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 Monday, 8 September 2008
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Error: DNS Server unreachable or unavailable

This message means that a connection to the internet cannot be made. In order to fix this problem, please work through the following steps:

Repair the AOL Connectivity Service


The AOL Connectivity Service may have become corrupt. Follow the steps below to repair it:

AOL 9.0:
1. Click Start, then Settings, and Control Panel.
Windows XP users: click Start and Control Panel.
2. Double click Add/Remove programs or Change/Remove Programs. Windows XP users: Click Switch to classic view first if required.
3. Select AOL Connectivity Services and click Change/Remove.
4. Select Repair AOL Connectivity Services and click OK.
5. When complete, start AOL 9.0 and click Sign On. Follow the onscreen instructions to connect to AOL.


Clear your modem setup


AOL 9.0: Run the 'I cannot get connected to the AOL service' Auto Fix

Note: Make sure any external modem is connected and on and that AOL is offline.

1. Close open programs, sign off AOL.
2. When offline, click Help on the AOL menu bar (at the top of your screen), then click AOL Help.
3. Click the + beside Resolving Problems, and then click Solving common AOL problems.
4. Click I cannot get connected to the AOL service.
5. Close all programs (including AOL) and click Continue.
6. Follow all on-screen instructions.

AOL 9.0 VR: Reset all locations

1. Close the AOL software.
2. Right-click the AOL icon in your Windows system tray (at the bottom right-hand corner of your screen, next to your PC's clock).
3. Select System Information, then click Connectivity in the left-hand column.
4. Click Reset Locations.
5. Click Yes, reset to confirm, then click OK.
6. Close the System Information window and restart your PC.
7. Start AOL and click Sign On to try to connect again.

AOL 8.0 and below: Clear your modem setup

1. Start the AOL software.
2. On the AOL Sign On Screen, click Setup and then click Expert Setup.
3. Click on the Devices tab, choose your modem from the list and click Delete.
4. Exit the AOL software and restart it again. AOL will attempt to auto-detect your modem.
5. Then try to connect to AOL again.


Use the AOL Quick Restore feature


This will reset the AOL software to its original state. It's faster than uninstalling and reinstalling the AOL software.

AOL 9.0 and 9.0 VR only:

If you have One-Click Fixes installed on your computer, you can use the link below to run a quick restore. Otherwise, follow the steps below to manually run the quick restore:

* Use the One-Click Fix to run a Quick Restore

To use this fix, you'll need to first download the One-Click Fixes. To run the fix you must be using the AOL software or Internet Explorer. One-Click Fixes are unavailable for Windows Vista and Macintosh users.



To run a quick restore manually:

1. Right-click the AOL icon in your Windows system tray (at the bottom right-hand corner of your screen, next to your computer's clock).
2. Select System Information.
3. Click Utilities or AOL software.
4. Select Quick Restore and click Proceed or OK.
5. Click OK when prompted.


Check if the modem is responding


1. Click Start, Settings and Control Panel.
Windows XP/Vista users: Click Start, then Control Panel.
2. Double click Modems.
Windows 2000/XP/Vista users: Click Phone and modem options, then select the Modem tab and click Properties.
3. Select the Diagnostics tab and click More info or Query modem to test the modem.

If the modem is responding correctly, the diagnostics window will tell you its status.

If the modem does not respond correctly, contact your PC vendor with details of the error message.


Perform a HyperTerminal test


Windows Vista users: Please skip this step.

1. Click on Start and select Run.
2. Type hypertrm then click OK.
3. Type test and click OK.
4. Enter the access number you are attempting to use and click Dial.

After a successful test, you should see the prompt: Login.

If the modem fails to dial, please contact your PC vendor for technical support.


Delete and reinstall the AOL software


If you are experiencing problems with the AOL software (for example, persistent error messages), the software may have become corrupt. To fix this, you can uninstall the AOL software, then reinstall a fresh copy.



Last Updated: Tuesday, 22 April 2008, 11:35 GMT