Modem Help Please

Sylvester

Hi

If I were to purchase a modem which was the same as my current modem, for backup purposes should my current one go wrong, would it matter if it didn't mention my ISP (AOL)?

I have a voyager 105 with AOL and i've seen a few, but they mention BT Broadband or nothing at all. I wanted to check, provided I have the AOL software, that if I purchased the same modem as I have now, that it would be okay to use with AOL whether it said so or not, as I don't know if the AOL voyager 105 is AOL specific and the same for BT Broadband etc etc

Thanks

Conor_3

Yes it will work. The drivers for that modem are supplied by the ISP so any "quirks" like AOL have, are included in the configuration AOL provide on the driver CD. That's why you'll find that if you try to use any other drivers for that that other than the one from AOL, it won't connect. It's the same with the "frog" modems and Karoo who I'm with. You need to use their drivers.

Sylvester

Conor wrote: »

Yes it will work. The drivers for that modem are supplied by the ISP so any "quirks" like AOL have, are included in the configuration AOL provide on the driver CD. That's why you'll find that if you try to use any other drivers for that that other than the one from AOL, it won't connect. It's the same with the "frog" modems and Karoo who I'm with. You need to use their drivers.

Thanks, I can now go ahead and purchase one as I have the AOL drivers already.

espresso

Not necessarily! Some of the later BT Voyager modems are locked so that they will only connect to BT i.e. Voyager 205.

You would be much better spending your money on a router and un-installing the AOL software from your machine completely. No AOL software is required as the router would connect to AOL not your PC via the modem.

Sylvester

espresso wrote: »

Not necessarily! Some of the later BT Voyager modems are locked so that they will only connect to BT i.e. Voyager 205.

You would be much better spending your money on a router and un-installing the AOL software from your machine completely. No AOL software is required as the router would connect to AOL not your PC via the modem.

Ahhhh, there are some avail that are for AOL use and have an AOL symbol on the modem (like mine does)

Can routers be fairly cheap and easy to set up for a novice like myself?

espresso

Sylvester wrote: »

Ahhhh, there are some avail that are for AOL use and have an AOL symbol on the modem (like mine does)

Can routers be fairly cheap and easy to set up for a novice like myself?

I'm not sure if AOL have ever locked modems but if you are buying a second hand Voyager modem it could well be locked.

Routers are cheap nowadays and are much better than USB modems (built in firewall etc.) Any of these would work fine with AOL ADSL although AOL will most probaly give you one if you asked them, as they give new customers wireless routers when they subscribe now.

Sylvester

espresso wrote: »

I'm not sure if AOL have ever locked modems but if you are buying a second hand Voyager modem it could well be locked.

Routers are cheap nowadays and are much better than USB modems (built in firewall etc.) Any of these would work fine with AOL ADSL although AOL will most probaly give you one if you asked them, as they give new customers wireless routers when they subscribe now.

I'm not worried if it's locked to AOL as that is what i'll use it for. It's merely a backup for my current one, just incase it packs in (as most things of mine are currently doing!)

Thanks for the link, i'll take a look at it. May ask AOL about a router if can get one off them without starting a new contract.