Is it possible to hate AOL any more than I already do?

[Zenlitened]

Yes! Yes, it is!

My boss uses AOL to connect her notebook when she's on the road. So she comes back, and now the notebook's LAN connection is fried. Shows up fine, status okay. But try to connect, and it's as if the thing isn't even there.

And here's the kicker: the AOL connection is untouchable. Can't change its status, can't examine its properties. Nothing.

I understand that she wants a plain-and-simple web connection for use on the road, but AOL is just plain evil. I swear, it's like a virus that screws up a computer's settings every time.

Does anyone know if NetZero, Netscape, or any of the other low-cost dial-up services pull the same crap? If not, I think I'll try to convince her to knock AOL back to a minimum monthly charge, just to preserve the e-address, and start using another provider.

[RoyGBiv]

1. It *is* like a virus ...

AOL installs software on your system almost every time you connect. Some of that software messes with your system settings and will in effect disable networks. Try to uninstall it? Okay, but the uninstaller won't remove the "updates" AOL has done, so the problem remains.

As a part of my job, I help with tech support for people who have broadband connections. I've dealt with things like this a number of times. My company at one time had a marketing scheme that gave discounts for AOL users to try to lure them. We eventually abandoned it, not because it wasn't working, but because in the end it wasn't profitable. The call volume in the tech support center skyrocketed as well as the number of home visits necessary to try to fix the problems.

[footinmouth]

2. That combination works for me

I run my laptop with a wireless card at home, but I have AOL installed to use when we travel. I remove the wireless card and use the phone modem with AOL or Earthlink and everything is fine on the road. When I get back, I pop the wireless card back in and everything works just fine here as well.

Check the connection properties on the laptop. I wonder if it's set to default to dial-up. Be sure that you specify that you connect through a lan and never to dial-up a connection. That should keep the default to lan and still let you dialup when necessary.

[CBGLuthier]

3. had a similar AOL experience yesterday

I had to go into network properties and add TCP/IP for the entwork card. AOL was keeping the network card from even showing up in the list offered by winipcfg.

AOL has always sucked and always will.

[Shopaholic]

4. I also had a problem yesterday with AOL

AOL is my provider and I have a broadband cable set-up and also have a wireless set-up in my home so I can use my notebook anywhere in the house. Long story short-for some unknown reason, my AOL set-up decided I had a TCP connection instead of a broadband connection. But it took me an hour to figure this out. Sounds to me like there might have been some problem with AOL with all their broadband hookups yesterday, possibly?

[Berserker]

5. There are some tips on this page

http://aroundcny.com/technofile/texts/aol-hell_00.html