oh, you're welcome. I am a tech geek...but I don't know everything. I am sure someone else might be able to answer you better.

I don't use AOL so this is to the best of my knowledge about AOL.

I know it's a third party provider. So if cablevision offers internet and then she pays on top of that to AOL, she is essentially paying for an extra thing that she doesn't need. However, a lot of people like AOL's interface so a lot of people like to use AOL. Plus the advantage of AOL is either through cable modem or plug in phone jacks, your friend will have more versitilty with AOL then let's just say, cablevision.

I am almost certain this is how it works. But somebody feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

First of all, cablevision might already have given your friend some sort of internet access. She may have bought a bundled package from cablevision. So she probably want to call cablevision and ask them if she is internet ready.

She will need a modem (unless cablevision is advanced and have installed the modem already which I highly doubt)

what this modem provides is an unique/specific TCP/IP address.

this gives her a unique access for herself, it is like her signature, just like you have a unique TCP/IP address. This forum tracks unique TCP/IP addresses so they won't let you register twice. LOL
(this unique TCP/IP changes when she go and uses a hotspot. Her internal modem is reconfigured and has a temporary unique ID)

so she'll need to get that unique TCP/IP address that will be provided by her internet provider, which is probably going to be cablevision or she can go through verizon like you are doing.

the ethernet in the wall unless it is activated,is just a connection. If she hasn't signed up for internet, she won't have a TCP/IP through that internet access(but feel free to try?)

(I could be wrong about this part, maybe some other AOL users can come correct me)

the modem is the brain that will connect her and the internet and send infos back and forth and trasmit her unique tcp/ip each time.

So, if cablevision can give her a good deal with her internet access, I don't see why she would want to use AOL in addition.

but this is for ETHERNET connection (high speed).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

if she was wanting to use dial up(using the phone line) then she can connect through AOL without a modem cause she can just use her internal built in modem to access through the phone line. She can connect through AOL that way and they can set her up using the phone line with the option to use DSL if she wants to speed things up a bit.

if she just wants to get on line her first day, I would just plug it into the phone line and go through AOL, they have a 30 days free trial anyways.

I'll include a diagram below:

as you can see, you can connect either way, using AOL or using a TCP/IP access (cablevision in her case, or verizon)



hope these helps instead of confuses

I started off being really interested in this thread and in particular, your post "Moi".

b-u-t.................

I should have left well alone and stayed in my own web of insignificant, ignorant Bliss!

I will go back and read this over, and over, and over, and over, and.... ... you get the picture! Hopefully soon I'll begin to understand.

Thank you Moi for putting the info out there for dummies like me to wade through.

LMAO....you are NO dummie...

I a very bad explainer...

and to think, I used to teach computer stuff...*shakes finger at self...

But maybe something will happen if you can get through all the gibberish that I've typed. I am not a conventional explainer...I come with spits et al...LOL

well, I'd better go spend some time with da wife instead of with this modem. The modem isn't as snuggly as da wife.

good luck to anyone that can decipher...LOL

Oh my god, I thought I KNEW COMPUTERS!!! You lost me when you started talking about Internet signatures. lol

I'll learn though, I'll learn!!!

Thanks much

Melody

Mel here is the cablevision website where you can take a look at the online connection options for her-
http://www.cablevision.com/

here is a listing of dial up providers -
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...rs&btnG=Search

some general laptop/notebook info - shows & tells about connectors
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Noteboo...on.2559.0.html
If they are getting her a new one it will most likely have Vista on it-
here is the Msoft site that you can explore all about Vista.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pro...it/mobile.mspx

If you click the "see it now" it'll play a demo explaining some of the features.

Maybe her kids will take care of getting it set up online for her??


some other easy ways to get her online would be to have her bring it over to your house and plug it into your connection temporarily - or go to a wifi hot spot just long enough to get it set up for a dial up if that is her preference.

for dial up - Go to the website of the internet service provider she chooses and if needed download their software { I've used Netzero & parents still use it}

for the cablevision call or go online to find out more about connecting - they might even send someone out if you need help setting it up.

