How do I uninstall my router?

[Linnet]

I'm having huge problems trying to download the AOL software onto my computer. I can get online through internet explorer but I need to software to change screen names as I cna't do that remotely. The helpline are no help whatsoever in trying to resolve the problem and having spoken to other people, who know more about computers than me, I'm now wondering if the router has been configured incorrectly.

So my plan now is to uninstall the router and the software and start from scratch.

I went to the uninstall section in the control panel but I can't see the router listed there.

Is there some other way to uninstall a router that I don't know about?

any advice appreciated.

Not an AOL user here, but in the past I've seen suggestions about creating a new screen name (to be used only in the router).

Under most circumstances, routers are accessed via a web browser (using a link like 192.168.0.1/ but those numbers depend on the router).

If you remove the AOL info from the router, you will be unable to connect to the internet so I would hesitate to recommend that.

You might find the forum on ThinkBroadband.com (it's listed down the left side) worth visiting, but one of the first things which might be asked is 'what router are you using'.

If MS IE is working then the router is OK. The fact you are able to use MN means the router is working. Just that I cannot give any tips on the AOL s/w or changing your AOL screen name (why would you need to do that?)

Good luck! Sorry not really able to help much.

Ah menu calls it Broadband Forums and you will need to register before you can post in their AOL forum.

My dd wants her own email address now that she is older and I can't set one up on my account because it won't let me do it remotely.

We got the router and installed it all then used the internet through internet explorer. But a few months down the line when I tried to download the software it wouldn't work. It goes so far then the laptop tries to dial in for access numbers which doesn't work. It then comes back with a message saying that the computer cannot get an internet connection. But it's connecting to internet explorer perfectly well.

I thought starting from scratch might help.

OK, if you get no AOL user here, I can only suggest checking with an AOL user on ThinkBroadband as someone else may have gone through similar situation.

I just read that they send you a Netgear router (is that correct) and if so, the link 192.168.0.1 may work for you - at the very least you can check if it is using the screen name you need to login as.

username user
password password

Then on the left side, click 'Basic Settings' and about 4th line down will be the login name - something like "[email protected]"

However, I've only helped one AOL user in the past (getting a router online) and don't know enough to assist you.

if that login AOL name is your screen name, then do, please, ask on ThinkBroadband / wait for AOL user on MN, because changing that could mean internet access stops...

thanks webdude

My login on the router isn't my email address, it's something else which according to aol tech helpline is correct.

Anyway, I have made a small breakthrough I phoned AOl tonight and after a 40 minute phone call, in which the guy was really helpful and polite, but didn't manage to get me connected through the software, I have managed to access the screen names section and I am now able to set up my dd's screen name.

Finally, it's a start at least.

what are you using your router for, Wireless laptop...

Linnet - glad you have set up new name for DD, and great that the login in the router is different (as it would have prevented you getting into your account in AOL s/w, I think, as only one login allowed at a time).

Perhaps it's like a neighbour (who I spoke to yesterday night, as he was returning from the local pub, to find out if they use AOL - they do) who said his is [email protected]

He said the is his name (I still don't know their name!) but he hadn't needed to look/ alter anything on the router, just luck he remembered that bit).

yes alypaly wireless router

Just go to www.aol.co.uk and sign in from there, you don't need the old AOL program thing to do things such as setting up new screen names.

help.aol.com/help/microsites/microsite.do

Thanks for that AvadaKedavra - handy to know there's no need for the AOL software to manage screen names.

Welcome

wow, I taught a webdude something

I have been signing into aol.co.uk and picking up my e-mails but I couldn't figure out how to change screen names. I have no access to live chat help and I wasn't able to get to a screen name page to change anything.

Last night though I managed to talk to someone who seemed to know what he was doing and he sent me a link to the screen names page and I was able to do it from there.

I've now managed to download desktop aol, and finally after more than a year have access to my buddy list, we'll see how it goes for now.

What I don't get is when trying to download the software previously the computer keeps looking for a modem and tells me that it can't get a dial tone, but I'm on a wireless router through broadband so it doesn't need to be dialling into a modem.

I think the problem, Linnet, is that the AOL software may have a default setting of using a dial-up modem, hence the error message.

Even with a USB-based ADSL modem, the 'Network Connections' panel will normally show some 'dial up' connection.

I'm using a USB dongle from "3" (mobile network Three) and even that has a network object describing itself as a dial-up modem, with a phone number of "99**1#" {strange but true}

Back to your PC and why it works with MS Internet Explorer...

If you use the Control Panel and view "Internet Options" then it probably says "Never dial a connection" under the "Connections" tab. That's the default for all internet software. However, AOL doesn't care about that setting, and still tries to use the dial-up modem it thinks is installed.

The thing about Microsoft is they tie their software together, but other firms (competitors) sometimes ignore the Microsoft settings.

For example, in MS Outlook Express (e-mail) or MS IE (browser) the "File" menu has an option to "Work Offline" (so it would prevent the software from dialling a modem, if one was using it, to let you prepare an e-mail without costing money by making a chargeable call.

If you set 'work offline' in either Outlook or Explorer, it will affect the other software too. However, you can still have a connection (eg through your Netgear router) and Firefox or Opera browsers don't care that Microsoft software thinks there's no internet connection, so they will still work! AOL trying to use the dial-up modem is part of this same situation, ignoring some settings in the control panel.

AvadaKedavra - I feel sure that for the past 30 years in ITG, there have been few days when I don't learn something new. Sometimes it may be how not to do something when programming, but far more often, it's about some development of interest either to me, or to a client.

For example, Mac OS X is now at version 10.6, called Snow Leopard. I have a cheap s/h iMac that is slow, has a tube fault so the screen has no red or green (ie it's permanently blue, sometimes bright, sometimes dim) and it has v10.2.4 which is too old for some software, but it means I have an OS X machine in case someone has a problem and I can certainly use some of the features (and via a PC and free remote control software called VNC, can have a full colour image of what would appear), so I can be sure of what to ask someone to do to check their internet connection from an iMac at least...

Oooops ITG - cannot type IT now !

I've just discovered that I can have my buddy list on my computer without even needing the aol software

So I now have my buddy list installed through AIM and I'm happy although very embarassed that I did not figure this out before.
But also very annoyed that in all those phone calls to AOL when I mentioned that I had no access to this and other things like the screen names, they didn't explain how to get to them.

Yes, I think they lost their way a bit when they moved some support overseas.

When a past neighbour went from 500 kbps to 2 Mbps, he had major problems with trying to get it all working.

Several attempts later, he asked me to help, and uninstalling and reinstalling the USB drivers kept ending up with same error messages.

Eventually, AOL staff said it was a problem with the PC, and said we should contact Microsoft (about AOL software, ridiculous!)

At that stage I plugged in a spare ADSL router, got his PC online, and neighbour was happy, ordered a router for himself, and never looked back. So much for 'support' at AOL.

Worst bit was it was an 0870 number and he had been on for hours (admittedly on a Saturday, but even so, it must have run to several pounds, and lots of time, just as you have had, making zero progress).

Yes I've had the same problem, yesterday the final person I spoke to decided that my laptop, which is only 1 year old, must have some files missing and I should get it checked by a computer technician to see what files are missing and then get them replaced!

Ok, so I'm not a computer expert myself but I find it hard to believe that a new computer would have files missing, although I'm prepared to be corrected. I'm not going to take to someone to check though.

I think AOL are using that as a 'get out' and some people will accept it as true, unfortunately.