how do i get get AOL to use less bandwidth?

November 6, 2005 11:42 AM

how do i get get AOL to use less bandwidth? or is the right question....

ok i have 3 computers in the house all using the same internet connection via a broadband router. when i unplug the router and connect the cable line directly to my comp, AOL will connect no problem, however when all 3 computers are connected to the router, i can do eveything else online, except my dam AOL says no connection available. i called AOL and they dont have a clue. is this problem cause by sharing the bandwidth between 3 computers? anyone know what i can do to have AOL connect while 3 computers are using the router?

posted by airnxtz to Technology (11 answers total)

It's very unlikely a bandwidth problem.
posted by reverendX at 11:46 AM on November 6, 2005

(I say this because AOL works with dialup connections)
posted by reverendX at 11:57 AM on November 6, 2005

What happens when only one of your computers is plugged into the router? Does it work in that case?
posted by meta87 at 12:01 PM on November 6, 2005

What kind of router is it? And what kinds of computers (Macs or Windows PCs)? I know there are some routers that just don't play well with AOL.
posted by kindall at 12:13 PM on November 6, 2005

I am guessing you have to set up AOL to recognize the network that it is part of. When you have a router set up, that basically controls the connection and you just have to set up your computer/AOL speak to the router succesfully.

That being said, the best advice I can give you is to ditch the AOL. You have a broadband connection, use it. Sorry for the obligatory derail but I just hate them so much.
posted by sophist at 12:16 PM on November 6, 2005

If you are using AOL as a broadband package (Web browser, "Spy-ware remover," chat, etc) then you should really check out accessing your AOL E-mail via the http://webmail.aol.com website, use a different spy-ware removal program such as MS-Anti-Spyware or Ad-aware SE. For chat you can just download AIM from www.aol.com As said above, you should use your broadband connection without the AOL software.
posted by vkxmai at 12:43 PM on November 6, 2005

Just a wild guess...maybe this is a firewall issue with the router? Maybe it's blocking a port that AOL needs?
posted by Brian James at 1:45 PM on November 6, 2005

AOL has a few different packages for use with broadband. One of them (I think it is called Broadband Plus, or something like that) will not work through a router. The other one will.

I'm sorry my memory on this topic isn't more clear.
posted by I Love Tacos at 2:04 PM on November 6, 2005

Two words: Port Magic.

This is piece of crapware that AOL thinks everyone needs. It is intended to act as a router and often conflicts with a physical router. (It should show up in your system tray as a green top hat.) As I recall, it's a part of AOL 9.0 SE ("Security" Edition) but not a part of non-SE version 9.0. If you have SE, ditch it, get plain 9.0 somewhere, and install on all three computers.

Also as mentioned, check your router settings to make sure they are 1) set correctly and 2) compatible with AOL's requirements.

And of course, the easiest (and possibly best) solution, again as mentioned: ditch AOL altogether.
posted by attercoppe at 2:31 PM on November 6, 2005

Yeah, the AOL client is unnecessary for basic internet services. You can get your mail through AOL Communicator or Thunderbird, for instance.

Now, if you have the 3 computer setup, do you have basic IP services like DNS and ping? Can you run a web browser and see the internet, even though the connection is shared? If so then your configuration problem is in AOL's connection dialog, most likely. If not, then you need to make sure the computer is set up to DHCP and so forth so that it's an independent network node regardless of AOL's client, because the Broadband product really does nothing special except call up AOL's servers over ordinary TCP/IP.
posted by dhartung at 3:51 PM on November 6, 2005

Response by poster: yes when the connection is shared, everything works perfect, just a bit slower, except AOL, which doesnt connect at all
posted by airnxtz at 4:18 PM on November 6, 2005