How To Search Usenet
Last Updated: Aug 05, 2019
One of the biggest problems you will face when taking advantage of USENET is that first you must know how to find what you are looking for. USENET is powerful, fast, and the best USENET access providers offer excellent privacy protection. That being said, USENET functions quite a bit differently than, and uses different terminology than, the Internet, and those things, unfortunately, sometimes discourage newcomers.
This article will teach you how to search USENET for the files you want. You have several different options for searching USENET, some paid and some free, and we’ll give you an overview of them so that you can get the most out of your USENET subscription.
Understand the USENET Landscape
Most of the binaries worth downloading are going to be found in one of fewer than 100 popular groups. Given that most USENET providers offer access to more than 100,000 different groups, there’s clearly a lot of groups that you never even have to bother searching. This is why we don’t recommend that you use the number of groups a provider offers as a criteria for selecting a USENET service. What is important, however, is the retention time that your USENET provider offers. The longer the better. Some USENET search sites will give you listings for binaries that were uploaded several years ago, but you won’t be able to download a binary that was uploaded a long time ago unless your USENET provider has adequate retention.
Get a Good Newsreader: Our List
When we say “good newsreader,” we have some specific criteria in mind, which include:
- Integrated search features, such as are available from Newshosting’s newsreader and from Newsbin
- Good program design, because downloading headers will chew up your memory if you’re using a poorly-designed newsreader
- Intuitive interface, because you shouldn’t need a college course to figure out how to operate your newsreader!
There are many different newsreaders out there: some free, some paid; some good, some bad. Sorting through all of them can be a frustrating waste of time. Because we want people to learn about and to enjoy using USENET, we made a list of the best USENET newsreaders. Take a look at the list and find something that suits you. Remember: Your USENET provider might offer a newsreader with your subscription to their service and, if so, that’s probably your best bet.
Top Recommended Newsreaders
| # | Name | OS | Details |
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Don’t have time to sort through a long list? Check out these newsreaders, which compose our top five choices, and which are also among the most popular and easy to use:
Join an NZB Site
NZB sites provide search engines that you can use to find binaries and, in quite a few cases, a slew of other worthwhile features. In addition to that, most of them offer some sort of a community. Many offer forums; some even offer IRC channels to members. We highly recommend you join such a site. We have a list of NZB sites you can explore. Some of them charge a fee for membership, but many are free. If the site requires an invitation–it’ll say if it does on our review–and there’s no login field when you go to the site, that means it might be temporarily closed to new members. Find another site; there are plenty to choose from on our list.
NZB Sites to Consider
If you’re in a rush, go ahead and check out the NZB sites listed below. These are our Top 5 NZB Sites.
| # | Name | Details | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
|  ●
OnlineFree Trial Open |
| 2 |  |
|  ●Read Review Newznab+ Open |
| 3 |  |
| ● Read Review Newznab+ Open |
| 4 |  |
|  ●Read Review Newznab Open |
| 5 |  |
| ● Read Review VBulletin Open |
Use Our Guide to Find a USENET Search Site
USENET search engines are sometimes more convenient to use than NZB sites, given that many don’t require that you join or even log in to use their services. USENET search sites are often uncurated and, thus, they tend to have more spam in their search results than do NZB sites. It’s still worth joining a USENET search engine site, as they can provide a very comprehensive search of binary newsgroups, most often at no charge. When you do use these sites, remember the following tips, which will help you avoid spam:
- Check which newsgroups the binaries you find are posted in and download from groups that specialize in the type of content–video, audio, etc.–you’re looking for. If a binary is in a spam group–e.g., a warez group–don’t bother downloading it.
- Files that require a password to open them are always spam
- There are well-known uploaders on USENET, learn their names so you can spot good binaries right away and save yourself some time
- If you join an NZB site–and you should–ask on the forums for tips about using USENET search sites. People are generally very helpful on such sites.
Best USENET Search Engines
In a rush and just want some links? Our Top 5 USENET Search Engines are listed below. If you’re in a hurry, just click on the links below and see which service you like best; they’re all good.
| # | Name | Details | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
| ●
Online Free Trial Open |
| 2 |  |
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●Read Review custom Open |
| 3 |  |
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● Read Review Spotnet Open |
| 4 |  |
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● Read Review Custom Open |
| 5 |  |
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● Read Review Custom Open |
It’s Worth Learning How to Use USENET
Of all the methods of downloading, USENET offers among the fastest speeds, is less complicated to use than are torrents, and USENET offers excellent privacy protection, provided you go with a good USENET service We have plenty of information on UsenetReviewz.com that’s designed to make figuring out USENET easy, even for complete novices. The most important thing to keep in mind is that USENET does not function like the Internet technology you’re probably used to, but it’s actually a bit easier to use once you get the hang of it. Probably the second most important thing to remember is that using USENET to download content, including taking the measures you have to take to protect your privacy, is usually cheaper than is using other methods. Most people who learn how to use USENET end up using it as their first choice whenever they want to download something. Compared to downloading over torrents and other options, USENET is simply better.
