Configuring the NNTP Service

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 with SP1

The IIS NNTP service enables you to create a news server to host discussion groups. NNTP is the protocol for distributing, posting, and retrieving news items between a news server and client.

You can use the NNTP service to host local discussion groups, called newsgroups, on a single computer. For example, you can create departmental newsgroups where company department members can discuss projects and issues. Or you can create a newsgroup and allow customers to access it over the Internet for technical or customer support. Because the NNTP service is in complete compliance with the NNTP protocol, users can use any newsreader client, such as the Microsoft® Outlook®  Express messaging and collaboration client, to participate in newsgroup discussions.

You can also configure the NNTP service for newsfeeds. Newsfeeds enable users of different newsgroups to read and post articles to other newsgroups, as if the users were using a single group. An article that is posted to one newsgroup gets sent to other newsgroups, where it can be read.

The NNTP service is hosted by Inetinfo.exe. Clients connect to the NNTP service through TCP port 119 by default. If you enable encrypted SSL connections, the default port is 563.