Hi Clint. I think you will love this article. Certainly one of the best pieces I've read about our relationship with retrocomputing medium.com/message/networks-without-networks-7644933a3100
Kind of breaks my heart that we can never visit this part of our past....I was excited watching this. Waiting for the welcome! however, getting nothing other than GOODBYE! just about sums up AOL in the 90s! I heard that more often than anything else! 😂😂😂 definitely jogged some memories I had long forgotten! Thanks bud!
The fact that it actually communicated with an AOL server was a huge thing, in itself! At least you know that (if the changes hadn't been made from their end) it would still likely have worked. KUDOS for trying!
AOL 2.5 - 6 no longer connects as of 2015. Aol 7- present does. If you import the favorites from older versions of AOL into the present verson, most of them will work connecting to the servers from 1996. I have most of the favorite places and its pretty fun roaming around the past aol like it's a ghost town. You can download peoples profile pictures and programs and visit many web pages that were frozen in time. In the download sections, it shows the last time someone downloaded each of the files. Good times...
+Thor Mcgee Does 6 still work or do I have to use 7? I want to see if I can use AOL, right now I'm using Broadband on Windows 10 and a free Dial-Up ISP on a separate Windows 98 Computer.
I have actually logged into dial-up AOL in the last year. I did this on an XP desktop that still had a built-in 56.K modem. But it was with the modern AOL desktop client. It was painfully slow. But I could still do the basics. I sent some emails. And I even went to Amazon and ordered something. I cannot imagine anyone still using it on a daily basis. But it could be a good emergency solution for some people.
Here's a site that has all the AOL versions. You might see if you can install a later version. I recall using some fairly late versions on a 486 that I still had in operation in 1999-2000. www.oldversion.com/windows/america-online/
God I miss that old dial up sound.. I also remember the endless AOL disks that I had.. When AOL was making Disks by the 1000s.. They were everywhere.. My first experience with AOL was AOL for DOS..
I remember five or six years ago when I had my friend over, and I tried connecting to AOL 4.0 on an old computer. The connection was through Ethernet, but we were surprised to see it successfully connect after such a long time.
I remember using AOL dial-up as my first internet at home back in 2001 to 2002. I remember when other isps would compete with AOL such as MSN, earthlink, juno, peoplepc online, and walmart connect.
Dude that was awesome! I always kind of wondered if it still worked in the back of my mind. This really brought back some old times...I guess that would also make me an OG original geek :) Thanks for sharing this!
i used to have an old apple modem in a box at my house, so i hooked it up to my mac SE and OH MY GAWD it broke my eardrums. I never was the same again.
I attempted to use an AOL client and try to connect as well with my screen name, but it seems that I reached the character limit when it comes to logging in with my screen name (It is 23 characters long and the limit is 21). Either I have to make a second screen name on my AOL account or create an entirely new AOL account with a shorter screen name.
I would like to mention that AOL 4.0 works just fine, or it did as of yesterday. Haven't tried using dial-up, but it worked fine over LAN using a virtual machine.
Dude one more thing the reason why ver 4.0 worked on windows through a virtual machine is because its using your internet connection virtually through what ever connection you may be using. Its not gonna dial in like normal because it's not dialing a telephone number.
"A new version has been mailed to you automatically" So AOL dial up is still around for those who still want to use it, but if I were them, I would have put buttons for "receive new version by mail" or "logout". Billy, are you considering doing another AOL dial up attempt using your dell 2350 or another XP system? Also, I somehow had the idea to log on to MSN messenger 7.5 in 2015(fortunately my account had messenger already set up) but I don't think I want to do it since I'm busy with a lot of other stuff.
***** There are more modern versions of AOL that work on Windows 9x systems. The highest supported version for Windows 9x systems is version 9.0. But 9.0 is such a disadvantage because it uses more space almost like modern software today, it takes like around 500 mb or more or something like that, and computers from the 90s usually wouldn't handle that space. I'd rather go with software that doesn't use so much space.
I was getting severe anxiety waiting for the welcome screen to pop up after you connected. If you ever get a dialup connection running make a video going to speed test.
As much as my very first computer, a Packard Bell, I never used dial up once on it. I didn't even have a PCI Express Ethernet hooked up. I had no internet. I didn't start using internet until late 2004 when my Packard Bell died and I started to use a Dell Dimension computer with Windows XP. The Dell was the first machine that was able to connect to the internet for me. I used LAN. I've never experienced dial up before.
