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What Is an NZB and How to Use It on Usenet
What Is an NZB?
An NZB is a structured text document that helps a newsreader locate specific articles on Usenet. Instead of processing headers from every newsgroup, NZBs reference only the exact articles you're looking for. This makes accessing specific materials much faster and more efficient.
NZBs are especially useful when working with automation tools or when accessing older articles that span multiple segments.
How to Use NZBs with Tweaknews
Tweaknews comes with access to UsenetWire, a newsreader that has built-in support for NZBs and does not require additional configuration. Here's how to use it:
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Locate an NZB – Use a Usenet Indexer to search for articles of interest.
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Open the NZB in UsenetWire – If UsenetWire is set as the default program for NZBs, it will automatically open the NZB and begin accessing the articles.
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Monitor Progress – UsenetWire will show progress in real-time as it gathers the article segments.
UsenetWire also allows you to search and access articles directly through the application, which removes the need to manually locate and import NZBs.
What Is a Usenet Indexer?
A Usenet Indexer is a search engine that catalogs Usenet articles, often providing NZB links to them. Some Indexers are public, while others require registration or payment. Using a reliable Indexer helps narrow down results to active and complete articles, saving time and avoiding dead ends.
How NZBs Support Automation
Many users rely on automation tools to monitor Indexers for new NZBs. When a matching NZB is found, these tools automatically pass it to the newsreader and begin retrieving the related articles. This method is popular among advanced users and works well with Tweaknews’s high article retention and reliable server speeds.
