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AOL Winsock
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. What Is A Winsock?
III. Winsock Related Error Messages
IV. AOL Winsock Error Solutions
V. Non-AOL Newsreader And Mail Programs: Yes & No
VI. How To Successfully Install Non-AOL Winsock Applications
VII. Using TCP/IP With Two Internet Providers: 19.95/mo Or 9.95/mo
I. Introduction
Throughout this document you will see the term 'non-AOL winsock
application' referring to softwares that AOL does not provide
technical support for, like Freetel, Internet Phone, Comic Chat,
mIRC, PowWow, etc.
Winsock errors usually occur shortly after running an
installation or setup of a non-AOL winsock application. Most
AOLers are now using AOL 3.0. AOL 3.0 comes in two versions:
AOL 3.0 For Windows and AOL 3.0 For Windows 95. It is
common to find the source of winsock conflicts starts with
AOL version errors, where a 32 bit non-AOL application won't
run with 16 bit AOL 3.0 For Windows, even though you have
Windows 95.
AOL's 16 bit winsock is proprietary. It comes with AOL 2.5 and
AOL 3.0 For Windows. A 16 bit AOL winsock will only work
16 bit winsock applications. If you try to use a 32 bit winsock
application with the 16 bit AOL winsock the application will either
not respond or it will give you an error message (See section
III.).
AOL 3.0 For Windows 95 uses the Windows 95 32 bit winsock
and it can be used with both 16 bit and 32 bit winsock applications.
Section IV. explains how to determine which version of AOL 3.0
you have installed. Note that simply having Windows 95 does
not necessarily mean you have AOL 3.0 For Windows 95.
Correcting winsock errors is not difficult and can be done quickly.
If you find the following information is hard to digest, remember
it's written for the beginner, but you may not comprehend it all
at
first. If you'll become methodical in your attempts to use non-AOL
applications, you'll systematically eliminate winsock errors.
In
the end, however, you may find you simply can not run some
non-AOL winsock applications with your AOL version.
II. What Is A Winsock?
A winsock is a tool that allows your Windows-based Internet
applications to communicate with different types of computers
connected to the Internet, called hosts. All of these computers
have an Internet address called an IP.
The winsock.dll is a file on your computer, installed by either
your
ISP (Internet Service Provider) or Windows 95. The famous
Trumpet winsock.dll file will not work with your AOL access.
Winsock.dll and winsock are used interchangeably. If we break
apart the word winsock you may better understand it. 'Win' in
winsock indicates it is used with Windows softwares and 'sock'
gets at the heart of what the winsock does...a 'socket' provides
specific information, the host's IP address and port address,
to the
host that you're connecting to so that it can route you to the
place
on the host you wish to contact. For example, the Telnet
application has a standard port because it is such a popular
application. To connect to a to a MUD *via* Telnet software your
software must specify a different, specific port than the usual
Telnet
port. The winsock creates a 'socket' (a combination of the host's
IP and
the port you specify)to find the specific program on that host.
Here is a rough graphical representation to help you focus a
bit, with the explanation underneath:
_____________ _____________
| | | |
| | ------->------>------->---------->| |
| | socket | |
| ____________ | | ____________ |
Your computer, Computer on the
the CLIENT Internet, the HOST
The line with arrows represents the 'socket', a message, which
is a
combination of an IP address and a port, sent to the host. It
goes
chugging along and when it reaches the host it finds it's way
to a
specific application thanks to your winsock.dll's ability to generate
specific information via a socket.
Remember, while popular applications like Telnet, Gopher, FTP,
etc., have their own specific ports there can be many ports
available. Some ports are public and accessible, others
private and forbidden, to AOLers. This makes it especially
important to correctly setup your non-AOL softwares. Doing so
removes the needless complication of having to stop and re-
solve winsock conflicts.
III. Winsock Related Error Messages
Knowing when you have a winsock error and when you don't isn't
worth the time it takes to think about it. Once you've taken steps
to eliminate winsock errors, you've paved the way for using all
non-AOL winsock applications....an ounce of prevention is worth
a pound of cure.
When dealing with different applications, they will each have
their
own way of reflecting winsock errors. Why they do not state
'winsock', to help you out, must be an industry secret. Below
are
several error messages or phrases you may see with non-AOL
winsock applications:
'No DNS Entry...'
'Unable to create a socket...'
'The host is not responding...'
'Unable to resolve host...'
'This (application) requires a newer version of...'
