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Not sure where I should put this query so here goes.
I'm running XP as an OS. Broadband recently came to my area and after a bit of shopping around I decided to go with AOL. Now Iv'e been playing Unreal Tournament 2003 quite alot and so naturally I thought it would be cool to go online.
When I first started playing online everything was cool. I was getting decent pings of around 50 - 60 and was able to frag some peeps.
Anyway after about 2 weeks I go online to play and my pings have all of a sudden jumped up to over 150. I ring up AOL and they are totally useless, after a few suggestions they tell me there's nothing more they can do and that AOL broadband is not meant for online gaming. I tried to cancel but they tell me that as Iv'e signed a 1 year contract I can't. I told them that unless they sort it out I'm gonna cancel my credit card. Anyway......
A couple of weeks ago my ping rates miraculously started coming down. I was playing games with the same ping rates I enjoyed before and felt that there would be no need to back up my threat. But a couple of days ago everything started going haywire again and my pings suck once again. My mate who lives a couple of streets down and is with BT has not been experiencing these problems.
Anyway my question is, why is all this happening? Is it AOL's fault or could it be a fault with my modem? Iv'e installed Service pack 1a and my other stats are:-
Via motherboard
Athlon 2100
Soundblaster live
512RAM
Geforce4 tI600Any suggestions would be great. Thanks
I copied the text of your message. I'm emailing it to my Dad. I'm trying to get him off AOL dial-up. He mentioned AOL has broadband. Kazaa Lite has a better browser than AOL.
T
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nikhibuk
It sounds as if you're in the UK
If ever you seriously consider getting away from AOL then have a good browse around this Site - especially the ISP Forums - they do have an AOL Forum....
http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/
Lesley
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AOL is not the choice of an ISP. There software is junk. I'm trying to point my mom to Net Zero. Her neighbors used to use AOL, then they got sprint DSL, but get this, they still use the AOL software on sprint DSL. I told them, you don't need to do that, just go to internet explorer. But, AOL told them they needed to use their software. AOL is not a choice for an ISP because it can slow down your system. To me, a REAL ISP would just have a dial-up setting in dial-up networking and let you do what ever you want. But, to me, a BAD ISP is one that uses proprietary software.
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Hakemon
Anything is easy when you know how - for many people it's so easy just to put in an ISP Disk and away it goes
Setting up an ISP Connection manually is easy and - as you say - preferable - but 'scary' if a person has never done it before - so they go for the 'big' ISP's - as I did the first time - never again!
Lesley
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Go with NTL, free install, free modem. I'm assuming you have NTL in your area?
I've been with NTL for 6 months, and the only problem I've had is that my connection was faster than it should have been (what a nightmare, lol).
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If there is another choice take it...now! And be forewarned, when I cancelled AOL they continued to charge me for 4 months. After 6 hours of telephone conversations I finally decided it was worth the money to just forget about it. I tell everyone that AOL sucks, and it has nothing to do with them screwing me. It just really sucks. They don't care about you or their network. If you're a computer illeterate bafoon, stick with AOL. If you want to experience the best the net has to offer, not only now but in the future, use a real ISP.
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I seriously doubt it is your modem, or your machine.
Generally speaking, if you have a connection that works (regardless of quality), then your setup is fine. About all you can do is to reset your modem (actual procedure depends on brand and type, but is often simply powering the modem off, waiting a minute or so, and then on again), and then releasing and renewing your I.P. through ipconfig on a command line ("ipconfig -release" then "ipconfig -renew").
Other than that, it is the network connection, which is completely out of your control.
I myself am an online gamer, so I can relate to your pain. Unfortunately, you'll find that ISP's are uncaring about what quality of connection you get, they are happy as long as you are able to connect at all.I know more than one hardcore gamer that bought their house based on what kind of internet connection they could get. One fellow in particular (or maybe that should be Peculiar) made a conditional offer based on actual ping times to specific servers. (What I can't believe is that the sellers actually accepted that condition....)
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Thanks for your input guys.
In answer to Hooner13 NTL would have been my first choice as my girlfrind is with them, and they seem to offer a good service. Unfortunately I live in Wales in the UK and their a bit slow laying the cable so I can't get it yet.
Don't get me wrong I had been with AOL Dial-up for 3 years prior to Broadband and experienced no problems, thats party the reason I chose to go with them for AOL. It's just their attitude I can't believe. asurely if they can't fix my problem then they should let me terminate my contract. anyway I'm gonn a ring them up again later and demand satisfaction lol.
Also with regard to AOL software being junk, I have recently had to remove AOL8 and revert back to 7 as AOL8 has a nasty habit of crashing my comp.
Sorry bout the rant, thanks guys.
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