Connect to AOL network without the AOL client

[I.M.O.G.]

I've seen this question come up multiple times, but have always seen the answer "The AOL program has its own little authentication routine, so you have to use their client to log onto the network."

Anyways, I was messing around today and created a "new network connection". I typed in the AOL access number and [email protected] with my password... Hit connect and I was logged on seconds later - without any use of the AOL client.

Being stuck with AOL service is bad enough, so it made me smile to now know that I can uninstall their program.

Just thought I would toss this out there as I've read incorrect information about this on the site before.

 

[jajmon]

So by doing what you said, you can fire up a browser and get to the net?

 

[I.M.O.G.]

Yup. Lets you avoid installing the AOL virus, erm, program I mean.

 

[Starfoxer]

i cant seem to get this to work. any way you can point me to a more in depth guide or explain it in a bit more detail.

i am dumb

i'm pretty sure i did it right. created new network connection, set up manually, selected dial up. for name i put AOL, then my access number when it asked for that, then for username section i did my [email protected], and for my password section i put that in.

i click on dial on my new network connection i have just created and it connects fine but tells me my password/and or username is wrong, which cant be the case as i've tried with @aol.com, tried tons of combinations of capitolizing letters etc.

just cant get it to work.

 

[Andyman902042]

I've seen this question come up multiple times, but have always seen the answer "The AOL program has its own little authentication routine, so you have to use their client to log onto the network."

Anyways, I was messing around today and created a "new network connection". I typed in the AOL access number and [email protected] with my password... Hit connect and I was logged on seconds later - without any use of the AOL client.

Being stuck with AOL service is bad enough, so it made me smile to now know that I can uninstall their program.

Just thought I would toss this out there as I've read incorrect information about this on the site before.

That's awesome. It's one of the reasons I got rid of aol. I think I'll stick with DSL though.

 

[I.M.O.G.]

I'm not sure what the problem is here. I have 3 access numbers in my area, but only one of them works. The other two give my the "invalid UN/PW on this domain" error. (They had worked previously, but I do not know what changed)

Setup is simple. Navigate to your Network connection folder. Under the file menu click "new connection". A wizard will open, make your selections then hit next like this: Connect to the internet, set up my connection manually, connect using a dial up modem, enter the name for whatever you want to call this connection (AOL, AOhelL, doesn't matter), enter the access number for this connection, then finally enter the username and password exactly correct. Type it as it appears when you normally log onto AOL through the client - use proper case for the username and the password. Hit finish and the connection will be created. Double click on the icon and it will attempt to connect you.

Your password should be typed exactly as you created it, including proper case.

Your username may or may not be case sensitive, not sure but typing it as it appears on the welcome screen eliminates the username as a possible problem. It should include the "@aol.com" suffix.

I also recommend that you change your AOL password to only use a single case, either all upper or all lower case. That way you can be certain there was no mistake.

I know you already understand the majority of that if not all, but that will ensure that you aren't missing anything and that there are no secret tricks to the setup.

You can call AOL technical assistance but they will not help you with anything other than using the client. I have asked them for confirmations on support for v92 protocol on certain access numbers and also why only 1 of 3 access numbers support connections outside of the client... They were useless so I told them to forget about it and just tell me the access numbers again to confirm that I am dialing them correctly.

i cant seem to get this to work. any way you can point me to a more in depth guide or explain it in a bit more detail.

i am dumb

i'm pretty sure i did it right. created new network connection, set up manually, selected dial up. for name i put AOL, then my access number when it asked for that, then for username section i did my [email protected], and for my password section i put that in.

i click on dial on my new network connection i have just created and it connects fine but tells me my password/and or username is wrong, which cant be the case as i've tried with @aol.com, tried tons of combinations of capitolizing letters etc.

just cant get it to work.

 

[cack01]

I used to do this with the hyper terminal that came with windows 3.11 . Only problem is that I only actually get the internet once out of many many tries.

 

[mbentley]

plain and simple: it can't be done. you can dial-up using an aol phone number, but you will not be authenticated to access the internet. aol is an online service provider, not an isp. most isps do not require a special dial-up program while online service providers almost always do.

 

[ccb056]

hmm, you used to not have to use aol's browser thingy back in 95ish

 

[I.M.O.G.]

plain and simple: it can't be done. you can dial-up using an aol phone number, but you will not be authenticated to access the internet. aol is an online service provider, not an isp. most isps do not require a special dial-up program while online service providers almost always do.

