AOL [hell]?

I'm attempting to fix a co-workers brand new Dell laptop (fitted with Windows XP Pro). He uses AOL for internet access and as an ISP I believe (small business).The problem is his internet works perfectly fine on Internet Explorer but on AOL Explorer it goes slower than dial-up.

Here's what I did so far (and he did on his own with AOL tech support):
1. Virus Scan
2. Spyware Scan
3. AOL re-install
4. Checked for proxies to no avail
5. Disabled ALL firewalls
6. Disabled all unnecessary network connections (including wireless)
7. Checked if parental control was on

I don't get it. My assumption is that AOL is not configured properly but the AOL interface is so confusing when you have to look at settings and a couple of the settings have to access the internet (?!).

P.S. I attempted to suggest not using AOL but he says he needs AOL. So removing AOL is not an option.

Thanks in advance.

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P.S. I attempted to suggest not using AOL but he says he needs AOL. So removing AOL is not an option.

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Why does he *need* AOL? People *need* AOL like they need a bullet in the head. Sorry... I really don't like them.

My personal feelings aside: AOL is now free for everyone. You don't need to use their software to access their services. Just get a good ad blocker. ;) I just switched someone over to DSL today. They wanted to keep AOL for their stocks portfolios and for email... so I just made AOL.com their homepage.

Is he using AOL over broadband? Or, is he dialing in? I was under the assumption that you are using AOL over broadband because you said its "slower than dial up" when using the AOL interface.

It's possible that he is using AOL over dialup and IE over broadband? Make sure that AOL is not dialing up but instead using the existing internet connection.

Not gonna say I LIKE AOL, that would be going too far. Buuuut I've ended up using them a couple years now (I had no choice, it was AOL or no internet don't hurt me :P) and although the software is a PITA with a wireless router between me and the internet you don't need it and to be honest, its been the most reliable connection I have ever used. I get the speed I paid for all the time. Not had it go down on me once. Unlike Bulldog, BT, Freeserve and tiscali.

Got a hardware spec for the machine? its not something silly like the AOL bloatware is overloading the computer is it?

Well the obvious answer is to tell him to use AOHELL to connect, but use IE or other browser to access webpages. I'm afraid I haven't seen the thing since AOHELL 3.0 and won't be of much help in troubleshooting it.

I think he needs it mainly for convenience, all of his needs in one place. I know he doesn't need it, however have you ever tried to switch out of something you are SO used to? You tend to be a bit apprehensive, which he is.

Yes, it is on broadband...the dial-up connection is currently disabled and I don't believe he has a telephone line connected into the laptop, I'll verify today. I'm not sure about the specs but it's not going slow at all. I actually originally thought it was one of Dells many useless software that comes bundled into the laptop was the root of the problem, I guess I was wrong.

Well, for the past few days (while I attempt to find the solution) I've advised him to use IE for internet. I figured nobody here would be expert at AOL (I haven't used AOL since the year 2000 when I first bought my computer (you have to take advantage of those free minutes :p)) however I figured you would be able to provide a theory which I could confirm or deny.

Well back when I had my experience with AOHELL, their browser used the IE DLLs and all settings. Can anyone confirm how much of that is still the case? They also (in their tv ads) claim to have all kinds of protection built in . It's quite possible that some of this "dumbed down" protection is robbing internet speed.

That was my assumption as well, the protection could be slowing it down, however when I attempted to disable it, I was unable to find it. It always leads me to an AOL site so I can download it...

Well if IE is working, the 1st thing I would look for is a tools menu where proxy can be set. Tell it to use IE proxy. that's just a shot in the dark.

Fitting title...

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Originally Posted by JPnyc

Well back when I had my experience with AOHELL, their browser used the IE DLLs and all settings. Can anyone confirm how much of that is still the case? They also (in their tv ads) claim to have all kinds of protection built in . It's quite possible that some of this "dumbed down" protection is robbing internet speed.

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If I am not mistaken, doesn't AOHELL use Netscape as a browser?

