and Settings\User>tracert usenet.plus.net
Tracing route to europe.isp.giganews.com [216.196.109.145]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  www.routerlogin.com [192.168.0.1]
  2    36 ms    42 ms    37 ms  lo0-plusnet.pcl-ag01.plus.net [195.166.128.27]
  3  202 ms  192 ms  199 ms  gi1-2-803.pcl-gw1.plus.net [84.92.5.57]
  4    38 ms    42 ms    36 ms  te2-2.pte-gw1.plus.net [212.159.0.186]
  5    33 ms    34 ms    35 ms  te2-4.pte-gw2.plus.net [212.159.1.102]
  6    42 ms    46 ms    46 ms  linx.ams.giganews.com [195.66.224.67]
  7    *        *        *    Request timed out.
  8    *        *        *    Request timed out.
  9    *        *        *    Request timed out.
10    *        *        *    Request timed out.
11    *        *        *    Request timed out.
12    *        *        *    Request timed out.
13    *        *        *    Request timed out.
14    *        *        *    Request timed out.
15    *        *        *    Request timed out.
16    *        *
...etc....

[#15]

I deleted my previous news account (Outlook express) and created news.plus.net again.
Headers all downloaded ok.
I am consistently now getting
Outlook Express was unable to switch to newsgroup ...
480 authentication required
Configuration:
   Account: news.plus.net
   Server: news.plus.net
   Protocol: NNTP
   Port: 119
   Secure(SSL): 0
   Error Number: 480
   Code: 800ccca4