Interesting response. That's what everyone told me and what I always believed also. Then I tried it, played around a little... And every day I get on the internet from home by using XP's dial up networking to connect through the AOL network. The AOL client has never been installed on this HDD.

Access only works on the 330-373-0015 access number for the warren OH area, and not 330-974-0010 or 330-974-0080, which are also valid access numbers. The other numbers give me the "invalid UN/PW on this domain" error.

This is how I get authentication and access the forums from home, by using the "373" number... It goes through dialing, then authenticating UN/PW, then it registers my computer on the network and the internet is at my fingertips.

Can you explain why it would work with one number but not the others? Or why I get better connection rates through DUN than I do with the client?

 

[mbentley]

Interesting response. That's what everyone told me and what I always believed also. Then I tried it, played around a little... And every day I get on the internet from home by using XP's dial up networking to connect through the AOL network. The AOL client has never been installed on this HDD.

Access only works on the 330-373-0015 access number for the warren OH area, and not 330-974-0010 or 330-974-0080, which are also valid access numbers. The other numbers give me the "invalid UN/PW on this domain" error.

This is how I get authentication and access the forums from home, by using the "373" number... It goes through dialing, then authenticating UN/PW, then it registers my computer on the network and the internet is at my fingertips.

Can you explain why it would work with one number but not the others? Or why I get better connection rates through DUN than I do with the client?

huh, that's pretty strange. i tried all of my local numbers back in the day (there was only a few) and i haven't tried in years since i now have cable internet... that is just strange that it works on 1 number and not the others... hard to say what is going on there...

 

[I.M.O.G.]

Yeah, I'm stumped also... The configuration for each number is identical, as all of the numbers are "alternates numbers" under the same connection. So that means all of the settings for each number are the same.

Now I'm kind of curious where else it works at.

 

[ccb056]

huh, you say it works in OH, I used to live in Canton, and It worked for the number there (which was actually an Akron number if I remember correctly)

 

[I.M.O.G.]

Yeah, that probably would be an Akron number - I know atleast north canton uses akron access numbers. Girlfriend's parents lived in north canton and I used to keep their computer running.

I uninstalled remnants of XXX dialers all the time from her little brother.

I wish AOL tech support was any good... If they atleast spoke more fluently I wouldn't mind calling again and struggling to get something knowledgeable out of them. The last 3 people I talked to had such strong Indian dialects I could barely make out what they were asking me. Frustrating.

 

[ccb056]

yeah, I used to live in North Canton, small world huh?

 

[cyberey66]

Wow, maybe that number is an outdated one or something. The only way I was able to connect to aol without their software was in linux using pengaol, http://sourceforge.net/projects/pengaol . I have to add this to my list of aol rumors that turned out true, well so far its just 3 now.

1. It is possible to connect to aol without using their authenication routine (you proved it)
2. You can connect to aol in linux (pengaol, wine and 3.0)
3. There is an aol client made by aol for linux. (I installed it and used it)

I do have to try this now with my local numbers. When I come home from college I am stuck on dialup, and sadly the aol number in my town is faster than dialing up to my college. I still use the college number as it doesnt randomly drop and doesnt take up all my system resources, but if I can get what you did to work I will. I doubt it will because I am pretty sure I tried doing that many times in my years stuck on aol.

[off topic] BTW check your CC statements every month from aol. They over charged my parents MANY times. Mostly they will double charge at least once a year. They even claimed we were using their broadband service and charged use $50 a month for dialup. Ridiculous... I dont know why my mom keeps their 'service'.[/off topic]

 

[I.M.O.G.]

It may be an outdated number... When you install the program only the local 974 numbers are listed, but if I call tech support they also give me a 373 number and that is the one that works without the client.

I'm not sure what the deal is with the 974 numbers though, because I know for a fact those previously worked too. They only stopped working a few weeks ago.

Thanks for the list cyberey66, that might be useful as I am learning a bit about linux now.

 

[gusgizmo]

hey, where did you find the AOL's client for linux. it could mean me going 100% linux.

 

[I.M.O.G.]

You can use pengaol:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/pengaol

That is your only option AFAIK: http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2002-10-15-010-26-NW-CY-LL