You should be able to set your data transfer rate higher than the modem's maximum rate on your computer. All that could happen is that, if you set the transfer rate higher than the modem's maximum, the modem could only work at the fastest rate it is capable of and no faster.
Hey Billy, Why don't you just download the latest AOL 9.0, and install it via a cd that you burn? I also believe that you can still use internet explorer with dial up, as long as you are signed into AOL. Good luck!
+rssdesignz I used 4.0 a few months ago and it worked, it said support would end 6/30/2015. made another video a few weeks ago showing that 4.0 does not work anymore at all.
Billy, Do you know if any of the old Windows 95/98 AOL Desktop versions are still working? If 2.5 stopped receiving service last year. They couldnt have gotten as far as 4.0 or 4.5 yet
My guess is that AOL has long retired this version and you simply cannot connect to AOL with this version because it is no longer recognized by their system. Just my guess
Darn you AOL! Haha. And, just saying, you never know, but of course it won't work cuz it's outdated. Also, I didn't really have the version you did, kinda meant to say.
You could also mute the sound in the modem's system settings, which is what I did when I didn't want my parents finding out about my 'late-night' online sessions.
My mom had a PB computer but it was the Multimedia c115 machine 1.2 gB HDD, 16 mb ram and yes I had aol on it. I played doom on it for hours. Nowadays I just use firefox, google, youtube, facebook, twitter, aol.com email and twitch. and I don't go in the chat rooms. There is one on one of the livestreams that I watch but I barely use the chat room in it.
coondogtheman1234 I also have the Pavkard Bell Multimedia C115.I upgraded the RAM to 32 MB,upgraded the Hard Drive to a 6.4 GB Fujitsu one (a lot faster too than then original 1.2 GB hard drive),upgraded the video memory,upgraded the CPU to a 200 Mhz Pentium and put in a diamond monster 3D graphics accelerator (a 3DFX Voodoo 1 card).
I have the same Computer, 20 YEARS Later and it still runs!!! Packard Bell really knows how to build a long lasting and durable PC. I just need to run some benchmarks and slighty overlock it because I'm getting dips to 58 fps and cant keep a solid 60 frames no matter even if I downgrade to lower resolution's like 1440p, Smh... Still an amazing PC for the time and still holds up today.
+Happy Birthday Paulie "downgrade to lower resolutions like 1440p," in what world do you have a 20 year old PC that can output 1440p while maintaining 60 FPS???? I only got a minute into the vid so yea :/
that's way too slow. that rate is like the old modems you hung your phone on. try speeding it up to what speed your modem is (at least 14400 bps) by checking in the hardware manager.
"Get off the internet, I need to use the phone!"
Kids today will never know this struggle
Get off the phone, I need to use the internet.
My MIL would complain when She tried calling and the phone was busy. I told her to get AOL and instant message me to log off. lol!
I would just try to call anyways and it would kick the person offline lol
I too remember being yelled at because someone was expecting a call and I was logged in, going through AOL Kids downloading DOS shareware games.
That is such a rad-looking AOL 3.0 floppy! _Shiny!_
Hi Clint. I think you will love this article. Certainly one of the best pieces I've read about our relationship with retrocomputing
medium.com/message/networks-without-networks-7644933a3100
Beautiful
hello lgr what are you doing here?
hey lgr cool
I remember being absolutely fascinated by those modem sounds when I connected to AOL as a kid.
+MagCynic I still am fascinated. Pretty neat stuff.
I assume the AOL server has spent all these year becoming self aware and morphing itself into Skynet.
Kind of breaks my heart that we can never visit this part of our past....I was excited watching this. Waiting for the welcome! however, getting nothing other than GOODBYE! just about sums up AOL in the 90s! I heard that more often than anything else! 😂😂😂 definitely jogged some memories I had long forgotten! Thanks bud!
I remember back in the day being able to download music off of napster faster than it took to play the song. Thats what i called a good day!
One Man On Fire I just have to tell someone this, Comcast got less than 0.1 mbps in 2015 in Michigan
The fact that it actually communicated with an AOL server was a huge thing, in itself! At least you know that (if the changes hadn't been made from their end) it would still likely have worked. KUDOS for trying!