I don't know if cost is a factor for her but that is something to look at also and any fees, commitment times etc.

Cost IS NOT A FACTOR FOR HER. She has taken 3 cruises this year already.

I'm just trying to picture a 77 year old and me, the 60 year old, in her kitchen, plugging in her laptop and going: ???????????????? I might just say "let's call this guy I know". He owns a computer company and he sells computers and he has an IPHONE and two laptops.He does not live near us but he pops up from time to time.

If anyone knows how to do this, he will. I just wanted to try and figure this out for myself.

This should be very interesting.

I will tell you when she gets it.

I do thank you soooooo much.

Regards.

Melody

sorry mel..i just skimmed the last few posts.

with a laptop, if her internet service is by cable and she wants to be wireless, then she can use a service like aol for broadband.( it's like $10 a month or something) she just hooks up the wifi router like you got.

that was how it was explained to me by aol.

that is the only reason to use aol if someone has cable internet.

but check with her cable service. they may offer their own router. most do.

Hi.

I know her. She's not calling her cable company. She just wants to get a laptop, plug it in and go on the internet. She's 77 years old, still works but has never been on the internet. I can just see her getting on the phone with Cablevision and getting wireless routers.

So when she gets the laptop, I assume it will come with the necessary software and a built in modem. She'll call me up (this is assuming she didn't get one of her children to do this, but honestly, it's the grandkids who have the computers, not the children).

So I'll go over and we'll plug in the laptop to the electrical outlet (you have to plug this in right??) Don't want to waste the battery that's inside it.

So after we plug it in, I'll just bring up whatever internet provider software that she has already loaded on the laptop. Then we'll set up her account.

She doesn't need to involve cablevison, or anything like that, or get a router, right??

All she needs is to plug in her laptop, turn it on, bring up the internet software and create the account and go online....right??


Please tell me I'm right.

Thanks much

Melody

if it were that easy...LOL

she needs an internet provider. Whether that be AOL, cablevision, whomever, she'll need one.

She is the one that has to decide whom. Just like you decided on verizon.

She also has to decide if she wants to go fast or slow. Slow is via phonejack. which can also be connected to DSL but that's considered an upgrade.

She can go through cablevision and connect through cable.

This is where speed comes in.

you have your basic 56kpbs through the phone jacks.

Then you have 1meg through most faster phone services now, then you have up to 3 megs with standard DSL (they are working on speed)

or you have cable that is 3megs up to 10 megs depending on the cable company.

Then you have the new kid on the block. Fiber optics. 50 to 100megs???

If she doesn't want to call cablevision, she'll have to plug it through the phonejack and her laptop more than likely will have AOL as a bundle software. Especially if her laptop is Compac or HP or something like that.

I can't imagine she can just plug in and go via ETHERNET. Now, as I've said, she can turn on her wireless and then she'll probably find someone's wireless router around that she may be able to log on to. But that's illegal.

If I am correct, verizon gave you a CD to program your ISP set up. She can't use your ISP unless she uses your disc and you'll have call verizon and give them the OK, so I would probably scratch that idea, IMHO

But you know what? Miracles happen all the time. Give it a shot, and if it works for her that she can log on to highspeed internetand can bypass an internet provider, please let me know cause then I am going to have to ask you how you did it. I am being serious about this. LOL And I am being serious cause I always wonder about IO's and AI and such. I have worked on many computers and I SWEAR on my left testicle that they are ALL different and have a MIND of their own...I hope I don't lose the bet...

if she's going to go through dial up, just remind her of how slow it would be...LOL
Good luck

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PS, I just want to add that routers can be either wireless or regular. A lot of companies are giving away wi-fi routers these days to be competitive. If she's the only one in her home using a computer, she would NOT need a router. Just a modem.

It's about communications.

Let's see if I can put my thinking hat on and explain better.


