• Registered: 2005-09-15
  • Posts: 6

Topic: OpenBSD on AOL

Hi everybody,
this is my first post. Looks like an interesting mix of personalities.
            Is there some way to run OpenBSD on AOL? It seems to me that I saw something
about running linux on AOL in one of the distros ports collection, but have never been able
to locate it again. I'm not even sure if it really had anything to do with what I' talking about.

            I'm stuck with AOL. Switching providers is not really an option because it's not my
computer. I've used some of the $10.00 per month pre-paid internet services, and it does
work, but switching the hardware around is a pain and then I have to reconfigure windows,
which seems to take forever to get the internet to disconnect when the phone rings, like it's
supposed to.

            I'm using two machines connected via KVM, and the OpenBSD machine drew the
short end of the connectivity stick.
           
                                                                                     Thanks.
            P.S.
                   I'm pretty new to the UNIX environment.

Last edited by odyssey (2005-09-15 17:32:21)

  • From: Maryland, USA
  • Registered: 2005-06-12
  • Posts: 611

Re: OpenBSD on AOL

What do you mean "run OpenBSD on aol"?

I think what you meant to say is it possible to get online using AOL service while running OpenBSD.

If I were you I would save up a couple dollars (maybe $50) and get yourself a 486 with a serial port. Perhaps you will probably need to get an external modem that will be the biggest expense, but christmas is coming up mind you. BSD and GNU/Linux (even GNU Hurd) will run wonderfully on the 486 (without X). You can do IRC, email, and text based internet. I know on GNU/Linux you can even view images on console but you will have to research that yourself as I have never done it. If I were you I would use either OpenBSD or NetBSD because they are known to have very small base install which means less packages to download. Since you expressed interest in OpenBSD I would buy a CD release or if you don't have the money you should be able to do a net install over dial-up, once again as long as you have a external modem (or any "hardware" modem) connected to a serial port. This way you could have your own BSD box.

Okay I did a quick google and I found this "AOL uses a proprietary protocol, pppd will NOT connect successfully." Please read http://www-jerry.oit.duke.edu/linux/HOW … howto.html for more info. A quick google search and you would have found this. Since you appear to be new to our community please read this also: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Also another way to use a UNIX or UNIX-like system from windows is connect to a shell via putty or another ssh client.

Last edited by zenlunatic (2005-10-04 16:28:20)

smash the state in '08!

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  • Registered: 2005-09-15
  • Posts: 6

Re: OpenBSD on AOL

Thanks zenlunatic,
        I followed your link and was able to download pengaol on my second try,(first mirror wouldn't let me connect for some reason).
        I actually did google for this subject before I posted, and spent the better part of a day trying to download from that same site, but was never able to connect due to a firewall setting that had been reset when I used windows' restore feature. Oh well, live and learn, right?
        Thanks again, I'll post again when I get a chance to try this out.
                                                                                                             odyssey