This document explains the procedure to setup the AOL user interface to connect to America Online through a standard Green Apple dialup account. This document assumes the reader has a general familiarity with AOL, the AOL user interface and with Windows 95/98.

America Online provides a simplified user interface to the Internet which some users find to be helpful and enjoyable. Users of Green Apple can enjoy all the benefits of the simplified AOL user interface, without losing any of the advantages of subscription to an Internet service provider. Advantages including, a direct connection to the Internet which allows maximum versatility and speed, superior online gaming and access to other services which require a direct Internet feed.

Getting Started

To access AOL using Green Apple as your Internet Service Provider you will need to acquire a copy of the AOL installation CD or a copy of the program can be downloaded from the America Online web page (www.aol.com). After you have acquired the installation program you need only to install the AOL interface and setup an AOL user account.

Before you begin

Before beginning the AOL installation, you will want to connect to Green Apple. This will allow you to connect to AOL after you have finished the setup. It is also a good idea to gather all necessary information you will need during the installation before starting the process. For example, you may need a credit card to establish a new account with AOL, you will need your login and password information for Green Apple, etc.

Installing the AOL user interface

To run the installation program, locate the directory that the installer program was saved to when you downloaded it. Alternately, insert the AOL install CD into the CD player.

Double click on the installer program if downloaded or wait for the program to run after inserting it into the CD drive if you are installing from the CD.

Figure 1

The first screen you see will present you with the "Welcome to America Online" select buttons as shown in figure 1 above. From here, select either the "New Member" or "Current Member" option, according to your status.

Selecting the "New Member" option and pressing Next will display the "Select AOL Directory" window as shown in figure 2 below.

Figure 2

If you selected "Current Member" option and pressed Next, you will be presented with the "Current Members" window as shown in figure 3.

Figure 3

At the Current Members window, select the center option, "Adding your existing AOL account to this computer".

Alternately you could choose the option to "Upgrading to a new version of AOL on this computer", if this situation applies to you. You will then be shown a "Select AOL directory" menu, such as the one shown in figure 2 above.

At the "Select AOL directory" menu you should select Next - leaving alone the default directory which the installer program has selected. The installer will then begin installing AOL files onto your system.

After the installer program has finished copying files, it will start the AOL user interface and continue with the setup by presenting the "Connecting to America Online" window as seen in figure 4 below.

Figure 4

Select the "Expert Setup" button. This will present you with the "Select type of connection device" window as shown in figure 5 below.

Figure 5

At this menu, select the pull down arrow as shown in figure 5 and choose the "TCP/IP: Network or other Connection" option. Press Next.

In the "Confirm your TCP/IP connection" window (as shown in figure 6 below), hit the Next button - leaving the default check mark in the box which reads "Sign on to America Online now!".

Figure 6

You are now presented with the "Create Your America Online" window as shown in figure 7 below. You should select the response which is appropriate to your situation and continue to follow the instructions provided by the AOL installer program to completion of the setup.

Figure 7

Converting an existing AOL installation

In you already have America Online installed and pre-configured on your system to access using an AOL dialup number, and you wish to have it connect now by dial using to Green Apple, do the following.

Go to the "Sign On" window of the AOL user interface as shown in figure 8.

Figure 8

Select the "SETUP" button. This will display the "America Online Setup" window as shown in figure 9.

Figure 9

Select the bottom option, "Create a location for use with new access phone numbers or an ISP". And press Next.

You will now be presented with the "Add location" window as seen in figure 10 below. This window asks you to type a name for the connection and to select between "Add numbers from the list of access phone numbers" or "Add a custom connection (for example, TCP/IP)". First, choose the "Add a custom connection (for example, TCP/IP)", then type "Green Apple" in the Name entry field. Press Next.

Figure 10

If all is successful, you will be presented with an "America Online is setup to connect using an ISP or LAN" box, as shown in figure 11. This indicates that the America Online user interface is correctly configured to use a dialup networking connection with Green Apple to connect to AOL.

Figure 11

And press the "OK" button in the box.

When you wish to connect to AOL using your Green Apple dialup networking connection, select "Green Apple" from the pull down list on the "Sign on" screen.

Common Problems and Solutions

Problem: After configuring the AOL user interface to access AOL using a dialup networking connection, I can't connect to AOL. All the AOL interface does is sit and "look" for AOL on the TCP/IP connection.

Solution: This is usually caused when an active dialup networking connection has timed out or dropped connection. Make sure that you are connected to Green Apple by checking your modem connection indicator. This is located in the task bar next to the clock and appears as two computer monitors which flash periodically as data packets are sent over an active dialup connection. In the event that you are connected, and you have recently installed dialup networking on your computer, this could be a sign of duplicate TCP/IP protocols installed in "The following network components are installed" under the network settings icon in the control panel. To check this, go to the Start button, then Settings, then Control Panel. Double-click on the network icon. Read the list of installed network components and remove any multiple instances of TCP/IP.

Problem: I lost connection to the Internet while using AOL, and after I reconnected to Green Apple I can't seem to connect to AOL.