Skip Navigation
NACS > Help > Newsgroups

Connecting to UCI's Newsgroup Server

Summary: A newsgroup is a discussion list that is related to one topic. You can subscribe to many different newsgroups. Newsreader software is needed to read newsgroups. Use the directions below to configure Thunderbird or Mozilla to read UCI's newsgroup service.

Related Information

Configure Thunderbird or Mozilla to Read Newsgroups

  1. Open Thunderbird
  2. From the Tools menu, select Account Settings.... (See Figure 1)
    (In the Mozilla Suite, go to Edit > Mail & Newsgroup Account Settings....)

    Figure 1
  3. In the Account Settings window, click the Add Account button.
  4. In the New Account Setup window, select the Newsgroup account radio button and click the Next button. (See Figure 2)
    Figure 2: New newsgroup account
    Figure 2
  5. In the Identity window, type your full name in the Your Name field. (See Figure 3)
  6. Type your UCI email address in the Email Address field and click the Next button. (Use your UCInetID@uci.edu)
    Figure 3: Identity
    Figure 3
  7. In the Server Information window, type news.service.uci.edu in the Newsgroup Server field. (See Figure 4) Click the Next button.
    Figure 4: Server Info
    Figure 4
  8. Type a name in the Account name field or leave the default, which is the server name. (This name will appear as an account under Account Settings.) Click the Next button.
  9. Verify that your settings are correct in the Congratulations window. If you need to make any changes, use the Back button. If everything is correct, click the Finish button.
  10. In the account settings window, click on Outgoing Server (SMTP) in the left pane. This window will appear after you have finished the set up wizard.
  11. Type in your Outgoing Server (SMTP) address. Use smtp.uci.edu if you are on campus. (See Figure 5) Click the OK button.
    Figure 5: SMTP
    Figure 5
  12. You have completed the Newsgroup Account Set Up.

Subscribe to Groups That Interest You

Now that you have connected to a newsgroup server, you must subscribe to newsgroups that interest you.

  1. Your news group account should appear in the Folders pane on the left in both Thunderbird and the Mozilla suite.
  2. Click on your news group server in the left pane.
  3. Click the Manage newsgroup subscriptions link under the Newsgroups heading in the main window on the right. (See Figure 6)
    Figure 6: Manage Subscriptions
    Figure 6
  4. In the Subscribe window, scroll through the various newsgroups to find groups that interest you. When you find one, click the Subscribe button or check the box to the right of the name.
    You can also search for newsgroups by typing in the Show items that contain field.
    Tip: You may need to click the plus (+) button (Windows) or the triangle (>) button (Mac) to expand the list to see all of the groups under the listed categories. (See Figure 7)
    Figure 7: Subscribe
    Figure 7
  5. When you have selected all the newsgroups that interest you, click the OK button. (See Figure 8)
    Figure 8: Subscribe
    Figure 8

Participating in Newsgroups

Now that you have subscribed to some newsgroups, you can read the entries and post new messages or replies.

  1. Expand your newsgroup list by double-clicking on the newsgroup server or clicking the plus (+) sign in the left pane next to the server.
  2. Select a newsgroup by clicking on its name. The messages will appear in the main window. (See Figure 9)
    Figure 9: View Groups
    Figure 9
  3. To post a new message to a newsgroup, select the group from your list and click the Write button at the top of the window.
  4. To reply to a post, select the desired message and click the Reply button at the top of the window.
    Note: When you are reading posts, you may need to click the plus (+) button to see all of the responses. (See Figure 10)
    Figure 10: Expand List
    Figure 10
  5. You are now ready to read and post to newsgroups. To check for new messages in the newsgroups, click the Get Mail icon at the top of the window or double click on the the group name in the left pane.