AOL 2.5 - 6 no longer connects as of 2015. Aol 7- present does. If you import the favorites from older versions of AOL into the present verson, most of them will work connecting to the servers from 1996. I have most of the favorite places and its pretty fun roaming around the past aol like it's a ghost town. You can download peoples profile pictures and programs and visit many web pages that were frozen in time. In the download sections, it shows the last time someone downloaded each of the files. Good times...
+Thor Mcgee 6.0 still works as of right now.
Sure enough, you are correct. Good catch! Looks like 1-5 are discontinued completely.
+Thor Mcgee Does 6 still work or do I have to use 7? I want to see if I can use AOL, right now I'm using Broadband on Windows 10 and a free Dial-Up ISP on a separate Windows 98 Computer.
Thor Mcgee thats awsome!
you've got mail!
I have actually logged into dial-up AOL in the last year. I did this on an XP desktop that still had a built-in 56.K modem. But it was with the modern AOL desktop client. It was painfully slow. But I could still do the basics. I sent some emails. And I even went to Amazon and ordered something. I cannot imagine anyone still using it on a daily basis. But it could be a good emergency solution for some people.
Here's a site that has all the AOL versions. You might see if you can install a later version. I recall using some fairly late versions on a 486 that I still had in operation in 1999-2000.
www.oldversion.com/windows/america-online/
If they supported version 3.00 until 2015, maybe some of those later version are still supported.
RobotPorter my friend has a laptop from 2013 that has a dialup port, its a thinkpad t420
God I miss that old dial up sound..
I also remember the endless AOL disks that I had.. When AOL was making Disks by the 1000s.. They were everywhere..
My first experience with AOL was AOL for DOS..
I remember five or six years ago when I had my friend over, and I tried connecting to AOL 4.0 on an old computer. The connection was through Ethernet, but we were surprised to see it successfully connect after such a long time.
Imagine it being the 90s and having to hear this everytime you wanted to use the internet
And think when the servers are crammed... *alian life form noises*
+Nick Gagner imagine? I lived the struggle until 2003.
Mike Hart Windows XP on 56K?
+Nick Gagner This was way after the 90s, too! I remember doing this into 2003.
+Nick Gagner yes. it was hell.
Technically it did work, it just wouldn't go any further because of it being an older version.
You should order an AOL CD from there support line!
That's possible?
BBC600 col
2.5 was dope for punters, mass mailers, and spammers.. so was v3 (it started sucking past 3 if i remember correctly.. I am forever banned from AOL.
when you laugh it sounds like Freddy krueger
true
I am so glad that dialup went out with the dinosaurs
I remember the struggles of dialup....You get kicked off because the server is busy or if u had call waiting, you would be disconnected.
I remember using AOL dial-up as my first internet at home back in 2001 to 2002. I remember when other isps would compete with AOL such as MSN, earthlink, juno, peoplepc online, and walmart connect.
Dude that was awesome! I always kind of wondered if it still worked in the back of my mind. This really brought back some old times...I guess that would also make me an OG original geek :) Thanks for sharing this!
+Coby Hunt It still works fine Windows 10 still even has an option for it.
the pure joy he exhibited when it worked made me laugh so much
man I was excited about seeing it but I guess old computers can be smarter than you think
I liked these vids, had me on the edge of my seat!
i used to prank call people from the terminal.... it was awesome
how so?
Best music I EVER listened to.
Oh wow, this makes me feel old. I remember when AOL was pretty high tech lol!
omg this brings me back...that sound!
still looks more stable than comcast
You might take down the Internet with that Packard bell lol
Did you get the disc?
I live in 1996
Blaine Pinkston sure and I did 9/11
Least I don't play some dumb five nights at Freddy's game that is not even scary
Clorox Bleach YEA ROBLOX IS THE SCARY GAME NOT FNAF LLELELELELEL
Clorox Bleach club penguin is even worse tho
I see you EVEYWHERE
i used to have an old apple modem in a box at my house, so i hooked it up to my mac SE and OH MY GAWD it broke my eardrums. I never was the same again.
