Please help me with AOL+Wireless router problem!

[smicer07]

Hi guys

Am trying to connect my friend's laptop to her AOL broadband wireless connection. I'm so so frustrated. I've set up the router with no security at all and it is showing as "Connected" to the wireless internet connection, but Internet Explorer shows page cannot be displayed all the time. Have tried the wired connection and that is saying exactly the same thing. I've disabled all firewalls and antivirus but still no good. It doesn't seem to be connecting with the router properly, despite saying "excellent" connection... the router is a Netgear Wireless Modem Router DG834GUKAL. Can someone give me some advice please? I've brought it round to my dads and it has immediately connected to next door's unsecure wireless network!!!

Please help!!
Simon! (very frustrated)

[Aragorn]

Simon,

IIRC, AOL tie down their routers - some form of MAC filtering and I don't think the 'users' can change it! (My memory might be bad!!)

There was a thread about a similar problem several months ago and iirc they had to speak to AOL to get it working.

When it shows as 'connected', does it have a valid IP address? (Support tab on Wireless Connection Status)
Can the router be pinged? (the address of the router will be the 'default gateway' on the support tab)

[smicer07]

I'm pretty sure it's a ****ty AOL problem, what a load of crap eh? When it shows as connected, the IP is valid, it's 192.168. something, which I think is correct? Can you remind me how to ping? I'll try it when I get back over- I think I might have tried earlier and it didn't work but don't quote me on that.

---------- Post added at 12:24 ---------- Previous post was at 12:22 ----------

It's so frustrating how it says it's connected though, and is receiving and sending packets but can't really connect. Arrrrgh!

---------- Post added at 12:25 ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 ----------

Oh and apparently it was working with the wired connection earlier, before I got my hands on it...

---------- Post added at 12:39 ---------- Previous post was at 12:25 ----------

Oh and also, do I HAVE to use the AOL disk to configure the router? Surely the manual connection should work without having to use that?

[Aragorn]

Simon,

Have a quick look at this page, which talks about the 'home networking' setup on AOL. Is your friend using ADSL or NTL Cable? They don't support Cable home networking!

[smicer07]

Well, I managed to sort it out mate. I had a mess around with the router settings in Explorer, and managed to figure it out. Something to do with some stupid AOL settings having to be reconfigured. Load of crap that I've never had to do with NTL or Wanadoo ADSL. But at least it's sorted! Thanks for your help