How to Set Up AOL Dial-Up for Vista
While high-speed, broadband Internet is becoming increasingly more prevalent among consumers, there are places in rural areas where it is not available. Some customers may opt to purchase a dial-up Internet service plan because of the availability of broadband in their area or even because of the significantly lower price. In any event, AOL dial-up Internet is a reliable and affordable service. However, setting up the connection in Windows Vista can be a bit intimidating for someone unfamiliar with the process.
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Things You'll Need
- PC running Windows Vista
- Active AOL service plan
- AOL installation disk (version 9.0 or above)
- Open phone line
- Phone cable
Instructions
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1
Plug a phone cord into the phone jack (usually located on the wall).
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2
Plug the opposite end of the phone cord into the modem on the back on your computer. The modem can be identified by a port that is designed to hold a phone cord.
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3
Insert the AOL installation disk into your computer. You should have received this disk when you signed up for service. If you did not receive it, you can use a friend's computer to download the software (see Resources below).
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4
Follow the instructions as they appear on screen to install the AOL software.
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5
Open the AOL configuration program by double-clicking its icon on the desktop (or in the directory where you installed it).
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6
Right-click the AOL icon in the taskbar, located next to the clock.
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7
Highlight the "Connectivity" menu and select "Connection Options..."
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8
Press the "Advanced Settings" icon at the bottom of the dialog box.
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9
Click the "Modems" tab at the top of the screen.
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10
Choose the "Add Modem" option.
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11
Select the modem that is installed on your machine from the list provided. If you do not see your modem or do not know which brand it is, choose the "UMC (Generic) V.32bis" option.
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12
Choose the correct "COM" port from the drop-down menu labeled "Connected to Port." In most cases, you will choose "COM1."
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13
Click "Save."
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14
Click the "Dial-Up Locations" tab. You should be back in the "Advanced Settings" menu at this time; if not, follow Steps 6 and 7 to get there again.
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15
Click the "Quick Edit" button at the bottom of the "Dial-Up Locations" page.
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16
Enter the local phone number provided by your local AOL representative in the box under the "Access Phone Numbers" heading.
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Click "Add an Access Phone Number" to enter any additional numbers the representative may have given you.
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18
Click the "Save" button and close the program entirely.
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19
Right-click on the AOL button in the taskbar once again.
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20
Choose the "Start AOL Dialer" option.
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21
Enter your username and password where indicated on the dialer.
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22
Click "Connect."
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure the number you enter on the "Dial-Up Locations" page is a local phone number; otherwise, you may be charged long-distance fees whenever you use the Internet.
