Dial-up access may be unlimited, but my patience isn't.
Written: Oct 13 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Free. Offers POP3/SMTP services, as well as Usenet newsgroups.
Cons: I'm Bill Gates-- send this review to ten friends and you'll each get $1000 and a copy of Windows ME! Believe it? If so, you'll have no trouble whatsoever connecting to 1Nol.
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| elegiac's Full Review: 1NationOnline |
Trying to find a banner-free free ISP is marginally less irritating than attempting to bail out a flooded basement with only a plastic teaspoon at your disposal. Trying to find a reliable ISP out of the ever shrinking banner-free ISP group is like removing your jaw in order to keep your bottom teeth from falling out. 1Nation Online offers just such an exercise in the absurd.
1Nol offers an enticing range of services. Free unlimited dial-up access, POP3 and SMTP services, and Usenet newsgroups. Service is available to MS Windows 3.1/3.11/95/98/NT/ad nauseum users. The 1Nol website once mentioned supporting Mac, Unix, Linux, and Sega Dreamcast, but at this point I think I've imagined it. It no longer seems to exist on their site. Nor is it mentioned anywhere in their FAQ. Neither Nomad_Scry or I could find it anywhere-- not after the first time we'd seen it. Bound to be at least a few prospective 1Nol users confused by this.
Signing up for 1Nol is the usual jumping of hoops-- name, address, phone number, and the common barrage of demographic nonsense-- age, gender, income, marital status, occupation, and interests. Nothing that I haven't willingly provided to any other free ISP of the moment. Personal information is but a small price to pay for free internet access.
If you happen to run any Windows machines along with your Mac/Unix/Linux/Dreamcast, download the Windows executable to your Windows box. Run it. Let it change all of your dialer and browser settings (e-mail client and newsgroup reader, too). Open up Dial-Up Networking (My Computer > Dial-Up Networking). Right click on 1Nol and select Properties. Copy down all the applicable dialer settings and use them with your other machine. Should there be an easier way to do this? Certainly, but 1Nol no longer seems to have the information available on their website.
In case I haven't said it clearly enough-- did I mention that 1Nol's client setup software will change an irritating number of internet client software settings? Start page, e-mail address, POP3/SMTP servers, and newsgroup server settings. Hurray. The dialer is also set to check your settings each time it's used-- so be warned if you've just switched all those settings back to where you want them. You can just use the 1Nol shortcut in Dial-Up Networking if you'd rather not have to deal with the client sapping system resources and changing settings.
1Nol's dialer (provided by Friendly Technologies) is almost completely idiot-proof. There's a drop-down menu that lists all the users you've configured, a link to check your e-mail, a "Problem Solver", and "Tools".
The Tools link will allow you to check your mail, news, and browser settings. It'll also allow you to select a different dial-up number or assign a different dial-up location-- set a different location for work and home for your laptop, perhaps? You can also create or delete accounts from the Tools menu.
Should you experience trouble with your dial-up connection, use the Tools> Report option. The report generated actually includes a plethora of useful troubleshooting information-- whether or not TCP/IP is installed and bound to your dial-up adapter, what type of modem you have installed, what COM port your modem uses, AT commands, Winsock version, operating system, CPU type, potentially conflicting device drivers, proxy settings, DNS and WINS settings, etc.-- just about anything that 1Nol's tech support might ever want to ask you.
The Problem Solver is similar to a Windows help file-- enter the problem you're experiencing into the problem description box, and all topics related to your problem will be listed in the problem/question selection box.
1Nol also offers a branded version of PowWow called (you guessed it) the 1Messenger. Why anyone would want to use the 1Messenger instead of ICQ, Yahoo! Messenger, or AIM is entirely beyond me. I suppose that if I didn't really want anyone to get in touch with me online that I might try out the 1Messenger.
1Nol provides Usenet newsgroup access. There are thousands of newsgroups available, with a very broad range of topics. Want to read about knitting, The Smiths, overclocking, body piercing, pet care, or solar energy? That's merely the tiniest sampling of Usenet.
Connecting to 1Nol is a nightmare. If I'm lucky, I'll connect two days in a row. Then I'll get timeouts, protocol errors, and incorrect password errors for a week. For once, I've managed to not change any dialer settings or reinstall the TCP/IP protocol stack. And no, I haven't changed my password while offline. Don't get me wrong-- I always try dialing in through 1Nol before resorting to any of the other free ISPs. Not because I expect to connect. The chance of getting an advertisement free dial-up connection is worth the extra minute or so.
If you can deal with routine connection problems, 1Nol will be right up your alley. You can sign up for service at http://www.1nol.com/central/.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
elegiac
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Member: Gregory Chin
Reviews written: 70
Trusted by: 414 members
About Me:
My family operates a computer services business. Bit of hardware, bit of webstuff. Kooky, no?
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