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Are you new to Usenet and the Newsgroups?
Our frequently asked questions and answers below can help you get started with our service. If you have a question that isn't answered here, please contact our support specialists who will gladly assist you with any questions, problems, or requests. |
Q: How long do messages stay on your server? |
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A: Retention
will vary slightly between newsgroups. In most cases, however,
you can expect at least 180 days back on text and 30-75 days
back on other groups, depending on the nature of the group.
We upgrade our existing news server hardware base and add
new
hardware
on an ongoing basis, thus constantly improving retention
rates and ensuring they are at the top of our industry. |
Q: What is the completion rate in your and text groups?
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| A: Binaries.net has one of the highest completion rates in the entire Usenet industry. Completion is close to 98%-99% in most groups and is virtually perfect (100%) in all text groups, give or take a few. Our superb peering arrangements make sure you get complete news from all over the world, at unmatchable speed. |
Q: Do you have a web-based interface that I can use to access the newsgroups on your server? |
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A: Yes, we do! We call it the Web Gateway. This interface is easy to use, and great for beginning Usenet surfers who are not yet familiar with a newsreader. It is also how MSN TV users can access Usenet. Perhaps the biggest advantage of this, however, is that you can access Usenet with you account, through the Web Gateway, from any computer in the world! So whether you are browsing the newsgroups at home or trying to show your classmates how cool Usenet is at school, the Web Gateway has you covered.
If
you want to connect to the Web Gateway, the address
is textreader.binaries.net. We
have a short overview of
the Web Gateway and more detailed instructions on
using it.
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Q: Can I use a newsreader to access your newsgroups? |
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A: Yes, in fact, we recommend it. A newsreader offers more features for downloading files. Our website was originally designed to download text based newsgroups. Of course, you can decode files using our website, but the process will not be as efficient as when using a newsreader. For a list of recommended newsreaders and instructions on their use, visit our software page.
Also, keep in mind, we offer to all customers our preferred newsreader, News Rover, which is already pre-configured to our server. |
Q: What
happens after I sign up? I've never accessed Usenet or
the newsgroups before...
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A: No problem! Binaries.net is suitable for both beginners and advanced Usenet junkies. We provide a user-friendly web-based interface to our new users, called Web Gateway. You can access the Web Gateway here.
We also offer a custom newsreader, News Rover to all members. News Rover is a easy to use, yet powerful newsreader that works well for novices and experts alike. Once you are ready to upgrade to a newsreader, you can download it from our Member's Area and you'll be on your way to downloading tons of free videos, software, pictures, and more! Binaries.net makes it easy for everyone to download from Usenet so you should not get discouraged if you are unfamiliar with Usenet. If you experience problems with the web gateway or any newsreader, our support staff will be happy to assist you with any questions you might have. |
Q: Do I have to use a newsreader to access your newsgroups? |
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A: No, you can log into our server directly from our website (using the easy-to-use Web Gateway interface). However, if you plan on downloading a lot of files, we recommend using a newsreader, which will optimize your downloading abilities. |
Q: How do I cancel my account? |
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A: If you have problems with our service, please make sure you let us know before you cancel. We will try to help you resolve them and if that doesn't work for you, we will cancel your account. We do not want to leave any users behind!
To cancel your account, please use the support form listed here and provide your name, username, and subscription or transaction number. Your subscription and transaction number can be obtained from the account administration page. Cancellations are usually handled within 48 hours with the exception of weekends and holidays. We provide a cancellation e-mail to all customers.
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Q: How do I upgrade my monthly plan to a plan with a higher download limit? |
A: Existing Binaries.net members have two options for upgrading their current accounts:
- To upgrade to a bigger download plan immediately, you must cancel your account and re-sign up using a different username.
- To keep your existing username, you must cancel your existing subscription, wait for your account expiration date (you may find this in the Member's Area), and then re-sign up for a new account on this website, selecting your old username during the subscription process.
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Q: How do I change my password and email address? |
| A: Both your password and email address can be updated on the account administration page. Other account changes such as username and account type can be made using the support form. |
Q: How do I add an existing newsgroup? |
| A: Simply use the support form. Make sure you include the name of the newsgroup and your username. We will have your group up and running in three business days or less. |
Q: How can I create a new newsgroup?
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A: We can add any newsgroup in the alt.* hierarchy. Just send us the name of the new newsgroup along with your username. Any new newsgroup outside of the alt.* hierarchy will need to go through Big-8 Management Board. For more information, please click here. |
Q: How do I update my credit card billing information? |
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A: Because our billing is processed through either third party agent, iPay or ccBill, we are unable to make changes to your billing profile. Our default provider is iPay, so unless you specifically requested ccBill to process your payments, iPay is likely your billing agent. If you are unsure which company processes your payments, please contact us via support forum.
