AOL/router help needed.

Serendipity13

The story so far...

My friend purchased a second-hand PC.
Received and installed Netgear router from AOL.
Downloaded AOL 9.0 from AOL homepage.
Tried to sign on to AOL via AOL software but the previous owners screen names appear.
I tried restoring AOL/adapter for her but nothing changed.

If I uninstall AOL software will it affect the router?? Also, after I have uninstalled her AOL software can I just download AOL 9.0 from AOL homepage again or will I have to ask for a CD rom from AOL.

Last thing – parental control is activated on AOL and IE. I am assuming I can change AOL once I put her on as the 'master' screen name but... how do I change IE?

I'm confused (can't you tell??!!).

Thanks to anyone who can help me.

Serendipity

emalyse

You can use any any AOL CD. All you need to know is your master username and password.It shouldn't interfere with the router itself. Some AOL routers do not connect to the internet until the AOL software logs in with the master username etc. The AOL browser is just a skin for IE so whatever controls you set for AOL will apply to IE.Hope that helps a bit.

johnmc

If it were me I would format the hardrive and start from fresh.

Serendipity13

Thanks emalyse and johnmc. Afraid I have no idea where to start to format the hardrive and start from fresh so will go with emalyse and install an AOL CD.

Thanks for your help.

espresso

Serendipity13 wrote:

The story so far...

My friend purchased a second-hand PC.
Received and installed Netgear router from AOL.
Downloaded AOL 9.0 from AOL homepage.
Tried to sign on to AOL via AOL software but the previous owners screen names appear.
I tried restoring AOL/adapter for her but nothing changed.

If I uninstall AOL software will it affect the router?? Also, after I have uninstalled her AOL software can I just download AOL 9.0 from AOL homepage again or will I have to ask for a CD rom from AOL.

I don't understand what you mean when you say that you "tried to sign on to AOL via AOL software"

If you have installed the Netgear router correctly, it connects to AOL and maintains your connection 24/7. Once this is done, you don't need any AOL software to be installed on any of your PC's which connect to the router.

The following link may help you with setting up the router.

Serendipity13

Hi espresso

AOL was already installed on the second hand PC when my friend bought it. When she tries to sign on to AOL using the AOL 9.0 (not IE) it is the previous owners screen names that appear and to sign on it asks for their passwords.

The pc is connected to the internet 24/7 OK, but it is just the AOL 'sign on' page that I can't get right! (I can get AOL homepage through IE OK but cannot get access to instant message, billing, parental control etc).

Hope that helps.

espresso

I do not use AOL software and would not have it on my PC but are you sure that what you are referring to, is when you log-in to AOL using a modem? see here and here for more info.

Serendipity13

On the first 'see here' you suggested it refers to 'How do I reset my AOL Password'. That's where my problem lies. I can only sign on as a 'guest' because it is the previous owners screen name/passwords that appear on screen.

I had expected because I installed the AOL Netgear router it would have cancelled out the original owners info and provided a blank 'sign on' screen!!

Thanks for your patience.

espresso

The Netgear router establishes the connection to the ISP and is completely separate to any software running on the PC. The AOL software may be necessary to log-in to the user's account, so can't you simply enter a new name and password. If not uninstall AOL 9 and start again with a clean install.

Serendipity13

Yes, I think that's what I'm going to do - uninstall AOL 9.0 and reinstall. Hopefully, that will solve my problem!!

Thanks espresso.

vultura

If your friend intends to use the AOL software, then I advise creating a seperate screenname (something unusual) and input that into the router, leaving the master account to be used within the AOL software. If you don't then AOL will detect two logins from the master account (router & PC) and disable it for security reasons.