internet connections

[deano]

I've recieved lots of help recently on this forum with my trike problems (thanks all) and hoped to get some collective suggestions relating to my other major problems .
For the last year or so I have used AOL as my internet server. However, over the last few months their service seems to b suffering a number of problems I;ve been having hassle not only connecting but also maintaining a connection. Meanwhile my computer is not fast enough to cope well with AOL 9. Likewise my girlfriend who since signing up for AOL broadband has also had problems. Anyway has anyone else been having probs with AOL and can anyone else recomend a ultra reliable, reasonably priced server.
cheers
deano

[Pennywise]

aol is about the only server doing an unlimited package.....when you have broadband, you can connect to the internet via a networking connection, so you dont have to install all the gubbings that go with it

[deano]

Hi

This is the girlfriend with the AOL broadband connection (or lack of it most of the time!). Can you explain what you mean as I am fairly desperate to get my broadband connection sorted out? many thanks

[dracken1]

AOL in the states is often referred to as "america off line"

we get broadband on october 6th
i've signed up with a company called "zen"
they have vg reviews,a choice of speed and its uncapped.
plus its a monthly contract so your not tied to them for 12 months.

they do however charge a £50.00 activation fee.
i'm getting the 1mb connection
but you can start off with 256k and upgrade as you wish

[oggers80]

been on AOL 9 about 5 months and over last month or so have noticed that the service isnt as good as it was..Thought it was just me! Yes it is an unlimited package but the unreliability is whats put me off going broadband.

[deano]

yep me too. I'm currently on dial up and was thinking bout broadband but my girlfriends experiences have but me off. I decided to stick with dail up for the moment but want a hassle free connection that more reliable than my trike.

[Yoda]

why oh why do people go with AOL

i would say that at least 40% of people who come to me with computer problems do so because of AOL.

there are plenty of providers out there that are far more reliable,load less **** on your PC, and are more competetive.

Yoda

[deano]

OK so it seems AOL are rather unpopular at present and as reliable as a 20 year old friday made Jawa 350 (yep I owned one once) but speaking as a mature student who has a love hate relationship with his computers (I've two for when one goes wrong) who can provide a reliable dial up service. The new term starts next week and I want to sort it out before monday. I'll throw caution to the wind and go with the most popular suggestion.

[dracken1]

was with ntl for years but it went down hill
with freeserve/wanadoo dial atm.. no probs

[defarter]

Daughter No 3 has just told me we have had Freeserve wanadoo B/band for the last 18 months and no problems. :D ;)


I just pay the bill. :confused:

[Yoda]

i know a few people who have gone onto wannadoo

i have telewest (blueyonder) broadband and have never had any trouble with either the dial up or broadband (and most importantly you can do a manual set-up) (stay away from Portal based isp..aol etc..) but most of the major companies BT etc.. do decent deals
Yoda

[Bosun]

the only thing i really had with aol was the reply to email bit ( dont copy original) and naff webspace

currently on NTL broadband ( parents on NTL so made sense) seems ok at moment

[blackhack]

Get up to the minuet reports from other users, and test your own broadband conection here.....http://www.dslreports.com/

You can also use thier tools to tweak up your conection, as the default settings by most providers are set in their favor....You can get much better speeds by just tweaking the settings on your own machine......:)

[Gypsy]

AOL :eek: the boil on the arse of ISP's
we are using virgin broadband cos you can cancell at a months notice if the service starts going down the pan

[Peirre]

For a list comprehensive of BB providers see http://www.adslguide.org.uk it has links to all the BB suppliers and comprehensive info on prices and service.
it also has info on areas that are being BB enabled and you can register with BT etc your desire to have BB

[Pennywise]

okily, i cant remember how it was done, but if you phone up the broadband support line for aol, and ask them to talk you through setting up a network connection, then like freeserve, all you do is put a zero in the phone number box, and your pass word where applicable....real easy on M.E but a bit harder on Xp......freeserve/wannadoo is really reliable, and i hope they never get rid of the package my piercers on.....but if you go to wanna doo now,,,then you only have bandwidth of 3 gig a month...thats around 2gig down 1 gig up, so for the other 28 days of the month....all you can do is twidle your thumbs....here on aol...i have about a gig of information a day....so im averaging 25 gig a month...comparred to a new wannado customer(victim) getting 3:)

[Maggie B]

I have alwasy been with AOL

what a waste of space

I was persiveiring(?) as everyone knows our email address, although there is a company who will forward on email for free now.

I wish I had never got AOL

Yoda-how do I get rid of all AOL stuff when I change? I have heard it infiltrates everything in the PC just about.

[Maggie B]

here is the forwarding service
I don;t think it costs anything

http://www.returnpath.com/?loc=home

[Yoda]

I have alwasy been with AOL

what a waste of space

I was persiveiring(?) as everyone knows our email address, although there is a company who will forward on email for free now.

I wish I had never got AOL

Yoda-how do I get rid of all AOL stuff when I change? I have heard it infiltrates everything in the PC just about.

email me as it is to longwinded to put here
have you ever edited the registry?
yoda at bikerlifestyle.co.uk

[Mitch]

Been through the mill a bit with ISP's

Started with Virgin when I first got the old imac I used to run

then went onto BT - didtched them because they were charging too much

Then went onto AOL as they supported Macs

When I wanted to go broadband they said - nah, don't support Macs, no reason why we should etc. - so told them to feck orf and have now signed up with Demon who are as bad (so called Always On service - more like Always Off then play merry hell for ten minutes then it comes on again!)

[Nitrowing]

tiscali for dial-up
ntl for broadband
AOL for headaches and n00bs ;)

[deano]

from everyones comments it looks like I've got it all wrong again. I've been struggling with AOL for the last few months thinking it was me or my computer creating the hassles but common opinion appears to be that AOL are 'pants'. Its nice to know its them and not me. many thanks for all your suggestions so far.

[xjtriker666]

lo deano tiscali r very good m8 used to have them b4 moving to bt broad band if tiscali had b/band in my area i would have stayed wi them.....a.o.l is arse-oles on line they r crap...they take ya money an u get fukk all back customer service is ****e...if ya pay by d/d keep an eye on ya bank statements..4 mth they never took a penny off me then i got a letter sayin they was takin me to court for not payin..virgin r pretty much like a o l billing wise they r ****e.....