I need AOL help (yeah, yeah, I know vanity) Using AOL on unsupported platforms

My Frustrated Mind ^ | Today | Me

[ContentiousObjector]

Since so many Freepers are so knowledgable about so many things, and since I am trying to do something AOL most certainly does not support I have no where else to turn.

Does anyone know if it is possible to connect to AOL without using their propritary software?, I am going to be in the field for a few weeks and the only locally available internet connection is AOL.

We have some equipment that has to "call home" several times a day to download updated information.

The equipment is running inhouse developed software running on Windows CE 2.11, is it possible to connect to AOL using straight PPP and the user name and password included in the prepaid AOL access sold at Target stores?

My conversation with AOL went something like this,

I would like to know if I can use prepaid AOL internet access sold at target to connect to the internet using PPP in Windows CE on an unsupported platform

You want to do what???

Our software will only work with a straight PPP connection, so the 3rd party AOL software sold by Handago isn't appropriate.

Does anyone know? it would be alot easier to use AOL than digout our older equipment that could call home without the internet

[goldstategop]

I think AOL has a PDA messenger client but I don't think they have a PDA Internet client if that's what you're really looking for. AOL doesn't even have an Internet client for Linux yet - though the rumor making the rounds of the Internet is one is in the works.

[rs79bm]

This would be a good research project over at your local University. Surely, you cannot expect Sally over at AOL Tech Support to be able to answer your question. I will however, give it my best shot: AOL makes it very difficult to use their internet service outside of their software. In fact, it is difficult to use it as an internet connection outside of AOL software at all. This is one of the reasons I don't like AOL. If at all possible, us a local ISP who will give you a standard internet connection in then which you can use it for whatever you want, including your little call-home application.

[Keith in Iowa]

Are you sure the only net access is via AOL? If a place is big enought to have an AOL POP via a local phone call - there is more than likely at least one ISP also available. I find it hard to believe that AOL would be the only dial-up choice at your disposal anywhere.

[goldstategop]

Yup. AOL is more of an Online Service Provider requiring special software to dial into the company's servers in Vienna, Virginia whereas traditional ISPs are just that - the software is optional and you can just dial up with your user name and password and indeed I have successfully used manual DUN to dial into MSN in Linux. AOL has special settings so I'm afraid the usual ISP sign on tricks will not work with their service.

[goldstategop]

Not just MSN. Any plain vanilla generic ISP will work and even the boondocks have at least one.

[LBGA]

I don't know if I understand what you need, being only a beginner geek, but years ago when I had AOL and switched to an ISP using a regular email client, I set up an account in my email program to get mail from AOL, all without actually connecting through the AOL application. Is that close to what you want?

[RnMomof7]

AOL doesn't even have an Internet client for Linux yet - though the rumor making the rounds of the Internet is one is in the works.

yea my husband had to get rid of his LINDOWS because he LOVES AOL..go figure

[RedWhiteBlue]

Maybe you can try Compuserve. I once worked for a company that used a Compuserve dialer, which has all of the Compuserve dial-up numbers for the entire US and even international locations, whether they be local, long-distance, or toll-free. The dialer was very easy to work with, and it was easy to switch dial-up numbers when you moved from location to location. I used it all over the US, Asia, and South America without a hitch. Dialing up could get me into the company's network or into the internet.

[badfreeper]

If you already have a dialup ISP at your home base why not just pay the long distance? Unless you're online for hours or using a hotel phone with huge extra fees it won't be terribly expensive and will save you the trouble of signing up for a new ISP account.

[ContentiousObjector]

the reason just calling long distance isn't really workable is because we are talking 4 to 12 hour calls, that gets pretty expensive very quickly even at 20c a minute.

[ContentiousObjector]

It isn't a PDA, it's a computer embedded into the equipment, Windows CE is used on more than just PDA's, you could install Windows CE on your desktop if you wanted to

[ContentiousObjector]

The ISP we usually used in the region went broke sometime during the fall, it is actually quite amazing that AOL does have a local access number,

[ContentiousObjector]

Thanks,

[ContentiousObjector]

no, we need an actual direct PPP internet connection, not email

[badfreeper]

Ouch! Didn't realize that the downloads were THAT long. Local ISP is definitely the way to go then. Depending on how small they are, they might balk at offering unlimited service if you're on for 12 hours or more a day, or charge you a corporate rate because you're using the service for business. If you can't find one in the Yellow Pages, maybe a call to a local computer retailer might help. If you do end up doing the AOL thing, don't buy the pre-paid time. Get their first month free offer or whatever they are have going. That way if you need the account for say, six weeks, you just have to pay for the last two!

[ContentiousObjector]

we are talking real backwoods here, there used to be three local ISP's and AOL, one went out of business several years ago, leaving two, one bought the other leaving one and that one went under last fall. so we have AOL, AOL or AOL

We don't have a problem with paying corporate rates for service, we do have a problem with single handedly pulling WorldCom out of bankrupcy

[JoeFromSidney]

See if your ISP makes use of iPass. With iPass you can call a local number in most big cities and connect to the Internet, with the charge appearing on your ISP bill. In most cities the iPass charge is $3/hour. I've used it all over the country to get my ISP e-mail and to surf the Internet.