Finding free usenet servers is no problem, finding servers that allow and provide binaries newsgroups is very difficult indeed. At least it was. This is because a lot of servers where you normally would need a paid subscription are now testing for the new IPv6 protocol. Now who do you think is needed to do these tests? That’s right! We are! Now before we get started let’s set some things straight:

  • In this post you will find information on IPv6, tunnels, free usenet servers who work with IPv6 and the information on how to configurate these servers in GrabIt, Newsleech, AltBinz or any other usenet downloading software
  • You will not find information on free binaries usenet servers using IPv4, for that look here
  • Using usenet you will be able to download movies, games and software with the speed of your internet connection (max 20 mbits) for free, if you do not know anything about this but you are interested in using this great free service you should first learn some basics here, you will find everything you’ll need to know over there

What is IPv6?

Internet protocol Version 6 (IPv6) is the continuator of Internet protocol Version 4 (IPv4). It has been developed because of the restrictions and as a remedy for shortcomings of IPv4. Shortage to available IP-nummers provides an enormous problem for IPv4: there are 4 billion IPv4-addresses available and roughly speaking in 2022, all available addresses would be in use. Because of this a new structure is necessary, so that the unused address ranges can again be used. IPv4 has 4 × 109 addresses, whereas IPv6 has space for 3,4 × 1038 addresses. For each earthling there are approximately 50,000 quadriljoen IPv6-addresses available.

Beside a large address range IPv6 offers some other improvements:

  • Better routing and network-autoconfiguration
  • NAT is not needed anymore
  • Data security on IP-level
  • Support for mobile nodes

Free IPv6 servers that are available at the moment:

Eweka
Adress: news.ipv6.eweka.nl
Port: 119
Connections: 4
Speed: 20mbit
username: none
Pass: none
retention: 107 days		 newszilla
Adress: newszilla6.xs4all.nl
Port: 119
Connections: 3
Speed: 150 kb/s
username: geen
Pass: geen
retention: 18 days		 XS news
Adress: reader.ipv6.xsnews.nl
Port: 119
Username: http://www.xsnews.com/ipv6/
Pass: http://www.xsnews.com/ipv6/
Retention en complete guarantee: 107 days

Giganews Newsgroups

Tunnel Providers:

There are probably more reliable tunnel providers than listed, but I will explain how to use the following servers:

Hurricane
http://tunnelbroker.net/

Go6:
http://go6.net/

Sixxs
www.sixxs.net/

Hurricane how-to:

This works for XP system (SP3) with newsleecher and with Grabit (both only tested with eweka IPv6)

choose in advance which leecher you will be using (Grabit and Altbinz are free)

Download and install your preferred usenet software and add  new servers using the following configuration:

Server adress:127.0.0.1,port: 1119, server nickname: ipv6 Eweka, connections: 4 (10 gives me a maximum speed of 1200kbit/s ), priority: 1
server address: 127.0.0.1, port: 1118, server nickname: ipv6 Newszilla6, connections: 3, prio: 1
server address: 127.0.0.1, port: 1120, server nickname: ipv6 XS News, connections: 10, prio: 1

Giganews Newsgroups

  • Go to: http://tunnelbroker.net and register (top left)
  • fills out your data and if you don’t want to fill out your real personal data in: churchstreet in ukraine also works :p ( however be sure to use a correct mail address as you will need it later on)
  • You’ll soon receive a confirmation e-mail
  • Login at the Hurrican website.
  • Later on you will need you current IP-address, this can be found at: whatismyip.com
  • only copy the IP address and click ” Create regular Tunnel” (top left at http://tunnelbroker.net) and paste your IP address in the box which is given and click the server who is near you. After hitting submit you should see “O.K.: Your tunnel has been allocated”
  • next click tunnel details, where we will be seeing the information we will need in the next few steps
  • Choose your operating system and click “show config”
  • copy the lines you see and paste them in a new file using notepad
  • add the following lines to the file:

netsh interface portproxy add v4tov6 listenport=1119 connectaddress=news.ipv6.eweka.nl connectport=119
netsh interface portproxy add v4tov6 listenport=1118 connectaddress=newszilla6.xs4all.nl connectport=119
netsh interface portproxy add v4tov6 listenport=1120 connectaddress=reader.ipv6.xsnews.nl connectport=119

  • and then add the following lines depending on your software and installation location:

cd C:\Program Files\NewsLeecher\
newsLeecher.exe

or

cd C:\Program Files\Grabit\
Grabit.exe

  • save this file as IPv6tunnel.bat in the folder IPv6tunnel on C:\ disk
  • double-click on the .bat file you just created and newsleecher (or other software you choose and filled out in .bat file) is started.
  • Grab an .nzb file and start downloading!
  • remember to start your software using the .bat file everytime you want to use this method!

F.A.Q

How do I find out IPv6 is working for me?
Go to http://www.whatismyipv6.net/ and find out

When trying to install IPv6 via: “Open a cmd.exe window –> Type: “netsh interface ipv6 install” and press enter” I get the following error: “0x800704b8 installation error”.
In command prompt (start>execute>cmd) type the following and hit enter:
esentutl /g %windir%/security/Database/secedit.sdb

you’ll receive this reply “database is not up-to-date”

then type (and hit enter):
esentutl /r %windir%/security/Database/secedit.sdb

you’ll receive this reply “Operation terminated with error -1003 (JET_errInvalidParamater, Invalid API paramater)“

then type (and hit enter):
esentutl /p %windir%/security/Database/secedit.sdb

Now you’ll see a lot of text and IPv6 install should work without the error above.

My Command prompt immediately closes?
instead of using (start>execute>cmd) use (start>execute>cmd/k)

Other tips & tricks:
make sure your windows firewall is disabled.
All servers will work in the Netherlands for sure and most of them will work in most big european countries: Germany, France, Poland, Spain, Italy, Greece, Norway, Finland, Sweden, UK and Turkey. I don’t know for other countries, but it will probably also work. If so, please let me know in the comments!

How-to’s on Go6 and sixxs will be available soon!