Since April 14, 1998	Say NO!	Recommend it!	Cancel AOL	You are SO here!	Link to us!
Page last updated Tuesday June 22, 1999 @ 1:38pm ET
Frequently Asked Questions

Before emailing, check here first! If you can't find your solution here, please do email, as you will help this FAQ to grow and become more helpful to other people! Email FAQ Questions only AFTER you've read this page. I have a tendency to ignore issues already addressed here and though I don't mean to offend you, it's simply a waste of time to address you when you could have saved *you* AND *me* time by reading a little further. Thanks.

Email #1

I saw your name and AOL connected on a page so thought you might help. I have just installed ICQ and I run AOL. Will ICQ work with AOL? How do I configure the POP3 box for AOL? Also, I placed the ICQ indicator box on my web page but it always shows my status as "disabled". I tried to chat connect to you from your ICQ dialog box, but my Internet Explorer gave me a "save-open" dialog"

(Email express truncates at 255 characters I think... so feel free to email both  aol_icq@bigfoot.com and 5273569@pager.mirabilis.com)

Alright here we go:
1) Yes, ICQ will work perfectly with AOL....does for many, does for me. :-)
2) AOL is not POP3 or SMTP compliant due to AOL's proprietary email system.

POP3: Post Office Protocol---AOL is proprietary and therefore ICQ cannot "take your email" from AOL and give it to you...heck, it can't even read it and give it to you...AOL is firewalled, different set-up than real ISPs.

SMTP: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol ---AOL, again, isn't a real ISP, is protected by firewall, and uses a proprietary method of sending your mail to someone else. (ie. It sits on THEIR server waiting to be delivered) So you can't configure ICQ to work with your AOL account in this way. HOWEVER, if you were to find an email client or use Netscape's or Microsoft's Email client you COULD find a free email address provider that allows you to use their server to send mail...and THAT ICQ could work with.

3) The ICQ indicator. Alright. Have you downloaded ICQ98? You have to have ICQ98 for that panel to work correctly, first and foremost. When you've donloaded and installed that, switch from SIMPLE mode to ADVANCED mode. Then press MENU--->Security and Privacy--->Then [checkmark] the Web Aware box--->SAVE. Now go back to your panel on your website...reload or refresh (using your browser, not re-uploading) your page and you should be set!

4) You wanted to chat me. You were using Internet Explorer. Ok. With your ICQ client open, click the ADD ME! or CHAT ME! or whatever and when the IE box pops up asking what you want to do, what you want to do <G> is check OPEN. That should solve that!

Let me know if these tips have worked. Thanks!!

Email #2

Hello, Kathi. I've seen your message boards post and you said to ask for help so here goes. I have tried registering with ICQ but it keeps telling me I do not have a connection but I am connected. It tells me to check my internet connection. I have and I am, so what's wrong? Thanks a lot.

This has happened to me before too and I think it's happened to many of us at one time or another, though I still get the question a lot :-) After you've determined that you *do* have an internet connection and you still get the message, all I can say is "it's a bug" and try it again. Unless it's your configuration, this is all it could be. Try it again now and I bet it's up to par. Let me know. Thanks.

Email #3

When someone sends an URL request to me my browser will not open it. I can't find it for later..All I can do is go to it right then or forget about it. I can't find it later. I have looked everywhere because I have ICQ to automatically add the URL's somewhere but I can't find them. Where are they because I have lost many websites already :(

Okay. This is common among AOL users. You know that AOL has a browser right(?), but ICQ is looking for your DEFAULT browser, independent of AOL's. If you're trying to get ICQ to send your links to AOL, er, it can't happen. Easy solution though. Download a decent browser, one that will be completely independent of AOL and install it. There, problem solved. ICQ will send your URL requests to a folder within your bookmarks in that browser.

Yes, Netscape and Microsoft browsers will work with AOL. Download it, install it. Start AOL, minimize AOL, then start the browser. (Big hint: when the browser asks for your SMTP and NNTP servers, or POP3 address, ignore it until you know what you are doing, because for all intents and purposes you don't have one with AOL.)

Email #4

We have been trying to install icq on a cpu with aol as an isp. When we first install it it works but once we go off line or out of the internet it can't connect. What could be the problem. After the cpu is rebooted it won't even try but once and it send a message the we have a bad connection should contact our isp. We have tried other access numbers in other cities, still no good. Help!

Right. Because you have AOL as your Internet connection, your machine can't just "dial in" due to AOL being proprietary (ie. Everything operates on their server *through* a firewall.) If you had a *true* ISP you could configure ICQ to dial it up for you *I think.*

As it stands though, you must first connect with AOL, THEN launch ICQ from the desktop, or using ICQ NetDetect in your tasktray (If you're on Windows and have it configured that way) double click it.

Ah. Sounds like you have it configured for a LAN...OR you have ICQ in the start menu. No. Put NetDetect in the start menu so it won't attempt a connection. Then when you log on to AOL or whatever ISP/OSP your using, double click *it* (the NetDetect icon) and then ICQ should launch w/ no problem.

Hope this was of some help.
Let me know how it goes.
Thanks for writing.

Email #5

Sorry to bother you ..I've read the FAQs and don't understand .. I'm trying to install Netscape 4.5 on my daughter's PC .. she uses AOL ..so, I'm at the AOL connect, minimize, bring up NS4.5 ..and can't initialize NS4.5 to read mail etc..I understand that AOL's mail, news servers are proprietary ..but ..isn't there someway you can use AOL as your dial up and NS4.5 as your browser ?? using WIN98 .. NS4.5 loaded fine .. but no go ..with AOL 4.0 thank you so much ..

Are you using the standalone Netscape browser or Communicator? I ask because I can see how intimidating Communicator can be, being such an integrated tool into ISP communications. I, myself, do not run 4.5 but 4.07 and if they are similar (I will accept corrections from readers who know better), you have to choose to GO ONLINE from the drop down FILE menu in the browser. Under EDIT down to PREFERENCES then down to OFFLINE. You will then have the capability to choose how and when you can connect to the internet. (In your daughter's case it will be once she has made her connection via AOL.) Let me know how this goes.

Email #6

I have read email #4 concerning startup with AOL as the server. Do I understand correctly that simply because I have AOL I cannot have my icq automatically launch upon internet connection? My only option is to manually connect? also, when you say put NetDetect in the start menu, are you talking about 'startup'. mine is not in startup yet it is in my tray when I turn my computer on.

Regarding your first question, right. You cannot have NetDetect *detect* a connection because you're using AOL to dial in. Yes, you're only option is to manually connect unless you've got time to hack it yourself. As far as start menu vs startup...one in the same, it all ends up in your tray. I see where you're getting at though. You're wanting to insure you've exhausted every option in attempting to get ICQ to start up upon AOL connection, right? I understand but (unfortunately) because of the same principles of not being able to use your standalone browser to dial into AOL, same essentials apply to not being able to use NetDetect that way. Congratulations on being chosen for Email #6. :)