If you start your non-AOL winsock application and it calls another
dialer, that is a winsock error too.
Remember, you must be connected to the Internet in order to use
a winsock application. Once your application initially calls on
the
winsock, you have loaded it into memory. If you have more than
one winsock, and many do, you may have to close the application
completely and sometimes restart your computer. Upon restarting
your computer open AOL before opening any non-AOL winsock
application.
IV. AOL Winsock Error Solutions
When you have setup correctly you will not necessarily be free
of
winsock conflicts. Once you have gone through the general setup
as I have indicated you may still experience winsock errors. Not
to
worry, as there is not much left to do. Please read the following
information about AOL versions carefully.
Determine your AOL version by clicking HELP on the AOL main
menu, then click ABOUT AMERICA ONLINE.
Does it say AOL 3.0 For Windows? Does it say AOL 3.0 For
Windows 95? If you have another Internet access provider you
must consider that as well.
If you're using AOL 3.0 For Windows and no other Internet
service provider:
--search your hard drive for winsock.dll, looking for those
that are 11 kb in size
--any winsock.dll that's *not* 11 kb in size, change it's .dll
extension to .001, .002, etc.
--don't delete any of the winsock files, just rename
--restart your computer
If you're using AOL 3.0 For Windows 95 and no other Internet
service provider:
--search your hard drive for winsock.dll, looking for those
that are 42 kb in size
--any winsock.dll that's *not* 42 kb in size, change it's .dll
extension to .001, .002, etc.
--don't delete any of the winsock files, just rename
--restart your computer
If you are using either AOL 3.0 version and have another
Internet service provider please read section VIII for more
information.
If you upgrade from AOL 3.0 For Windows to AOL 3.0 For
Windows 95 you may get version errors when you try to launch
you non-AOL winsock applications. To eliminate these version
errors you should rename all of your 16 bit AOL winsocks in any
directory in which they exist. The only winsock you need for AOL
3.0 For Windows 95 is the 42kb.
V. Non-AOL Newsreader And Mail Programs: Yes & No
Netscape News, Free Agent, WinVN, and other non-AOL news-
readers can't be used to access an AOL news server, but if
you find public news servers you may use non-AOL newsreaders
to access them with your AOL account.
To setup non-AOL newsreaders please see section V for more
information about non-AOL winsock applications.
Netscape Mail, Eudora, Pegasus and other POP3 mail programs
require the name of AOL's mail server, which is unavailable.
AOL reportedly has plans to allow use of other email programs
in the near future.
VI. How To Successfully Install Non-AOL Winsock Applications
You are most prone to winsock errors shortly after setup of a
non-AOL winsock application, like Netscape, Explorer, etc.
Here is hoping you found this page before you actually installed
your first non-AOL winsock application. Those applications will
run correctly 'out of the box' if you'll follow these installation
steps:
--close all Windows applications, including AOL
--run setup by diskette or by double clicking the .exe file
of your chosen application, from an empty directory
--launch AOL (open AOL on your computer)
--connect to AOL (signon)
--launch your new non-AOL winsock application
--configure the application if options are available
VII. Using Successfully Installed Non-AOL Winsock Applications
Repeat the next few steps, the three-step routine, each time you
want to run a non-AOL application:
--launch AOL
--connect to AOL (signon)
--launch your non-AOL winsock application (Netscape, Freetel,
PIRCH, mIRC, PowWow, Freeloader, MyYahoo, etc.)
VII. Using TCP/IP With Two Internet Providers: 19.95/mo Or 9.95/mo
For those of you using AOL and another access provider you will
not want to rename the other provider's winsock.dll. In this
situation make sure the both provider's winsock.dll files exist
only
within their own directories. If you wish to use all of your softwares
with either provider, you will need to follow the three-step routine
above. If you have another provider and AOL, try using the AOL
TCP/IP feature. TCP/IP is usually quicker than dialing into AOL
via modem, and AOL offers a deep-dish discount of $9.95/mo
unlimited, for providing your own alternate network access.
One other advantage to using TCP/IP with AOL and your preferred
Internet access provider is it eliminates long distance calls
for those
who don't have local AOL phone number access.
Using AOL's TCP/IP feature:
--launch the other provider's dialer
--connect to the other provider
--launch AOL
--edit AOL setup for TCP/IP
--connect to AOL (signon)
--launch your non-AOL winsock application (Netscape, Freetel,
PIRCH, mIRC, PowWow, Freeloader, MyYahoo, etc.)