[bjresta]

My network is now cable modem>router>airport>wireless connection to iMacs. Am using bridging, and have a manual IP addresses assigned to the AEBS and the iMacs. These addresses are consistent with IP addresses assigned by the router. Am using some port mapping through the router. Internet access is fine. All software works great, EXCEPT that I try to connect with AOL, I get a message from AOL that the application failed to establish a full connection with AOL. Then, the application freezes.

Have used Advanced Options on Edit TCP/IP in AOL Setup. Can choose between different connection scripts: Airport, cable modem, corporate LAN, and TCP (TCP used to work). None of these scripts work with my current setup.

Anyone else have a similar problem? Any suggestions? I don't care that much for AOL myself, but my wife and son use it, so I would like it to function.

[ghporter]

Your solution probably depends on what brand of router you have. There are many documented problems with AOL not working properly through many different brands of NAT routers. It seems that, true to form, AOL refuses to "play nice" with any of the standards.

[bjresta]

Have a RadioShack Linksys Cable/DSL 4-Port Router.

Am using AOL for Mac OSX. It behaves this way for both the gold master and the current beta.

[ghporter]

I should also have asked if you can connect to AOL when you plug your iMacs directly into the router. I don't think the problem is with your AirPort Base Station, but this check would definately tell one way or the other.

To figure out what you might need to do with your router, I'll need to know what kind of broadband connection you have, and what settings you've made on your router. I also need to know what firmware version your router is using.

There are lots of issues that come into play, and many of them interact.

[bjresta]

I connect via Charter Pipeline (cable modem).

Router uses device IP address of 192.168.2.1. Subnet mask is 255.255.255.0.
IP obtained automatically from Charter Pipeline.
Am not currently using any port mapping.

I have the same problem with connecting to AOL when my iMac is wired directly through the router, so it is a router problem.

Thanks for your assistance!

[bjresta]

And when I connect from the cable modem to the Airport without the router, AOL connects fine. Again, it seems to be a router problem.

Of interest is that I can use a PC through the router and connect with AOL 8.0 without problems. It is a Mac-AOL-router problem!

[ghporter]

Ok, tell me what it says on the first setup page in your router's configuration-I don't need the IP address, username and password stuff, but the rest of the setup is kind of important.

[bjresta]

Settings:

Obtain an IP automatically
UPnP Services Enabled
DHCP Server Enabled
No enabling of filters, forwarding, dynamic routing, or DMZ.

Anything else you need?

[ghporter]

What version of AOL are you using, or are you simply trying to log in separately (using a separate ISP)? If you're using version 7 or higher, there are some setup steps they have posted that might help-that doesn't seem like an option, though since you can't log in anyway.

You may find some help here. This tells you how to select the proper connection route for the AOL client. I don't know if you can manage to get this far with your client or not, so let me know if this does anything for you.

[bjresta]

There is no problem with AOL for Mac OSX when the Mac is connected via Airport to the cable modem. The only problem is with AOL for Mac OSX when the router is used.

Mac>cable modem: works
Mac>Airport>cable modem: works
Mac>Airport (bridge mode)>router>cable modem: fails
Mac>router>cable modem: fails

Am using AOL for Mac OSX, and tha is the only Mac software that's screwing up.

Of interest is that the PC AOL 8.0 works fine with Airport (wired through the LAN port).
PC>cable modem: works
pc>Airport>cable modem: works
pc>Airport (bridge mode)>router>cable modem: works
PC>router>cable modem: works

So this appears to be an problem with AOL for Mac OSX going through a Linksys router.

Any other suggestions?

[ghporter]

Not necessarily-if you properly configure the base station (you tell the base station not to distribut IP addresses) you will probably get it to work.

[bjresta]

The base station is not distributing IP addresses. It is being used as a bridge.