Beats me, these days. They used IE back when I last saw it. I have no idea what they use now. I vaguely remember hearing them allowing a choice a few yrs ago. Anyone know for sure?

LOL @ phish.

Neither AOL nor IE use any proxies.

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If I am not mistaken, doesn't AOHELL use Netscape as a browser?

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Would be nice, but it uses AOL Explorer, integrated into AOL.

So, I talked to AOL live chat today at work, such a great help they are [/sarcasm]. They ask you questions that make no sense just to be able to get rid of you and not say "I don't know the answer to your question" and instead say "After you do that, you'll be all set." They asked me to do stuff like clear my cache, which is understandable but considering I did that already why do it again? They asked me to disable AOL topspeed..told me to do something else with some artwork which I refused to do since it seemed completly pointless. At the end he ultimately suggested re-installing AOL with the "latest version" giving him the excuse to end the conversation [/peaceful rant].

Ah, the joys of first line tech support. Leave your brain at home and read our script.

As an update, after calling AOL again, he got the right tech support that actually helped him. Apparently it was something to do with McAfee and AOLs virus protection. I only disabled McAfee not AOLs virus protection.

I think AOL tech support (like most call centres) gives a vastly different experience depending on who you happen to get answering the phone. I've been with AOL for ages now and had some excellent people and others who put the "hell" in "AOLHell".

By the way, just as an aside I have maxdsl with AOL and have used their broadband service for years. I think anyone who can't make their connection work really should be looking at their own computer skills, not AOL's shortcomings. I don't have any problem at all and my connection is stable and reliable, synced at over 7 Mb (though I'm not usually getting that as a real speed). I hardly know I'm with AOL as I don't use anything connected with them - Thunderbird's my mail client and Firefox preferred browser. It's just a nice solid connection in the background and until the end of February, wasn't capped at all. That's sadly not a way forward now that lots of very greedy people have fast broadband, but there are worse providers out there in terms of restricting how much you download. Mind, I am paying £29.99 so I want something in return!

Do you still have to have their software open to connect? Or is that just with their dialup?

I don't even think you need it with dial up, but it's probably easiest just to use it. As for broadband, no of course not! I don't have their software on here at all - I just plug the router into my phone line, then input the username and password to get the router and internet up and running. It certainly doesn't need AOL's help. They simply enable the maxdsl on my phone line and stay very much in the background.

Well back when I last saw it, you needed their software to connect with their dialup. Granted, that was about 10 yrs ago. Who knows what the protocol is now.

Hi Moira,

It might be worth mentioning that most of the copper wire connections in the UK are owned by BT. Other companies have to be given access for competition purposes but they really do very little other than provide a billing package?............ unless you actually want software from them.

Pretty much the same as we have with electricity and gas supplies.

JPnyc............... this is a sort of legacy from when these services were state monopolies;)

If you read ADSLguide (now known as thinkbroadband) there are plenty of guides to get aol dial up working on computers without the aol software, but admittedly it sounds complicated and 10 years ago you probably couldn't do it. They used PPPOE which I now gather isn't the case. But I'm not really an expert on connecting aol dial up without aol software :)

Yes, that was the way it was done back then. You got a CD from your ISP and it loaded a heap of junk for you, together with their version of whatever browser that defaulted to their webpage.

I use BT right now, and all I seem to have are the drivers for the modem, setup software, and an online/onboard help file. I have a couple of other modems and they just loaded the driver and management software.

I do recall that you could get rid of most of the AOL software back in the days of dial-up, I just never had to do it.

:)

I remember back when NetZero was free in the NYC area...they had a huge banner right under every window (just above the start menu if you had the start menu on the bottom and above all). If you closed the banner area, you were disconnected...quite irritating. Then I experienced the wonders of broadband, never again will I go back to dial-up :)

It's truly amazing now when you think what we used to put up with back in the days of dial-up!

I tried netzero back when it was free. I never once managed to connect with it.