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Sharing Internet Connections with AOL
Is it possible?
Buried deep in the documentation for AOL 6.0 are references to networking. Apparently, AOL has some plans to let multiple screen names to be signed on AOL at the same time. This will be done through a special AOL ‘proxy’ and a single 'master login account'. This proxy will run a computer with a modem or broadband connection and will dial AOL whenever anyone on your network wants to access AOL. Sounds great doesn’t it! Unfortunately AOL does not have this feature implemented. According to a tech there, they plan to start beta testing around June or July. I don’t know if we will ever see this feature at this point!
Note: No matter how you connect to AOL, they will currently only allow one instance of one screen name per account to be signed on at a time.
Other Options:
If you use your AOL account mostly for surfing the internet, but still enjoy some of AOL’s content, I might have a solution for you. It will cost you more money than you are paying now, but your access will be faster then you ever thought possible.
Right now you probably connect to AOL with a 56k modem, but that is not the only way you can connect. AOL has a ‘bring your own connection’ option that costs much less. The ‘bring your own connection’ option allows you to connect to AOL over the internet through another connection method other than your 56k modem.
With the ‘bring your own access’ option, you could get a Cable Modem or DSL modem and connect to AOL over the Internet. All the computers in your house could connect to the internet to browse the web, but only one can connect to AOL at a time.
I suggest getting a ‘broadband router ’ to separate your network from the internet and to share your internet connection. Software also exists to share your cable modem or DSL modem, but AOL support is always questionable.
The best part of this solution is that it does not use your phone line! All of your computers can be on the internet (one on AOL) and your phone line will still be free.
NOTES ON AOL-DSL PLUS
It is my understanding that AOL implemented a custom form of PPPoE for it's DSL connections to keep them from being shared with a broadband router. You can NOT share AOL-DSL plus with a router. You CAN share it with connection sharing software
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