If iPay is your billing agent, changing
your billing information is easy, simply contact their customer
support with your update request.
If ccBill processes your payments; however, you will need to cancel your account and re-sign up with your updated billing information. To avoid this inconvenience, please use our primary provider, iPay.
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Q: How do I renew my account? |
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A: If you signed up for a Binaries.net account with a credit card, your membership will automatically renew every 30 days until you cancel your account. If your account does not automatically renew and you lose your Usenet access, that likely means that you changed your billing information with your credit card company but forgot to update your profile with our third party billing agent. To process all credit card payments, we use both iPay and ccBill. Our primary processing agent is iPay, so unless you specified otherwise, your payment has been processed through them.
Outdated credit card information causes your account to expire. If that happens and you want to renew your membership with Binaries.net you can easily do so by getting a new subscription using your new credit card (or simply signing up with your up-to-date billing information). If you wish to keep your old username and password, please follow the instructions on the Account Renewal page.
If you subscribed with a money order, you need to manually renew your subscription every 3 or 6 months, depending on the account duration you initially selected. Renewing your account manually is done by sending us another 3 or 6-month payment. You can either request a new username at that time or keep your existing one.
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Q: Do you limit users' download speeds? |
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A: No, we allow you to connect at whatever speed you are capable of. Your speed will be determined by Internet traffic and the speed of your Internet connection.
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Q: When does my download limit reset? |
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A: All download limits reset 30 days after your sign up date at midnight CST. If you are running low on bandwidth, you are always welcome to add more from the Member's Area. There are three bandwidth add-on options available to members of Binaries.net at special rates. The advantage of adding bandwidth this way is that you do not have to permanently upgrade to a more expensive plan to add bandwidth during the current monthly only. |
Q: How do I connect to your news server? |
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A: Binaries.net members can easily connect to our news server by using either our free newsreader program (News Rover) or our easy-to-use Web Gateway.
If you want to connect to the Web Gateway, the address is textreader.binaries.net. We have a short overview of the Web Gateway and more detailed instructions on using it.
If you wish to use a newsreader to connect, the server address to use is news.binaries.net. You may download your free copy of News Rover from the software page of our Member's Area.
Please
contact technical
support if
you have problems configuring your newsreader or connecting
through the web. For a list of recommended free and for
purchase newsreaders with setup instructions, please
visit our
software page. The newsreader
we provide to our members at no charge comes pre-configured
for our server so there is no additional setup needed,
besides downloading it. News Rover is easy to use and
features a built-in Message Locator, making it a great
choice for inexperienced and advanced users alike.
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Q: How can I get more bandwidth if I run out in the middle of the month? |
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A: It's simple! Just log into the Member's Area with your username and password and click on the "Add Bandwidth" button. This will instantly add the requested amount of bandwidth to your account and you will be able to download that much extra from Usenet before your next billing period begins. Please note that unused bandwidth does not transfer over to the next month and therefore should be used up in the current billing period so you won't lose it.
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Q: How
do I report abuse issues? |
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A: You
may report newsgroup and Usenet abuse issues to abuse@binaries.net. Please
include the name of the group and the article ID when
reporting abuse. We will do our best to remove the
offending posts as soon as possible.
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Q: How
do I add Secure Tunnel™ to my account? |
A: To add Secure-Tunnel™ to
your Binaries.net plan you must sign up with ccBill, our
secondary billing agent. Please note, iPay is the default
option, so signing up with ccBill requires you to manually
switch your billing agent preference. To do this, simply
click the ccBill button on the first sign-up page. After
choosing and approving your plan you will be taken to the
ccBill transaction page to finalize your order. At the
bottom of this page there is a box called Today's Special.
Check that box to add Secure-Tunnel™ to your package.
If you would like to learn more about our partnership with Secure-Tunnel™, please visit our information page.
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Q: Do headers count against my Binaries.net bandwidth? |
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A: Absolutely not! We never want to discourage our customers from searching as many newsgroups as they want - that is why we carry 100,000+ newsgroups. Download as many headers as you would like, they are on us!
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Q: Are the Member's Area stats in real-time? |
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A: Yes, all Member's Area stats are in real time, so you will never have to wait to get the latest information regarding your account. |
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| Did we answer all your questions? Please contact
us if you need help with Usenet or have another question
about our service. |
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| Not sure you need Usenet
access? Call our service
specialists to learn more about Usenet and see if
it's right for you. |
