mac and aol?

[superiorrain]

Sorry i hate asking this question because i'm not a big fan of aol but could anyone tell me if it's possible to connect a new macbook to a wireless aol connection.

I only ask because the aol people tell me it can't be done and then they have change to saying it maybe possible but i will face 'disconnect' issues.

I have my reasons for still being with aol. They are not that valid but the email address is important to me (not the software, which i don't connect through anyway)

Thanks for any response especially if any of you do alot.

[ubertuber]

It's definitely possible. However, the issue of wireless connection and aol are actually 2 separate things. You need to connect to the network first (i.e. get the "pie slice" in the meny bar to have darkened bars). If I recall correctly, the connection to AOL will require that you set up a new location profile in AOL - something about AOL TCP Connection: AirPort script. It took me a couple times to get it to work on my mom's powerbook.

If you can't get it, the AOL support people are actually pretty helpful, once you get them on the phone.

[ngdawg]

Wouldn't it be easier to just go to AOL.com if you need your email access? You'd sign in the same way as with any other browser or mail server.

[superiorrain]

Originally Posted by ngdawg

Wouldn't it be easier to just go to AOL.com if you need your email access? You'd sign in the same way as with any other browser or mail server.

That would be the ideal if it was not for the fact that aol suspend your email once you suspend your internet connection with them. How they make my life difficult.

Originally Posted by ubertuber

It's definitely possible. However, the issue of wireless connection and aol are actually 2 separate things. You need to connect to the network first (i.e. get the "pie slice" in the meny bar to have darkened bars). If I recall correctly, the connection to AOL will require that you set up a new location profile in AOL - something about AOL TCP Connection: AirPort script. It took me a couple times to get it to work on my mom's powerbook.

As long as i can get some connection intially through the ethernet port, then i think the wireless should work after that. But if you've done it without too much trouble then i guess i should be able to replicate the same success. Thanks

The aol person i spoke to wasn't that helpful and put doubt in my mind. I turned to you all for some certainty. If anyone else would like to post their experience i would be greatful.

[ubertuber]

Err... I don't think you should need the ethernet port at all. As long as their is a wireless connection point that you have permission to access, you ought to be able to use aol to hit the internet through that. I set this up for my mother and sister at their house. It's been a while though and my memory is a little fuzzy.

By the way - aren't you in London? What's with AMERICA online??

[superiorrain]

If aol wasn't printed on all my business cards and if i wasn't using their email address for my mother and a book she just wrote, i would get rid of it in an instant. Maybe next year i will be able discard it but at the moment it is pretty important to keep.

Thanks for the info ubertuber. If i can't find away to connect once i get it all set up then i'll be back for more advice...watch this space, still a month or two before i can afford the mac anyway.