dcorleto
@aol.com
| [Internet] newsgroup access while remote
I am a cable modem subscriber. While traveling, if I dial up on another ISP, say AOL, etc. I can access my rcn email either via web or POP so long as I have authentication enabled. However, I am unable to access newgroups while traveling and dialed in with another ISP. I do not pay for dial up service with RCN in addition to paying for cable modem service, as I do not travel frequently enough to warrant paying another 9.95/month just to access newsgroups occassionally. I spoke with RCN tech support and was told that while Giganews hosts the RCN newsgroups, that I should have no problem accessing the newsgroups while connected to another ISP, so long as I setup my newsreader to use authentication. We walked through all the steps together and the username and password are not accepted. However, as I said, I can get my email through outlook express with no problem. Can anyone confirm that RCN does not allow newsgroup access to cable modem customers if they are not paying additionally for dialup? If so, I think this is a wrong and should be changed. I look forward to others who care to comment. |
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nozzer
join:2004-06-25
Waltham, MA
| Giganews does not keep a database of RCN customers, it simply allows people to connect when they are connected to RCN's network. The tech you spoke to was basically wrong IIRC.
Therefore, there is no way for you to use giganews while you are connected to another ISP's network.
noz |
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dcorleto
@aol.com
| Thank you for clarifying this for me. I sort of figured that I was being given the wrong information. Does RCN monitor this board or how can someone recommend the best way to let RCN be aware of how they are misinforming their customers and I would like to recommend that they offer some sort of option for occassional travelers such as myself. I believe that other ISP's give x amount of hours for dialup at no charge to their cable modem subscribers and then pay an hourly charge thereafter. |
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Gripweed7
My Feet's Wet
join:2002-03-03
Scranton, PA
| I am a RCN dialup customer that routinely accesses the newsgroups from another network. It definitely does work. My guess is that you are probably using just your user name rather than your full email address to contact Giganews. That won't work. Giganews doesn't know whether you are johndoe@rcn.com or johndoe@aol.com if you just put johndoe. Of course you also need to enable authentication as well, which you have.
This is all explained on the RCN website. Click Help then Internet then Newsgroups and then RCN Newsgroup Facts. That is where I learned of the correct way to set it up. |
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Storm97
join:2003-04-14
Evanston, WY
 ·Comcast
| Aboslutely right Gripweed, and dcorleto, you don't have to have the RCN dialup to access the Newsgroups... only your RCN username and password. See screenshots (keep in mind, they are for Thuderbird, but the format is the same) username is FULL email address, password is email password and server is news.rcn.com over port 119.
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My Computer: Dell Dimension 4500, w/ Pentium 4 @ 2.00Ghz, 40 Gig WDC drive, 512MB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 and GVC-Realtek 10/100 NIC |
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dcorleto
@aol.com | reply to dcorleto
did it and it still does not work - called RCN and they confirmed that that wasn't working on their end either by putting in their full email address...
any other thoughts? just a fluke through giganews currently? what do I do next? |
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dcorleto
@aol.com
| reply to dcorleto
I think you hit the nail on the head when you described that you are a "DIALUP" customer, and it works for you....great.....
As I mentioned, I am a cable modem customer, not dialup, and I think that they may be prohibiting people who do not pay for dial up to access the newsgroups when connected through another ISP...
any thoughts? |
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jmirabella
Joe Mirabella
Premium,VIP
join:2003-10-20
Lanham, MD
clubs:
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
 ·VoicePulse
| works fine for me from off network
blink:~ joe$ telnet news.rcn.com 119
Trying 216.196.97.142...
Connected to news.isp.giganews.com.
Escape character is '^]'.
200 News.GigaNews.Com
480 authentication required
authinfo USER ****@rcn.com
381 more authentication required
authinfo PASS *****
281 news.rcn.net
list
215 newsgroups follow
0.akita-inu 0000000444 0000000002 y
0.alaskan-malamute 0000000250 0000000002 y
0.alaskan-malamutes 0000000235 0000000002 y
0.siberian-huskys 0000000287 0000000002 y
0.test 0000090288 0000044672 y
0.verizon.adsl 0000000248 0000000002 y
I ^C'd it from there as it worked..
I used a cablemodem only user/pass combo
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RCN Customers PM jmirabella  your modem MAC address or RCN username if you have any questions. |
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Storm97
join:2003-04-14
Evanston, WY
·Comcast
| reply to dcorleto
Just a thought... try having tech support create an additional username for you (*read* eamil address), since you are allowed up to 4 free. Wait the "24-48 hours" that they advise, then try using newsgroups with THAT username/password... Maybe just a fluke with how your account was created in their billing system. I have seen it work when they blow a username out of the system, then re-create it, but this may accomplish the same... worth a shot at least, right? 
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My Computer: Dell Dimension 4500, w/ Pentium 4 @ 2.00Ghz, 40 Gig WDC drive, 512MB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 and GVC-Realtek 10/100 NIC |
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jsolo1
Premium
join:2001-07-01
| reply to jmirabella
Joe, just tried it from my friend's comcast acct. No go.
I entered my primary rcn email addr & pw (confirmed working by trying rcn webmail first).
It comes back with a "502 Access Denied via @rcn.com auth server" error.
Perhaps an account has to be setup for off network access...
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Living in a state of insanity & disillusion |
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jmirabella
Joe Mirabella
Premium,VIP
join:2003-10-20
Lanham, MD
clubs:
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·VoicePulse
| reply to dcorleto
well I have no idea if its supposed to be allowed or not.. but the account I used was my account thats provisioned for cablemodem only.
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RCN Customers PM jmirabella your modem MAC address or RCN username if you have any questions. |
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dcorleto
@avec-ubr14.nyr- | I will call and ask them again, but sometimes dealing with their customer service is no easy task...Will report back when I have more information |
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