AOL v92 Modem Connection Problem

Question

Just got my mother a 15" Titianium 500Mhz (remember the 500? great machine even today) for use at home, typing work stuff and doodling on the internet. Problem is, went to connect to aol (I know, ugh) and it wouldn't connect. It kept coming back with strange errors: modem doesn't support v92, and unable to configure modem. Both of the errors were generated by the aol app.
The computer is running an up-to-date version of 10.4.5.
Any thoughts on:
1) technical issue
2) dial-up alternatives to aol.
She lives, as mothers are want, in a place without digital cable, and the local dsl rates are ruinous.
Thanks in advance
PBG4 Titanium 15" 500Mhz   Mac OS X (10.4.5)   aol 10.3

Answer 1

William,
The configuration works for me on my iMac G3.
If you have any questions, please ask them before preceeding.
Delete only the files listed, no more.
Sign off and Quit the AOL application.
Navigate to:
HD > USERS > YOUR HOME > LIBRARY > PREFERENCES
If present, move to Trash:
com.apple.internetpref.plist (a file)
com.apple.internetconnect.plist (a file)
com.apple.internetconfig.plist (a file)
HD > USERS > SHARED > AMERICA ONLINE
If present, move to Trash:
Access Numbers (a file)
Disconnect Log (a file)
Session Diagnostics (a file)
HD > USERS > SHARED > AMERICA ONLINE > DATA
Move to Trash:
Home (file w/Globe icon)
Don't empty the Trash just yet.
Before you change the settings below, you might want to make notes, or take screen shots of your present configurations.
Then, open System Preferences > Network
In each of these panels, after you have made your selections or changes, be sure to click on the "Apply Now" button in the lower right corner, if it's available.
Location: Select "Automatic"
Show: Select "Internal Modem"
On the PPP screen, click "PPP Options". CHECK ONLY THESE options:
"Send PPP echo packets"
"Use TCP header compression"
Click OK
On the TCP/IP screen, Configure using IPv4: Select "Using PPP"
On the Modem screen, Select your modem from the list. I'm using an iMac (Summer 2001), and I have "Apple Internal 56K Modem (v.90)" selected.
Check "Enable error correction and compression in modem"
"Wait for dial tone before dialing"
"Dialing": Tone
"Sound": On
"Show modem status in menubar" (This isn't really necessary, but it's handy.)
Also select your Country.
Then, still in "Network" preferences,
Location: "Automatic"
Show: "Network Port Configurations"
Make sure "Internal Modem" is checked and at the top of the list.
Click "Apply Now" at the bottom of the screen.
Quit System Preferences.
Before you sign on, you will have to reset your "Access Numbers" & "Location".
Load the AOL application.
On the Sign-On screen, Click "Setup".
Next screen, select: "Create a Location with Setup Assistant.
Click OK.
Next screen, select: "Add numbers from the list of access phone numbers".
Click OK.
Enter your Area Code, and click Next.
Click on an appropriate number to highlight, and then click "Add".
On the next screen, do not select either of the two "Dial" options.
Click OK.
Add at least 2 numbers in the same manner, and then click "Done".
That will take you back to your Sign-On screen.
On the Sign-On screen, Click "Setup" again.
Select "Add or change a modem or other connection".
Click "Next".
Click "Yes", on the resulting screen.
You should then be able to Sign On to AOL.
If everything is hunky dory, you can empty the Trash.
Good Luck!
ali b