PLEASE!! explain to me what list of numbers do you use to connect and how exactly you do it
I attempted to use an AOL client and try to connect as well with my screen name, but it seems that I reached the character limit when it comes to logging in with my screen name (It is 23 characters long and the limit is 21). Either I have to make a second screen name on my AOL account or create an entirely new AOL account with a shorter screen name.
I would like to mention that AOL 4.0 works just fine, or it did as of yesterday. Haven't tried using dial-up, but it worked fine over LAN using a virtual machine.
I love the look of the AOL 2.5 and 3.0 version reminds me that was in outer space. =)
Clint from lazy game reviews did a video on running aol 4.0 on windows 8.1 pro and it worked... well somewhat.
Dude one more thing the reason why ver 4.0 worked on windows through a virtual machine is because its using your internet connection virtually through what ever connection you may be using. Its not gonna dial in like normal because it's not dialing a telephone number.
"A new version has been mailed to you automatically"
So AOL dial up is still around for those who still want to use it, but if I were them, I would have put buttons for "receive new version by mail" or "logout". Billy, are you considering doing another AOL dial up attempt using your dell 2350 or another XP system?
Also, I somehow had the idea to log on to MSN messenger 7.5 in 2015(fortunately my account had messenger already set up) but I don't think I want to do it since I'm busy with a lot of other stuff.
***** There are more modern versions of AOL that work on Windows 9x systems. The highest supported version for Windows 9x systems is version 9.0. But 9.0 is such a disadvantage because it uses more space almost like modern software today, it takes like around 500 mb or more or something like that, and computers from the 90s usually wouldn't handle that space. I'd rather go with software that doesn't use so much space.
Dylans VitaReviews or a Windows 7 machine.
***** ???
***** MSN Messenger was not really that big compared to AOL Instant Messenger.
best gaming rig
nice bro. hey I've been wondering about all my MySpace pics where are they stored? can I ever get them back? I never cancel my account
the max speed for dial up is 56kbps i believe
Very reminiscent, much nostalgia.
sounds so much different than the ones people use
You should make a video trying to browse the Web using Netscape in 2015
I was getting severe anxiety waiting for the welcome screen to pop up after you connected. If you ever get a dialup connection running make a video going to speed test.
As much as my very first computer, a Packard Bell, I never used dial up once on it. I didn't even have a PCI Express Ethernet hooked up. I had no internet. I didn't start using internet until late 2004 when my Packard Bell died and I started to use a Dell Dimension computer with Windows XP. The Dell was the first machine that was able to connect to the internet for me. I used LAN. I've never experienced dial up before.
I think it used to be called America Online and now it's known as AOL, am i right?
Try setting the modem at 14000 bps or 28000 bps, those were the common speeds in 1995. That may do the trick. :)
did you get the CD with the new version by mail like the message stated? just wondering...
You should be able to set your data transfer rate higher than the modem's maximum rate on your computer. All that could happen is that, if you set the transfer rate higher than the modem's maximum, the modem could only work at the fastest rate it is capable of and no faster.
Hey Billy,
Why don't you just download the latest AOL 9.0, and install it via a cd that you burn? I also believe that you can still use internet explorer with dial up, as long as you are signed into AOL.
Good luck!
Ah, AOL 3.0. That's the first version we ever used.
Chips challenge! Was the best factory installed app ever
If you want to connect aol is still around but you could get the cd version on eBay. I will look it up billy I will
-Alan Moon
the packard bells used to be the shiz back in the day!
Just a question but, could you do the next version, and so on, to see what does work?! I am really interested!
+rssdesignz I used 4.0 a few months ago and it worked, it said support would end 6/30/2015. made another video a few weeks ago showing that 4.0 does not work anymore at all.
Billy,
Do you know if any of the old Windows 95/98 AOL Desktop versions are still working? If 2.5 stopped receiving service last year. They couldnt have gotten as far as 4.0 or 4.5 yet
9.0VR supports 98SE.
Didn't it say your version doesn't work? So doesn't that mean if you get a newer version, wouldn't it work?
+cookie huffman 6.0 is the oldest version that still functions right now.
What happens if i call that number on my phone?
supposedly they still offer pay services via dial up
guess we all can't login for nostalgia sake sigh
Sweet wallpaper
Couldn't you have tried Windows 2000 With AOL 4.0 at that Time?
The screams of hell...
