AOL broadband but getting dial up box at startup

Jake'sGran

This does not happen all the time but it has happened before. When I come to use my computer there is a box saying "Dialling MSDUN" and then another box about error 678. There is a seven people queue for live help which is why I am asking about this here. After half and hour of this I turned off at the mains and then back on. Clicked usual AOL shortcut for broadband connection and then got a new box headed NETWORK CONNECTIONS - "Cannot connect phonebook entry. Error 756. This connection is already being dialled."

Does anyone know what this is all about about?. I was connected OK last night but turned off in a manner suggested by a poster in another question I asked about quick shut down i.e. Windows key + R
Will this have caused today's problem?

I expect your will all tell me to dump AOL but I have been told it is very hard to get rid of completely.

-TangleFoot-

Generally, switching a personal computer off at the wall socket is a very bad idea, as the data on the hard disk can be left in an 'inconsistent state' - in other words, it might not boot up again.

If you're currently using a 'modem' to connect to the Internet, I suggest that you ditch it and get yourself an ADSL router. You won't need to use AOL's horrible dial-up utility then. The Netgear DG834G is a popular choice, and it's one of the few routers AOL provides technical support for.

flower7

I am having exactly the same problems on aol. Someone told me its because of the changes aol are doing. I don't know if this is the case for certain. When I try to log on sometimes it takes me to dial up which we don't have, so it can't get access and then I get error messages. Then after half an hour aol belts up and goes back to normal broadband and I can get online.

Jake'sGran

-TangleFoot- wrote: »

Generally, switching a personal computer off at the wall socket is a very bad idea, as the data on the hard disk can be left in an 'inconsistent state' - in other words, it might not boot up again.

If you're currently using a 'modem' to connect to the Internet, I suggest that you ditch it and get yourself an ADSL router. You won't need to use AOL's horrible dial-up utility then. The Netgear DG834G is a popular choice, and it's one of the few routers AOL provides technical support for.

Many thanks for this TangleFoot. Good tip about not turning off at the mains.
I do have broadband so I am a bit confused about your reference to "AOL's
horrible dial-up utility" as it just appears after booting up (sometimes).
I foolishly turned down a router when I was haggling with them about the monthly charge. Another MSE user told me I could get the price down. It worked but now they won't give me a router so...I will have to buy one. Apparently, I need one in any case as I am buying a laptop.

spud17

Control panel/Internet Options/Connections --- make sure Never Dial A Connection button is ticked.

-TangleFoot-

Jake'sGran wrote: »

I am a bit confused about your reference to "AOL's
horrible dial-up utility" as it just appears after booting up (sometimes).

I'm not sure whether this is the case with all DSL modems, but those I've seen so far rely on software to handle the connection which can strongly resemble a dial-up dialogue box. A router, being a small computer in itself, handles the connection for any computer connected to it. It doesn't require any extra software, and so long as the router is powered up and connected to a phone line (or a DSL/cable modem if one is not built-in), your broadband connection is - as the marketing spiel puts it - always on.

In the meantime, have you considered removing and reinstalling the drivers?

Jake'sGran

Tanglefoot, what you have written is a bit too technical for me. My grandson would understand I know. When visiting them today his Dad told me that if I have a wireless router I don't need an ISP (I mentioned dumping AOL) and this really confused me.

Does your last sentence refer to cleaning things up? What is the effect of removing and reinstalling the drivers?

fwor

Jake'sGran wrote: »

When visiting them today his Dad told me that if I have a wireless router I don't need an ISP (I mentioned dumping AOL) and this really confused me.

I'm not surprised that confused you - he is wrong! He may have been getting confused himself about the recently-introduced broadband services from mobile operators, but even then, the mobile operator becomes your ISP!

The drivers that Tanglefoot referred to just provide an interface between a specific piece of hardware and Windows - they sometimes get corrupted, hence the suggestion to remove and re-install.

In all probability Spud17's suggestion will do the trick, though, and you won't see the dial-up dialogue again.