plusnet or aol

i am thinking of upgrading to braodband soon. Currently I am with AOL but have
been recommended Plusnet. What have been peoples experiences with either or
both and is one much better than the other.

I will be looking for simplicity in set up (I have BT line), reliability of
access when it is set up and any problems with firewall (somebody says Zone
Alarm does not work well with aol software).

Thanks in advance

Mike

"Mikephelan44" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> i am thinking of upgrading to braodband soon. Currently I am with AOL but
have
> been recommended Plusnet. What have been peoples experiences with either
or
> both and is one much better than the other.

Whatever you do forget AOL. They're crap.

"tHatDudeUK" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c0fuc3$167ufm$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Mikephelan44" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > i am thinking of upgrading to braodband soon. Currently I am with AOL
but
> have
> > been recommended Plusnet. What have been peoples experiences with either
> or
> > both and is one much better than the other.
>
> Whatever you do forget AOL. They're crap.
>

I'll second that -ANY ISP is better than AOL

Why are AOL crap? What are your reasons? Do you mean the software or the
actual broadband? I use AOL software over an NTL connection and it's fine.

"tHatDudeUK" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c0fuc3$167ufm$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Mikephelan44" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > i am thinking of upgrading to braodband soon. Currently I am with AOL
but
> have
> > been recommended Plusnet. What have been peoples experiences with either
> or
> > both and is one much better than the other.
>
> Whatever you do forget AOL. They're crap.
>
>

"Gareth :-) II" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:ZXMWb.10634$q%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Why are AOL crap? What are your reasons? Do you mean the software or the
> actual broadband? I use AOL software over an NTL connection and it's fine.

Then why use AOL? My experience of the AOL software has been pretty dire.
What does AOL provide for extra cost (apart from resource consuming
software) that the internet itself doesn't already?

See replies to Darren Lamberts query above


Mike

"Mikephelan44" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> i am thinking of upgrading to braodband soon. Currently I am with AOL but
have
> been recommended Plusnet. What have been peoples experiences with either
or
> both and is one much better than the other.
>
> I will be looking for simplicity in set up (I have BT line), reliability
of
> access when it is set up and any problems with firewall (somebody says
Zone
> Alarm does not work well with aol software).
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Mike

I have been with plusnet for over two months now and I am quite happy with
it. I have never experienced any network problems. I did however have a
problem with installation as they sent out wrong instruction leaflets with
the modem. The issue was sorted very quickly by Binatone.

If you are planning to go with Plusnet then I would recommend that you
install Service Pack1 if you are using XP. Without this the modem won't
install.

The AOL software is abysmal. Far too restrictive. *nanny state* stuff IMO.
My son is on AOL and I'm on Pipex. We can't use msn messenger as AOL won't
allow it. Almost any other provider would. AOL have other restictions too.
Wouldn't touch with the metaphorical barge pole.

Mike


"pj" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:57NWb.3395$Y%(E-Mail Removed)...
|
| "Gareth :-) II" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
| news:ZXMWb.10634$q%(E-Mail Removed)...
| > Why are AOL crap? What are your reasons? Do you mean the software or the
| > actual broadband? I use AOL software over an NTL connection and it's
fine.
|
| Then why use AOL? My experience of the AOL software has been pretty dire.
| What does AOL provide for extra cost (apart from resource consuming
| software) that the internet itself doesn't already?
|
|

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, mikephelan44
@aol.com says...
> i am thinking of upgrading to braodband soon. Currently I am with AOL but have
> been recommended Plusnet. What have been peoples experiences with either or
> both and is one much better than the other.
>
> I will be looking for simplicity in set up (I have BT line), reliability of
> access when it is set up and any problems with firewall (somebody says Zone
> Alarm does not work well with aol software).

Do you even need to ask?

Anything other than AOL. Well, anything other than AOL or BT.

You want a connection to the internet, not some sort of nanny state,
buffered, protected, fuzzy friendly crap!

Go with Plusnet. Tell them "lethe" sent you. (Please? :-)

Pete.

--
NOTE! Email address is spamtrapped. Any email will be bounced to you
Remove the news and underscore from my address to reply by mail

Gareth :-) II wrote:

> Why are AOL crap? What are your reasons? Do you mean the software or the
> actual broadband? I use AOL software over an NTL connection and it's fine.

The actual broadband is probably OK. The main problems stem from the
history of the way AOL has "grown up" to offer internet access from its
beginnings as a multi user bulletin board designed for use by numpties.

The main complication is that unlike most ISPs that let you setup a
straight forward TCP/IP connection with the ISPs servers (usually via
PPP or a variant), AOL insist that you use their bespoke software which
creates a VPN connection to their servers. This introduces a bunch of
limitations that you will not find with other ISPs.

For starters since they are using a VPN connection already, they
preclude you setting up your own VPN - hence things like remote access
to the office network become a non starter. Use of a router for sharing
a connection is possible but far more complex then with other ISPs.
Using computers other that Windows based PCs is difficult / impossible.
Because you have a VPN connection setup, any firewall you have built
into your router may also be bypassed in many cases. Finally they limit
access to a number of ports (and hence internet services) that you may
want to access - people have mentioned netmeeting, you may also find
that access to email servers other than AOLs is also not possible
because the block SMTP etc.



--
Cheers,

John.

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