This post describes how you can connect to a NNTP news servers that provides SSL support with your Forte Agent Newsreader version 6.0 under Ubuntu linux.
I assume you know how to install Forte Agent in linux or access it from a Windows partition and will not describe that in this post.

Installing wine

# sudo aptitude install wine

Always install the newest Wine version available.

Start Forte Agent using wine

# wine agent.exe

I assume you know where you have placed the Forte Agent files.

In Windows Forte Agent uses Internet Explorers DLLs to implement SSL support and that is not available in linux.
If you try to run Forte Agent with the Server Setting “The server requires a secure connection SSL” you will get a error message

Failed: Unknown exception msg=2 type=2

One solution is to use the linux command stunnel to create a SSL tunnel from your PC to the news server you want to connect to.

Install stunnel for the SSL support

# sudo aptitude install stunnel

Then you set up the stunnel tunnel from your PC to the nntp news server

# sudo stunnel  -c -d 127.0.0.1:563 -r nntpnews.servername:563

This command makes it possible to connect your Forte Agent newsreader to IP address 127.0.0.1 port 563 and all those requests will be forwarded to your newsservers port 563. The port number is just to change if it your news provider uses another port.

Now, in Forte Agent you have to go to the “Servers and Accounts”, “Advanced Settings…” and check the checkbox “Use a non-standard NNTP port” and write in the port you are using. In my example it is port 563.

You are now ready to connect to your news provider with a SSL tunnel while using Forte Agent Newsreader.
Enjoy safe news reading.