Ski Free I also remember that one ;)
probably have more luck making a time machine and go back in time
still going to do it for a free disk.... don't know why but i will still do it
State of the Art.
12:00 is where video starts. You are welcome.
My guess is that AOL has long retired this version and you simply cannot connect to AOL with this version because it is no longer recognized by their system. Just my guess
Darn you AOL! Haha. And, just saying, you never know, but of course it won't work cuz it's outdated. Also, I didn't really have the version you did, kinda meant to say.
Those connection graphics are sik!
Damn...its a shame they had to discontinue Aol...i remember the first time i tried Aol.
What exactly causes the sounds? Like its it caused by data transfer?
I think the sound is the data.
It's the computer communicating with the dial up modem.
N64 Joey it's the modem handshake
You could also mute the sound in the modem's system settings, which is what I did when I didn't want my parents finding out about my 'late-night' online sessions.
My mom had a PB computer but it was the Multimedia c115 machine 1.2 gB HDD, 16 mb ram and yes I had aol on it. I played doom on it for hours. Nowadays I just use firefox, google, youtube, facebook, twitter, aol.com email and twitch. and I don't go in the chat rooms. There is one on one of the livestreams that I watch but I barely use the chat room in it.
coondogtheman1234 I also have the Pavkard Bell Multimedia C115.I upgraded the RAM to 32 MB,upgraded the Hard Drive to a 6.4 GB Fujitsu one (a lot faster too than then original 1.2 GB hard drive),upgraded the video memory,upgraded the CPU to a 200 Mhz Pentium and put in a diamond monster 3D graphics accelerator (a 3DFX Voodoo 1 card).
m9078jk3
Awesome. Now will it run Crysis or 7 days to die.
m9078jk3 Pentium I? Or 2
3.0 works better , the problem is the 1 800 number Changed :\ QC
Hey, I tried this out. It works!
Thats a dial up my dad had one of those...
Does AOL even exist as an internet service and not just as a mail service and instant messenger anymore?
It does it's just not popular
yeah
You must have felt sad that AOL did not work because you were just trying to surf the web and read your emails!
I have the same Computer, 20 YEARS Later and it still runs!!! Packard Bell really knows how to build a long lasting and durable PC. I just need to run some benchmarks and slighty overlock it because I'm getting dips to 58 fps and cant keep a solid 60 frames no matter even if I downgrade to lower resolution's like 1440p, Smh... Still an amazing PC for the time and still holds up today.
+Happy Birthday Paulie "downgrade to lower resolutions like 1440p," in what world do you have a 20 year old PC that can output 1440p while maintaining 60 FPS????
I only got a minute into the vid so yea :/
+imapie4688 its just a joke lol. I have a Acer with a Gtx 970 and i7 4790 combo.
***** Well i have a 750 and a Pentium G3258
I born in 1998 but 1999 I try using the computer until like 2006
Did anyone ever use CallWave ?
Wow you just missed it. Discontinued just a few months ago...
That monitor?
IN 2015????
NO.
+WaffleGaming GTV (3DSuperWaffle) YES.
Autumn Dulong It's okay now, it's 2016.
What does dial up do? I was born in 2004 so I never experienced this. I've used old computers but ones with internet explorer
It's the Internet
Internet explorer is still used and its on Windows 8 and 10
+Sadok Barbouch and 7
+Sadok Barbouch and vista
it provides internet through the phone lines.
Concerta?
1200baud....lol...my first modem was actually 2400baud...it was on my Apple IIgs with AOL 1.1 on a 5 1/4" floppy
Why are you laughing this is terrible I wish it worked I know lets riot until they recontinue it
all that work for nothing but being let down... what a rip off!! thanks a lot AOL!!
2:27 unnn that take me back
Spoiler: It kind of works, you just have to click alot...
America online when the out of business for a lot of years now Earthlink replaced them
Nope still supported think it was purchased by another company
Holy shit it's the iPad 7 plus !!!!1!!!!!!!!
don't think the connection was the problem. whatever you did to have it call the 334 number instead of the 800 is what worked
that's way too slow. that rate is like the old modems you hung your phone on.
try speeding it up to what speed your modem is (at least 14400 bps) by checking in the hardware manager.
definitely gotta turn that speed up.
I Have A More Fresh AOL CD Version.
You need to úpdate the software
AOL In 2017???