Tech: What has happened to aol.com?

Subject: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: Little Robyn
Date: 20 Dec 04 - 01:58 PM

We can't seem to get through to anyone on aol - for a couple of days now. No mention of any problem in the news, on telly or in the paper.
Has nobody noticed? Is it only us?
If it's everywhere, how will Ron get his requests on time?

- RE: Christmas music on WFDU-FM - Dec 19 2004 10:50AM -   WFDU - Ron Olesko
Summary: One last reminder. Be sure to e-mail your requests to [e-mail] if there is something you would like me to play, or you can post them here.    Happy holidays!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lots of people missing from mudcat?
What? Where?
Robyn

Subject: RE: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 20 Dec 04 - 02:44 PM

I'm on aol. No problems that I know about. Try their Techchat.

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 20 Dec 04 - 02:53 PM

AOL stinks!!
Giok

Subject: RE: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 20 Dec 04 - 03:15 PM

My brother has an aol email address, and we've been in touch recently (several times over the weekend) with no problem.

Subject: RE: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: GUEST, Mikefule
Date: 20 Dec 04 - 03:22 PM

I'm on AOL too. Does it stink? I've kept my AOL address since late 1997 - I've run occasional parallel addresses (e.g. Freeserve and so on) and never found a reason to change. AOL seems to filter out quite a lot of spam and viruses too.

My experience is that people with AOL addresses retain them. Anyone else (except someone on an ac. address) tends to be chopping and changing all the time. Whether that tells us something about the AOL sefvice or the AOL customer base is a valid question. I don't think I fit the stereotypical AOL profile.

It's not cheap, but it provides a reliable service.

I've not noticed any problems recently. I do sometimes log onto aol.com or aol.co.uk from another computer to check my email, and ever so rarely there's a connection problem, which I guess is just volume of traffic.

Subject: RE: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: GUEST,Peter from Essex
Date: 20 Dec 04 - 06:31 PM

AOL seems to filter out quite a lot of spam and viruses too.

It also filters out legit mailings without checking against the addressee's "white list".

Subject: RE: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: Ebbie
Date: 20 Dec 04 - 07:14 PM

Little Robyn, I had the same problem. I was able to receive aol emails but my replies always failed. Consulted several times with my server before they finally told me that AOL blocks emails from servers that have a high number of spammers associated with them.

My server is gci.net- it's mostly - maybe entirely - in Alaska. Evidently some spammers have discovered it.

What I did to get around it was set up a free Yahoo account to use in communicating with AOL users. I set up a different name with Yahoo. No problem with any other server.

Subject: RE: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: Little Robyn
Date: 21 Dec 04 - 04:03 AM

Thanks Ebbie. We had about 6 different emails bounced back in the last couple of days. Apparently xtra.co.nz has been nominated on a list of open relay machines, if you know about that - I don't but my husband does.
It's been very inconvenient because we're trying to organise a New Zealand bus tour of Northumbrian pipers from around the world and we're unable to contact a couple of them, to make final arrangements.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: mack/misophist
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 02:32 AM

When I had the same problem I was sometimes able to get through with "reply" rather than a fresh e-mail. My ISP had been blocked by mistake and AOL wouldn't even talk to them for 2 weeks.

Subject: RE: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: Barb'ry
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 03:55 AM

I'm on aol - not many problems in the last 8 years but I'm having the reverse problem to Little Robyn - got friends in New Zealand who can't get through and are phoning instead. Whilst it is nice to hear their voices, it is getting a tad expensive! Any solutions?

Subject: RE: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: Barb'ry
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 11:50 AM

just been in touch with aol who sent this reply:
Xtra is well known for its open relays, which is a feature of it's setup which allows spammers to thoughput their spam through Xtra.   They are widely blacklisted for it.

My advice to your friends in NZ is to get a Yahoo or Hotmail account and that should sort their problem. I know that both of them can also be installed on Outlook or Outlook Express if that is the mail program they have.


Not that helpful but at least we know where we stand!

Subject: RE: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: Kim C
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 12:18 PM

We've had AOL for about a year now, and are reasonably happy with it. If we weren't on dial-up, we'd probably be even happier.

Subject: RE: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: Little Robyn
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 01:43 PM

Mitch reckons Yahoo and Hotmail are actually worse!
And others on virgin.net and ihug have also reported their mail bouncing!
Robyn

Subject: RE: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: Little Robyn
Date: 23 Dec 04 - 02:01 AM

We've just received a reply to our latest query:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thank you for contacting Xtra.

The email reply you have received from AOL advises of a new type of block that AOL has introduced.

As most spam today is generated by worm or virus infected computers, AOL will be placing a temporary block on the IP addresses that generate a high volume of spam. This is done by AOL to protect their customers from spam.

An IP address is something assigned to you each time you connect to the Internet. If the IP you have been assigned has recently been used by another Xtra customer who was infected by a virus or worm generating spam it may have been temporarily blocked by AOL.

This is most likely cause of any email you send to an AOL address being blocked.

We recommend that you do the following to ensure that you are no longer affected by the AOL block:

(1) If you are a Broadband customer, you will need to restart your Broadband modem/router. If you are on a dialup connection, disconnect from the Internet and reconnect after 15 mins before attempting to send email to AOL again.

(2) If you are using Outlook, Outlook Express or some other mail program check your mail settings are set to use smtp.xtra.co.nz for outgoing email.

Instructions on how to check Outlook Express settings can be found at
http://www.xtra.co.nz/help/0,,4132-561066,00.html
For other common mail applications please check
http://www.xtra.co.nz/help/0,,4132-859002,00.html

(3) We strongly recommend that you update and run your anti-virus software.


If this still continues, please contact the helpdesk.

For more help and support, please visit: http://xtrahelp.co.nz


We've been sending messages to our contacts via other friends so hopefully nothing has been missed but it's a clumsy way to organise a tour of musicians! We're off in about 2 weeks - some have left their homes already!
Robyn

Subject: RE: Tech: What has happened to aol.com?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 02:04 AM

Customers with AOL broadband in the Southeastern U.S. have been told to find new providers. AOL is pulling out of the broadband business down there, at any rate. Dialup is unaffected.

SRS