Internet connection question

Right how is the following possible?

I am with AOL for my ISP and have had a couple of issues with my PC and software. Basically the PC lost the drivers for my DSL modem. Anyway removed and installed the drivers and the AOL latest version.

BUT i am now able to connect to the internet direct with out having to connect through AOL first. Internet explorer will open up and directly connect to its home page. Infact i type this connected as just described.

Trying to connect to AOL and the connection dosent want to know yet i can still have the internet explorer connected in a seperate window.

my question is how is this possible as before to even get internet explorer to open i had to connect to AOL then open a seperate window. And daft question is it costing me money to do this i.e is the computer using dial up. I dont think so as the speed is as broadband and i have had notifications its trying to do so, actually i dont even think i have a modem connected. My only connection is through my DSL modem.

just seemed strange to me.

I know techinacly you dont need an ISP to connect to the internet on braodband as its always on so to speak.

any reasons why the above ramble has hapened?

Do you know how to get into your modem admin which will tell you who your connecting through, otherwise you should connect through your ISP and not be charged for it. My Sky set up conects Me direct through the modem which holds my ISP details.

[yorkie_chris]

AOL. Yuck. That is all!

[TSM]

Originally Posted by neio79

Right how is the following possible?

I am with AOL for my ISP and have had a couple of issues with my PC and software. Basically the PC lost the drivers for my DSL modem. Anyway removed and installed the drivers and the AOL latest version.

BUT i am now able to connect to the internet direct with out having to connect through AOL first. Internet explorer will open up and directly connect to its home page. Infact i type this connected as just described.

Trying to connect to AOL and the connection dosent want to know yet i can still have the internet explorer connected in a seperate window.

my question is how is this possible as before to even get internet explorer to open i had to connect to AOL then open a seperate window. And daft question is it costing me money to do this i.e is the computer using dial up. I dont think so as the speed is as broadband and i have had notifications its trying to do so, actually i dont even think i have a modem connected. My only connection is through my DSL modem.

just seemed strange to me.

I know techinacly you dont need an ISP to connect to the internet on braodband as its always on so to speak.

any reasons why the above ramble has hapened?

err, yes, your broadband is supplied by the ISP via the BT/Virgin etc network.

AOL for many years now have allowed users to connect to their network without using their own software.

to get AOL to work with an existing connection there should be an option for "Direct connection" etc that you need to setup within the AOL connection program. I did this ages ago when someone changed to a router and still wanted to use their AOL prog.

You said you've installed the latest copy of the AOL software.

I reckon you have a USB ADSL modem, and if that's the case, you probably had to type your account settings in during the software install. These details have been cached by the software.

The next step for the software is to simply tell Internet Explorer to default to a certain connection. So when you browse, IE thinks "I'm not connected, I'll try my default..." and attempts to open it's default connection (AOL). Since the AOL drivers have your auth details cached, they log you on & respond to Internet Explorer saying that you're connected. Then IE can act as if it never had to bother with that.

Personally, I use ethernet modems, which work in much the same way, but generally they're more reliable, as there's no software to install on the PC.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Baph

Personally, I use ethernet modems, which work in much the same way, but generally they're more reliable, as there's no software to install on the PC.

Never had any problems with the USB modem but ethernet modem is so easy to connect up to the network in the house, just a crossover cable and don't have to have one computer on all the time.

you dont NEED to use AOL to get on the net, in fact I recommend you DONT!
the best setup is get yourself a wired modem router (around £17.00 - £20.00)
that dials up and logs on for you,as far as you are concerned - the internet is ALWAYS on, much easier & more reliable than a carpy DSL modem.

HOVIS > are you awake?

PS can anyone design a wobbling Hovis Avatar?

Originally Posted by startrek.steve

you dont NEED to use AOL to get on the net, in fact I recommend you DONT!
the best setup is get yourself a wired modem router (around £17.00 - £20.00)
that dials up and logs on for you,as far as you are concerned - the internet is ALWAYS on, much easier & more reliable than a carpy DSL modem.

Pedanrty alert!!!

What you're talking about is getting an ethernet modem/router. USB would also still be wired.

Further, even with an ethernet modem/router, you would still need to pay an ISP. Whilst the internet is "always on" it's a service that is delivered by a provider down your phone line, or cable connection for the lucky few.

Even further, a DSL modem would include devices such as SDSL modems (which I've never found a fault with, but are very rare) and ADSL modems, both USB and ethernet varieties (and more).

Just don't want someone thinking "Hey, I can spend £20 on this modem/router thingy, and then the internet is free for life!"

Yes it is a USB modem, BT voyager 105. Looked at my network connections as well and its set up with either a TCP/IP over a LAN or as it seemed to be using PPPoE via the modem, but this morning it all seemed ok, so it must have settled down after a reboot, bizar, but on the upsde it seems to be running faster. Bizzar, AOL is indeed a strange beast at times.

Originally Posted by neio79

Yes it is a USB modem, BT voyager 105. Looked at my network connections as well and its set up with either a TCP/IP over a LAN or as it seemed to be using PPPoE via the modem, but this morning it all seemed ok, so it must have settled down after a reboot, bizar, but on the upsde it seems to be running faster. Bizzar, AOL is indeed a strange beast at times.

Yeah, the later versions of AOL software tweak the registry settings for MTU.

There's also a "hack" out for torrents whereby you change the MTU value. Screw it up & you slow everything down, do it right, you get a marginal (although noticable) speed increase all over the internet.

BTW, the Voyager 105 is crap, and it's only a matter of time before this situation repeats itself IMO.

As for PPPoE, as a rule, most ISPs don't use it, but AOL is one of the few that do support it. Although why you're using that rather than PPPoA (which has better performance) I don't know - but that's due to the software not you.

Anyway, I'll stop being geeky now before K shows up with her hammer...