AOL Disconnect ion issues

[Bigfellah]

Anyone out there using AOL as their ISP? If so have you noticed a deterioration in their service recently? I subscribe to their Gold service Broadband and have a wireless Netgear router/modem so that my kids' can access internet as well from their computers. However even when their PCs are switched off and I am on line alone, AOL disconnects up to 10 times a day usually when I return after a while and access emails. I have tried explaining to the online AOL help desk but to no avail. Does anyone know what might cause this? Thank you in advance.

[whitehill]

We are on the AOL broadband silver service and have noticed that it seems to be getting slower and slower for some time. We have just bought a Vista computer and reinstalled the AOL software for Vista on that, but if anything it is slower than ever to load websites. We thought we would move up to the next level, but apparently now there's nothing between silver @ �17.99 a month and platinum at �29.99. I emailed them to ask about that and to point out that we have been paying �17.99 for a couple of years, whereas new customers are being offered a year's silver contract for �14.99 a month so why couldn't we have that? Their very bland reply said nothing. Incidentally, when we first had our network modem, we had terrrible problems with connection and disconnection - we discovered eventually that somehow we had fitted two filters to one phone, but obviously that is not your problem as yours has been working.

[wideboy]

Not on AOL (but know people who have problems with them). I'm on BT and it's been quite good until recently - don't know if the Internet is slowing down considerably at certain times or whether it's my modem/router. Sometimes,resetting the router or simply unlugging the power for ten seconds can solve some connection problems.

Have you tried unplugging the power/switching off?

Some people recommend doing this at least once a month.

[cheater123]

Yeah I'm on AOL silver and recently its been randomly connecting and disconnecting. It was just luck if I got signed on as the connection was rubbish. I needed to bid for an item on ebay and so was panicking to try and get a connection so I decided to check the actual phone socket thing to see if there were loose wires, they all seemed fine, however I changed the phone line socket anyway and now I've not had a problem since!!

Maybe this could be a similar problem with you?? I tried all sorts of other things, different modem, different wire, restarting comp etc to no avail but since changing the phone socket it's been perfect!

[Bigfellah]

Cheater, thanks for that. I'll give it a go and see what happens.

Wideboy, I have done that so many times I have lost count! All to no avail.

Whitehill have you AOL9 or AOL 9 VR?

[fiesata]

The answer is to stop using the archaic AOL software - on broadband you are connected all the time it is the software that disconnects - not your connection.
I am on AOL platinum and only use the AOL software to read email I use Firefox which is so much faster, more secure , rock solid and fun to use f you make the most of the add-ons feature

Download it here

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

[wideboy]

Cheater123, what did you replace, the whole phone socket or do you mean the filter? I'd be interested to know if I need to change.

[Bigfellah]

Thanks for all the tips. I think I have now resolved the issue. I ran Spybot search and destroy programme and got rid of some 200 spyware issues. Result - AOL has not disconnected at all today.

I will of course monitor daily but so far so good.