OK, remember the old times when we have to call someone, there would be an operator?

Let's call her Cindy. You then tell Cindy whom you want to call and she'll connect you. She does that at her switch board and let's say she connects you to Ethel.

So, let's say your computer's modem is called, Anna.

Cindy = high speed modem
switch board = connection to internet

Ethel= internet
anna=your computer modem


so, Anna is calling Cindy and Cindy is switchboarding to ethel

so it's like laptop talking to modem, modem calling internet, when you hear ethel, you are on the internet

hope that made better sense.

Now, you throw in a wireless router, we'll call him "tom cruise"

and your laptop has a built in wi-fi modem, we'll still call her anna.

So, anna radios tom cruise, tom cruise yaps at cindy, cindy switch boarding to ethel. Voila, you are talking to ethel.

same as laptop talks to wi-fi router, router talks to modem, modem connects to internet.
(not exactly but almost. LOL)

YOU LOST ME AT TOM CRUISE (ACTUALLY YOU LOST ME AT ETHEL). Surprised you didn't say 'ETHEL TO TILLY, ETHEL TO TILLY, COME IN TILLY". (now, if you get THAT ONE, you must have seen all the I Love Lucy Shows. lol ).

Okay, here's one thing you wrote: "Give it a shot, and if it works for her that she can log on to highspeed internetand can bypass an internet provider, please let me know cause then I am going to have to ask you how you did it."

Here's where I get confused. If she gets the laptop, plugs the ELECTRICAL PLUG, into the ELECTRICAL OUTLET. then turns on the laptop, she NOW HAS A WORKING LAPTOP, right. It's turned on and ready to do whatever she wishes to do, right??"

So if I'm sitting at this laptop, and I see all these icons and one of them is AOL, (WOULDN'T THAT BE AN INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER??).

So I double click on the AOL icon, I follow the prompts, we create an account (don't know if she wants a broadband or whatever), she can always get that down the road, she just wants to LEARN right now). If she creats an account, and then she goes online using AOL.

Well, isn't AOL then, her internet service provider????

And she can't use my disc even if she wants Verizon, because I COULDN'T USE MY DISC when I set up my dsl line. Took me 3 hours because my disc wouldn't work in getting me set up with Verizon DSL.

I had ordered Verizon DSL. They told me I would see a green light on my modem and that I could insert the disc and set up the software. I know how to do this, so I began doing it. Alan took one look at the screen and walked out of the room saying "I can't watch this, it would drive me crazy". I laughed. Then I stopped laughing because after one point, I could not continue and I had to contact Verizon Support which connected me to someone in the Phillipines (who spoke Spanish and thank god I DO SPEAK SOME SPANISH), because it took me 3 hours. This person had to take me step by step through COUNTLESS maneuvers to get my dsl software working.

I've had to tweak this over the past 2 years with the help of a Verizon software tech person.

I can't imagine my neighbor ever doing this. You have to have a great deal of patience.

I had to set up the litle old people's downstairs computer and dsl service for them.

How would you like to see software come up in Italian and have to do the whole thing in Italian (with speaking to YET ANOTHER Verizon Tech person who was operating out of who knows where)???

But I did this. Can't believe I did this.


I actually thought that my neighbor could get the laptop, just turn it on, load up the software and go online. I gather this is not that easy. That there are steps.

routers, whether they be wireless or not, well I have no idea. I have never gotten one, never needed one.

I do know that if I ever buy my own laptop, I will get a router, hook it up, and then I can bounce the laptop off of the router. This I know.

But we are talking about a person with no computer, no modem, no nothing in the house, who will not take this laptop out of the house (I know this now), so there's no going to Dunkin Donuts to show her how to get a wi-fi signal).

This will be one of the funniest moments in my life when they think they are calling Melody the Expert, and Melody has to come here and ask more questions.

Thanks ever so much.

Will come back when she gets it.

Take care. You're a doll

Melody