AOL Problems

[paccool]

Started having problems last night with AOL. Got real slow and then started dropping off line. Today at work, completely different system and different phone prefix, had the same problem. Tonight I thought I would never get logged on but once I did it seems to be working OK. Has anyone else had these sort of problems the past 2 days?



Stan

 

[TPCDrafting]

IMO AOL has too many subscribers for their servers to handle. All the kiddies get online in the evening and chat about who knows what. I use Earthlink, it's cheaper and never have problems.

 

[Diesel Freak]

What really sucks is I get used to the LAN here at work... internet access is emmediate... then I go home and suffer through AOL. Even on a good day a 56K modem is SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW

 

[TPCDrafting]

Feel lucky getting 56k. I live past the sticks and the best connection I get is 24. 6k. No dsl, broadband, etc available out here and I'm not paying 100/month for satelite internet.

 

[Shovelhead]

I was having the same problem with Erols.com as my ISP.

It would slow down so much, and disconnect so often that after 5:00PM I would just shut off the computer.



Now I have Verizon DSL Oo. Holy Smokes what a difference:--)



Well worth the price difference.

 

[BK]

AOL does a great marketing job to max out their systems. Also seems to be the #1 provider to spam mailers (all those free CD and accounts they send out, used 1 time by the spammers. . until they go to any computer store and get another bunch of free accounts). That does a lot of good for your connection availability and speed. Dump AOL and get hitched to a real provider that doesn't support spam.



I wonder if since they are now joined at the hip with TimeWarner, if they are now using part of their bandwidth and infrastructure to support them and defer costs?



Had DSL for my telecommute connection, it was great. Cable just came into the area. Still have a 56K DU (really get about 46K) for my family connection. Just not in the position now to get the cable online service.



Any decent basic 56KDU ISP service is better than AOL DU service.

AOL has so much background garbage going on with push technology... it wastes your time on the connection your paying for.

 

[me4osu]

Everyone's Internet Rules

Here is the homepage with coverage map: ev1



Its only ten bucks a month, no contract, unlimited e-mail addresses and space. I think the personal web space is like 5 meg. They cover TX, IN, AZ, UT, NV, ID, OR, WA, & even CA.



It is dial up only, but I have never had a busy signal or been kicked off.

 

[KMC]

AOL

I dumped AOL years ago and never looked back. It is just a teenagers toy and most people sign up with them because they don't know any better. The service is pretty bad and I don't care for thier liberal politics to boot.



Get a REAL ISP and you will not be sorry.



Cant you tell that I am a big AOL fan?

 

[paccool]

LOL KMC, never would have guessed!!



I use AOL because I'm on the road all the time and it was easier to get to my E-mail(and get on the TDR site!). Does ayone know if some of the others have an 800 number to use or wide spread coverage over the western 11 states?



In a week I start a 2 week sales road trip from Northern CA to New Mexico and then up to Colorado. From there to Oregon and then back home. Thats the type of coverage I need.



Stan

 

[KMC]

Stan, Constant travel can be a challenge. There are a few other alternatives that I believe have access numbers nationwide.



ATT Worldnet

Earthlink

MSN

Prodigy



There are probably others as well. Even those these services are not perfect (None is) they at least allow you to access the internet directly without going through some silly "you've got mail" interface, etc. Some of the above and others also have 800 numbers that you can call regardless of where you are at.



Good Luck



Ken

 

[BK]

Ken,

you put together the same list I would have.

One company I was worked for used AT&T. We each had our own DU account for intranet access , besides internet and pop email. I always got in, never a problem, but it was the most expensive.



I now use prodigy. Only once or twice I year I've had a problem with not being able to access my pop email accounts. . but it would only last for about 6 hours at the most, same for access. Never a busy signal.



It's fairly priced and instant access when signing up online (Which is a trick todo if you don't have a DU account. )

 

[Ram4Sam]

Good info

Check out this site



www.dslreports.com



It is a cool site with alot of information, ISP reviews, computer tweaks and test programs. A bunch of very helpful folks on the forum who are as nuts about computers as we are about trucks.



Sam

 

[Steve M]

I tried AOL. I cancelled before the free period was up. Had to call them and explain myself to the girly on the other end as if I was bad. She didn't seem to understand I didn't want thier garbage truck of an ISP.

Prodigy was ok but I got tired of their constant "please wait while we update your program".

Now for $10 a month I have unlimited access using EI5 and Outlook Express. No friggin "program" with ads all over the place for love connections and silly crap. Just free access to the internet. kinda like taking my own truck while AOL users have to take the bus.

 

[Doc Tinker]

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