No Internet Connection With Safari, Aol For Mac Osx, Or My Router...

J

jadex

Registered
I have a multi-part problem, I'll try to make it as clear as possible.

I bought a Mac (my first!) a couple of days ago. It's a PowerBook G4. It uses the Airport Extreme wireless card to connect to our home wireless network, which is broadcast by a router connected to a cable line.

I have not been able to use Safari to browse the Internet, as it will not load *any* pages. I have checked the Airport connection to the wireless network, and it is perfectly fine.

To make matters more complicated, we use AOL as our ISP. I downloaded AOL for Mac OSX from another computer that can connect to AOL (but it's Windows), and transferred and installed it onto the Mac. I cannot connect to the Internet through AOL, either, because it stalls at "step 6: connecting using TCP/IP..." If I press cancel, the message that starts "failed to connect to AOL..." comes up. I have tried to log on numerous times, and have uninstalled and reinstalled AOL at least 5 times.

I called AOL's tech support, who swore up and down that it wasn't the fault of their servers, and directed me to call Apple, who rechecked the connection and found no fault with it. They then said that it must be the fault of the router, and I called the company that produces it (Linksys). They said that it did not have a DNS server key (which it did), and gave me one that has done nothing but produced the same result - AOL still will not connect, and Safari will not load *any* webpage. They have instructed me to call AOL - again.

I hope that someone can help me with this, I'm sick of getting the run-around.
 
Are you connected to the wireless router? Are you using any sort of encryption on the router? If you are using encryption, make sure you place a $ symbol before the password key - if you don't, you won't successfully make the connection to the router.

If you're not using password keys for the wireless router, then disregard that.
 
I gotta jump in here with Jadex. I'm experiencing the same connection problem with AOL for Mac OSX. I also have a wire/wireless network with a cable connection. In my case, my internet works fine but AOL for OSX won't connect. However, AIM will connect. If I reboot into system 9, then AOL 5 will connect. All my web browsers work. My email works. The 2 other PCs on the network connect. I'm using the cable to connect to the router. One PC is also using the cable to connect and the other PC (laptop) is connecting wireless. I've tried rebooting the router numerous times, resetting factory defaults, etc. I've rebooted the modem several times. I've shut down the entire network and all the computers, turned off the power to all and brought the network back up. Nothing ... NADA. Now here's the interesting part... my machine at home and my machine at work are virtually identical. Same model, same processor, same ram, same apps. AOL for Mac OSX works on the machine at work but not at home. So there's apparently SOMEthing different. What have I missed?
 
hey git the same damn problem wyou hads with your G4 nd AOL same exact scenario... did you ever solve it ? how ?

jadex said:
I have a multi-part problem, I'll try to make it as clear as possible.

I bought a Mac (my first!) a couple of days ago. It's a PowerBook G4. It uses the Airport Extreme wireless card to connect to our home wireless network, which is broadcast by a router connected to a cable line.

I have not been able to use Safari to browse the Internet, as it will not load *any* pages. I have checked the Airport connection to the wireless network, and it is perfectly fine.

To make matters more complicated, we use AOL as our ISP. I downloaded AOL for Mac OSX from another computer that can connect to AOL (but it's Windows), and transferred and installed it onto the Mac. I cannot connect to the Internet through AOL, either, because it stalls at "step 6: connecting using TCP/IP..." If I press cancel, the message that starts "failed to connect to AOL..." comes up. I have tried to log on numerous times, and have uninstalled and reinstalled AOL at least 5 times.

I called AOL's tech support, who swore up and down that it wasn't the fault of their servers, and directed me to call Apple, who rechecked the connection and found no fault with it. They then said that it must be the fault of the router, and I called the company that produces it (Linksys). They said that it did not have a DNS server key (which it did), and gave me one that has done nothing but produced the same result - AOL still will not connect, and Safari will not load *any* webpage. They have instructed me to call AOL - again.

I hope that someone can help me with this, I'm sick of getting the run-around.
Click to expand...
 
sorry it's taken me a while to respond!

I never did solve the problem, but I did find out *why* it's doing what it's doing, no thanks to AOL.

After calling and getting the run-around at least three times between AOL, Apple, and Linksys, AOL finally gave me a piece of information that could have saved me a least a day's worth of work: AOL has a program for broadband users for Macintosh, but that program will not work directly with AOL. Meaning, if AOL is your only ISP and is your only connection to the Internet (we bought a cable connection from time warner, but put AOL's service on it, not RoadRunner), your Mac can't connect to AOL directly like your PC computers can.

As of now, I'm stuck not being able to use my Mac on my home network system...it is recognized by our router, but will not connect because AOL's cable setup is not compatible with Mac. I can use it at school, which provides me with a separate interent connection through which I can access AOL for broadband on an ethernet cable. To use it at home, AOL did tell me that if I wanted to use a Mac on the same network as all of my other computers, I could buy another ISP to use as a gateway on ALL of the computers (like Roadrunner), and THEN sign on to AOL.

Obviously that didn't fly. I'm already paying $50/month for AOL broadband, and for a cable connection to time warner. Why should I have to pay for ANOTHER service to use the $50-something service I pay to use every month? I shouldn't.

AOL needs to make a program that will allow Macs to access the AOL service network directly. They swear there "aren't enough Mac users to establish a strong demand". When they lose enough money, maybe they'll think about it.
 
i just bought an imac and i had the same EXACT problem, and i solved it, email me if you want to know how ppragados@gmail.com the reasons why you were saying arent true! to get your mac working on youre home network email me. later
 
It's untrue about AOL not being for Mac.
It works in OS 9.
The problem is AOL for OS X sees the connection differently.
Try hooking up a VOIP adapter to the cable modem,then plugging the adapter cord into the Mac.
This allows the AOL for Mac OS X to see the connection as a filtered line similar to DSL.
Anotheer trick is use a different cable router besides the one from TW.
Jadex,you have AOL Highspeed over a cable line. I have that too.
RR is my true ISP and the AOL is added to it.
AOL isn't needed to connect you hon.
About Safari,check your DNS and check your install.
Safari could be corrupt or need an upgrade.
You should be able to see something with Safari,but not AOL for OS X.
Also AOL for OS X isn't needed really.
Just use iChat AV for chatting,AOL mail for mail,and install AOL Radio and Pictures.
There is also other Mac goodies to help you get the AOL experience minus the AOL for Mac OS X.
 
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