Solved: Re: Connection Problems- Only with AOL - Page 3 - Hughesnet Community

bos2420 · ‎03-26-2019

The problem started a week to 10 days ago. I can not connect to AOL via my hughes Gen5 connection. We both use aol mail (yes, I know there are better options, and I may look into that, but when you have had the same address forever, switching is hard to do)

Now, not only can I/we not connect to our mail, we also can not connect to aol.com (main website) I thought this might be a router problem, as a couple of other websites were pretty slow. Just put in a new TP-Link AC1200. It is working fine. All other websites come up quickly. Running Win10. This is happening on ALL of our computers, 3 laptops and this decktop. When trying to connect, I get the "This site can't be reached. Mail.aol.com took too long to respond". This desktop is running wired through the router, the other computers are running wireless.

When I break the phones out, and go to the 'mobil hotspot route', we can connect. Again, on all 4 computers.

We have exceeded our download allowance, but we are working on 7 gigs of purchased allowance. Regardless of that, this started when we were still in our allowance, and it happens during 'Bonus Time', so I do not think it is an 'allowance' problem.

I am pretty computer literate, so this isn't a basic knowledge issue (I hope). I have also torn up Google looking for answers. There was something about disabling the IPv6 settings. No joy. Then there was something about changing the IPv4 settings and going to a directed DNS Server address. Tried that also. No good.

Wife, who is NOT computer literate, suggested a System Restore. I do not think that will work, but I was halfway through this post when she brought it up. I will try that, and come back if it works. Otherwise, assume it didn't. Can't think it would anyway, unless there is some virus that infected all 4 computers, through Malware Byes, and is specific to Hughes not connecting to AOL.

So, short story, in review. Can not connect via Hughes to any form of AOL (including the help articles listed in Google searches) If it says AOL in the address, it will not load. It WILL load via a phones' mobil hotspot.

GabeU · ‎03-29-2019

@bos2420

One other thing is that, if you'd like to schedule the file downloads, but you don't like the idea of leaving your PC on (I don't), or messing with trying to schedule the downloads to your PC, you can schedule the file download(s) to your Android or IOS device using the PlayOn Cloud app, then copy the files to your PC.

BTW, don't forget to change the resolution on the app if you want it to be better than standard. I'm fine with standard, which is DVD quality, but some people want it to be better, regardless of the increased file size for the program/movie. I believe 720p is the maximum resolution, but that's still very good.

If you try it and you like it, please let us know. I'm still deciding whether to get it, though I probably will. It's cheap, and lets you easily take advantage of the Bonus Zone data, and even those twenty days of data resets with your upgrade (make sure first, though, of course). 🙂

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bos2420 · ‎04-03-2019

Well, the installer just left. All is well in the world again. The wife has her e-mail back. Painless process, as has always been the case with us and Hughes.

Thanks again for everyone that tried to help. I mentioned it to my installer, and he said he has heard of the same types of problems, and it has to go all the way up to the 'code writers' as he put it.

maratsade · ‎04-03-2019

Wife-related crisis averted -- always a good thing. 🙂

bos2420 · ‎04-11-2019

So I got to use the PlayOn system. I have both the Desktop and phone app. I used the app. Just to test, I selected 'The Tick' on Amazon. 30 minute video. Had it play on the cloud, and then got the link to download the file. About 250mb. Put that on a USB stick, and plugged that into the back of the smart TV. Worked like a charm.

Not simple, but allows Bonus Time to be used, or even if you are out and about on a public WiFi. I get WiFi from the bank when I work weekends at our coffee hut, so that is how I will use it, most of the time.

GabeU · ‎04-11-2019

@bos2420 wrote:
Put that on a USB stick, and plugged that into the back of the smart TV. Worked like a charm.

Does your TV have a special program built in that reads and plays what you have on the flash drive? I have a smart TV, and it has a USB port, as well. I wonder if that would work for me. It would eliminate me having to play the items on my HDMI connected laptop.

I should try to find a .mp4 clip or something somewhere, put it on one of my flash drives, and just give it a try. Now, to find something. 😛

GabeU · ‎04-12-2019

Okay, that's it. I'm getting PlayOn Cloud. I found a site with sample .mp4 files, and playing them on my TV via a USB flash drive works like a charm. So now I won't even need to use my laptop! Now, to get a couple of spare flash drives, as I want to download all three seasons of Deadwood, plus a few other things off the top of my head.

Thanks for the info about playing the files directly from a flash drive on a smart TV, @bos2420 ! That's going to make it a lot more simple.

maratsade · ‎04-12-2019

Yeah, that option works well if you don't want to use a laptop. I have tried that before, though for me the laptop is much more convenient.

@GabeU wrote:
Okay, that's it. I'm getting PlayOn Cloud. I found a site with sample .mp4 files, and playing them on my TV via a USB flash drive works like a charm. So now I won't even need to use my laptop! Now, to get a couple of spare flash drives, as I want to download all three seasons of Deadwood, plus a few other things off the top of my head.

Thanks for the info about playing the files directly from a flash drive on a smart TV, @bos2420 ! That's going to make it a lot more simple.

Lorenzo · ‎02-29-2020

Tried that. No AOL/Yahoo. It works on all my devices when i go off Hughesnet.

GabeU · ‎02-29-2020

@Lorenzo wrote:
Tried that. No AOL/Yahoo. It works on all my devices when i go off Hughesnet.

This forum doesn't automatically give an indication of who or what is being replied to, so if you're replying to a specific post, especially when it's a long thread like this one, it's best to indicate what that post is, whether by quoting the post, like I did with yours, or just typing what it is you're replying to, like in a letter. To quote the post, first click reply in order to start the reply to it, then click the quote button on the upper right of the message body. You can also edit the quote if it's a long one and you're replying only to a specific part.

You can also type the @ symbol, which will bring up a list of those involved in the thread, and you can click the name of the person you're replying to in order to add their name as a tag, like so... @Lorenzo. This will not only give an indication of who the reply is meant for, but it also gives the tagged person a community notification that you've tagged them. They'll also get the extra email notification (the first indicating the reply to the thread they're subscribed to, and another indicating that they've been tagged). If you get email notifications from this community, you'll see two from this reply for those reasons.

gaines_wright · ‎03-26-2019

I had a similar problem last year, except it effected several sites for three days. I think your problem is probably somewhere out in that never-never land past the Hughes gateway. When I run a traceroute from a Linux terminal for aol.com it goes through 30 hops. I don't claim to be an expert on all this, but it seems to me that a problem with any of these hops could make aol.com unreachable. Your hot spot is probably not using the bad hop and therefore works.

I know this is not going to be much help, but I've seen this sort of problem before, and I think it will eventually be resolved. Posting about it here is a good start.

Lorenzo · ‎02-29-2020

I have the same problem with AOL and also Yahoo. Also a couple other sites. I finally troubleshooted and found it was Hughesnet that was the issue. I could get the sites at work, at ISP's other than Hughesnet, and my Android. Very frustrating. Haven't found a solution.

maratsade · ‎02-29-2020

You're piggybacking on an old thread that the mods ought to lock, since it's old and solved. If you have an issue you'd like to report or troubleshoot, you need to start a new topic. Go to Tech Support and click on "start a topic."

Issues logging on to specific sites are known and engineers are working on it. See this response.

Lorenzo wrote:
I have the same problem with AOL and also Yahoo. Also a couple other sites. I finally troubleshooted and found it was Hughesnet that was the issue. I could get the sites at work, at ISP's other than Hughesnet, and my Android. Very frustrating. Haven't found a solution.