... interim news reader?

[John B.]

I just got Astound broadband in California.

Surprisingly I can't get to Astound's newsgroups (not even our very own)
using Entourage. (I'm getting error 130, for what that's worth.)

Astound tech support stated that: Astound uses "Open BSD news server" ...
and that every newsreader is compatible with that, except for Microsoft's
Macintosh products.

Is this correct? Or just level 1 tech support crap?

I CAN get to newsgroups by logging on to my dialup ISP account, or by using
msnews.microsoft.com.

But not every group I want is on msnews.microsoft.com Any recommended
interim newsreader for the Mac, while I sort things out.

Anybody know if Entourage is supporting Open BSD in the beta?

John

 

[John B.]

There was no reply to my previous message, so I'm wondering if it came
through ... or if it was unclear.

So I've restated the issue below:

I just got Astound broadband in California.

Surprisingly when using using Entourage as newsreader, I can't get to
Astound's news server: news.ca.astound.net

I'm getting error 130, and -3170, for what that's worth:

"Could not received newsgroup list.
"The specified server could not be found."

Astound tech support states that Astound uses "Open BSD news server"
protocal ... and that every newsreader is compatible with that, except for
Microsoft's Macintosh products!

Could that be correct? Or is it just Level 1 tech support crap?

I CAN get to newsgroups (including our very own) with my broadband
connection by using msnews.microsoft.com, by using my dialup
ISP's broadband news server, or by logging on via my still-active
dialup ISP account.

Unfortunately, not every newsgroup I want is on msnews.microsoft.com

I'd like to let go of my dial up account. Any recommended
interim newsreader for the Mac, while I sort things out?

 

[Dave Cortright]

There was no reply to my previous message, so I'm wondering if it came
through ... or if it was unclear.

So I've restated the issue below:

This error means there was a problem looking up the IP address for the
server. Some possible reasons include the network connection is down, the
server address name is wrong, DNS is not working for some reason.

I just tried to ping news.ca.astound.net and got a "unknown host" error. I
suggest you verify their newsserver address with tech support.

 

[John B.]

This error means there was a problem looking up the IP address for the
server. Some possible reasons include the network connection is down, the
server address name is wrong, DNS is not working for some reason.

I just tried to ping news.ca.astound.net and got a "unknown host" error. I
suggest you verify their newsserver address with tech support.

Thanks! I'll check.

John

 

[Adam Bailey]

I just got Astound broadband in California.

Surprisingly I can't get to Astound's newsgroups (not even our very own)
using Entourage. (I'm getting error 130, for what that's worth.)

Astound tech support stated that: Astound uses "Open BSD news server" ...
and that every newsreader is compatible with that, except for Microsoft's
Macintosh products.

Is this correct? Or just level 1 tech support crap?

I find this to be highly unlikely. Can you get a more specific answer? *Why*
don't "Microsoft's Macintosh products" work with their server?

A lot of news servers use Open BSD. I've never heard of this before.

 

[John B.]

I find this to be highly unlikely. Can you get a more specific answer? *Why*
don't "Microsoft's Macintosh products" work with their server?

A lot of news servers use Open BSD. I've never heard of this before.

Great that sounds like good news toward a solution. I thought it was highly
unlikely as well.

Can you specify any BSD servers that you have accessed with Entourage?

Thanks!

John

 

[Diane Ross]

But not every group I want is on msnews.microsoft.com Any recommended
interim newsreader for the Mac, while I sort things out.

Alternate Newsreader:
MacSoup for Mac OS X 10.x?

The download page is there:
http://home.snafu.de/stk/macsoup/download.html
and the direct link is there:
http://home.snafu.de/stk/download/MacSOUP-2.5b3.img.sea.hqx

Try Dave Cortright's suggestion first on contacting your ISP for the correct
address.

From the error page:

Errors <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/errors.html#anchor-error130>

Error 130

This error has been seen when one tries to connect to a newsgroup and
download messages and/or headers. This can be corrected by rebuilding the
database. If you¹re in Entourage X, first go to Entourage -> Turn Off Office
Notifications. Quit Entourage, and then restart Entourage holding down the
Option key. When the Rebuild dialog box comes up, choose to do a Typical
Rebuild.


This one is probably an error. It's in the group of Network errors so this
at least, gives you a clue that it is network related.

Error -3170

"LDAP Server Error: The specified server could not be found.":

This is because none of the installed Directory Services are still active.
Go to Mail and News Preferences, then click the "Compose" tab. Uncheck the
option to "Automatically check names when sending messages".

 

[Diane Ross]

This error means there was a problem looking up the IP address for the
server. Some possible reasons include the network connection is down, the
server address name is wrong, DNS is not working for some reason.

I just tried to ping news.ca.astound.net and got a "unknown host" error. I
suggest you verify their newsserver address with tech support.

Try news.astound.net

I think nntp.astound.net should also work.

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Try news.astound.net

I think nntp.astound.net should also work.

Port 119 is open on this server anyway so it sounds like a reasonable
guess. Their web site is a pain though. They really don't make it easy
to get this kid of information :-\


Corentin

 

[John B.]

Port 119 is open on this server anyway so it sounds like a reasonable
guess. Their web site is a pain though. They really don't make it easy
to get this kid of information :-\


Corentin

Thanks all!

