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l008com · Nov 22, 2004, 01:06 PM

So me and my aunt's husband were switching over his parents, from a really old 500 MHz PEE CEE to a new iMac G5, and a new iBook G4. They have DSL, so we got them a netgear wireless router, and they have a a bose radio downstairs so we got them an airport express for down there. We had everything we needed to tear through this switch no problem. We even got an FTP program to get any files we needed off the PC. Step one, unplug the Pee Cee. Hmm wheres the ethernet port? Hmmm just a use cable that goes to the DSL modem.....
30 minutes on the phone with aol, 5 different representatives, then they kicked us right back to the main menu. Then we got disconnected. We had everything we needed but didn't get past step one because friggin AOL DSL gave out USB only DSL modems!!! Thats insane. Now they've lost yet another customer, we're switching them over to cable next week. I just couldn't get over the fact that a dsl modem didn't have ethernet. Then when i looked at the PC and it didn't have ethernet, and it turns out it was custom built by someone they knew... what a idiotic thing to skip, especially when i'm sure even back then an ethernet card was only $10. Moral of the story. AOL sucks, even their DSL is a piece of ****.

paully dub · Nov 22, 2004, 01:16 PM

I am ashamed to admit I'm on a USB dsl modem and it's awful. I just moved, and changed ISPs and they sent me one in error. I'm waiting for the ethernet one to arrive and they're supposedly giving me some kind of gift, or service upgrade for they're error.

But the USB modem is AWFUL. In last week it has caused I don't know how many kernel panics, and obviously I can't use router, or anything. Plus their software went and erased all my safari bookmarks, and is extremely buggy. Luckily I've got everything backed up on a FW HD, and I'm just waiting for the ethernet baby to arrive.

But jeez, I'm really shocked that they keep pushing these POS on us consumers.

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Nov 22, 2004, 01:33 PM

It is not totally AOL's fault.

I know sympatico did the same thing up here. At first they ONLY had an ethernet modem, but, they got too many complaints on how peoples PC's didn't have ethernet. So they included a ethernet PCI card with the modem. Then they got calls as most users have no clue how to instal a PCI card and are scared to do anything like that. In the end they started to ship everyone with a PC a USB based modem as it seems like the easiest solution (even though it is slower and slows the computer). Now when you call I think they ask you what version you want.

AOL should really offer an ethernet version but last I head they were ditching broadband anyway. Cuz dial-up is the future.

Sherwin · Nov 22, 2004, 01:37 PM

Originally posted by paully dub:
Plus their software went and erased all my safari bookmarks, and is extremely buggy.

Meh. Your ISP makes you use their software? I wouldn't touch that with a 10' pole.

l008com · Nov 22, 2004, 01:40 PM

I've seen many cable modems that had ethernet AND usb, and I always laughed at the USB. But having ONLY usb. There's no excuse for that. This crappy AOL modem has no drivers or anything for mac, which is good because I wouldn't have installed them anyway, god knows what that would have done to this beautiful system!

paully dub · Nov 22, 2004, 01:42 PM

Originally posted by Sherwin:
Meh. Your ISP makes you use their software? I wouldn't touch that with a 10' pole.

For the USB modem, on the mac, this model anyway, the only way to connect is via their interface, which means opening the app, pressing connect and voila. It sucks, it's awful it's an outrage, I've already called up the perhaps soon to be former ISP to bitch. They're trying to make up for their mistake, but still.

I don't want to use this POS, I just need to for the moment otherwise no broadband for a week. And how am I suppose to enjoy all the JPG ORGY threads with just dial up?