I should have mentioned early on, I started with my receiving news server
to:

news.astound.net

which seemed perfectly logical.


Because I reported problems, Astound told me to use:

news.ca.astound.net

Because that failed more miserably, yesterday they suggested:

nntp.astound.net

With news.astound.net and nntp.astound.net I can get the newsgroups list,
AND I can subscribe to individual newsgroups ... but I get an error message
when I click on a newsgroup to download the headers!

¡ With news.ca.astound.net I can't even get the newsgroups list!

-- ----- --

Also weird, when I configure my account:

Tools > Accounts > Mail Tab> Account Settings > SMPT server (outgoing
messages):

mail.astound.net

or, as astound recommended,

smpt-sjc.astound.net

.... I can NEVER send mail -- I get an error message every time.

For this reason I've got SMPT server set to my old ISP -- and I am terribly
glad that I didn't shake them immediately ... or I wouldn't even be able to
ask you kind folks for help.

The other day when my cable modem got queasy, my dial up was my only means
of get assistance here or email tech support.

Jeez, it's like changing health care providers -- make sure one has fully
kicked in before dropping the other!

John

 

[John B.]

Thanks all!

I should have mentioned early on, I started with my receiving news server
to:

news.astound.net

which seemed perfectly logical.


Because I reported problems, Astound told me to use:

news.ca.astound.net

Because that failed more miserably, yesterday they suggested:

nntp.astound.net

With news.astound.net and nntp.astound.net I can get the newsgroups list,
AND I can subscribe to individual newsgroups ... but I get an error message
when I click on a newsgroup to download the headers!

¡ With news.ca.astound.net I can't even get the newsgroups list!

-- ----- --

Also weird, when I configure my account:

Tools > Accounts > Mail Tab> Account Settings > SMPT server (outgoing
messages):

mail.astound.net

or, as astound recommended,

smpt-sjc.astound.net

... I can NEVER send mail -- I get an error message every time.

For this reason I've got SMPT server set to my old ISP -- and I am terribly
glad that I didn't shake them immediately ... or I wouldn't even be able to
ask you kind folks for help.

The other day when my cable modem got queasy, my dial up was my only means
of get assistance here or email tech support.

Jeez, it's like changing health care providers -- make sure one has fully
kicked in before dropping the other!

John

Here's the official email response today from Astound:

"All the server names [above] point to the same news server. The only known
problem is that the Astound news server is a open BSD server. For some
reason when Microsoft made there MAC email/news program they did not make
the news part of it BSD compatible. So to use the Astound news server on a
MAC you need to use non Microsoft product. If you have any other questions
please call Tech support at 1-800-4-Astound"

So I'm curious if the developers who frequent this group have an opinion on
this.

I'll be dealing with Astound again tomorrow in person.

John

 

[Diane Ross]

Also weird, when I configure my account:

Tools > Accounts > Mail Tab> Account Settings > SMPT server (outgoing
messages):

mail.astound.net

or, as astound recommended,

smpt-sjc.astound.net

Be sure you type SMTP and not SMPT. Don't' think it matters if it's capital
letters or not.

Just try smtp.astound.net.

Have you experimented with authentication setting for SMTP?

... I can NEVER send mail -- I get an error message every time.

For this reason I've got SMPT server set to my old ISP -- and I am terribly
glad that I didn't shake them immediately ... or I wouldn't even be able to
ask you kind folks for help.

Do you have other choices for a high speed access ISP?

 

[John B.]

Be sure you type SMTP and not SMPT.

Oh yeah, huh! Good eye Dianne.

Having slain myself with a mere transposition, I'm certainly glad I copied
and pasted to my post -- had I typed it, I probably would have put SMTP.

... so now, that little snag is fixed, but BSD newsgroup issue looms large.

Don't' think it matters if it's capital
letters or not.

Just try smtp.astound.net.

Have you experimented with authentication setting for SMTP?

I tried MacSoup and it sees my old ISP's server,
but like Entourage, it won't connect with the Astound newsgroup ...

Do you have other choices for a high speed access ISP?

I'm certainly thinking that over. We'll see what happens when the tech is
here tomorrow.

John

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

With news.astound.net and nntp.astound.net I can get the newsgroups list,
AND I can subscribe to individual newsgroups ... but I get an error message
when I click on a newsgroup to download the headers!

Great !!

¡ With news.ca.astound.net I can't even get the newsgroups list!

Yeah, this one doesn't even seem to exist at all :->>>


Corentin

 

[John B.]

Hi Dianne,

I tried the steps you suggested ...



... unfortunately I'm in the same position.


I will contact Astound again ...

As we're all beginning to conclude, it's probably just a problem with the
newsgroup address Astound gave me.

I'm going to grill Astound tech support regarding their statement that
Entourage can't hook up with BSD protocol. It looks like they've been
wasting a lot of my time.

Thanks!

John

Not much yet substantial from Astound. A Unix Administrator is looking into
the matter, but unfortunately he doesn't have a Mac at his disposal.

But it's starting to look like Entourage IS deficient in it's ability to
read from Astound's news server.

While I had NO luck with MacSoup, MT NewsWatcher seems to work fine with
news.astound.net ...

.... but now I have to learn how to use another program? And my messages will
be scattered over two databases. I'd really rather not.

John