1.      Connection to AOL (similar to Prodigy, CompuServe, etc.)

1.1.           Set your computer to work with AOL

1.1.1.                 Get AOL access numbers

1.1.2.                 Launch AOL (by double clicking on the icon)

1.1.3.                 Click on the Access Numbers button in the Sign On box

1.1.4.                 Follow the instructions in the AOL Setup box

1.2.           Set your via to an Internet Service Provider

1.2.1.                 This is done only if you have another ISP with AOL

1.3.           Store Address

1.3.1.                 Go to Mail at top click more arrow at right and select Address Book

1.3.2.                 In Address Book click on new contact

1.3.3.                 Fill out Contact information and click Save

2.      Change or delete Address

2.1.           In Mail at top click arrow and select Address Book

2.2.           In Address Book click on Edit

2.3.           Change information on Contact

3.      Setting the Auto Start Preference (Done without signing on to AOL)

3.1.           In Task Bar in lower right, right click on AOL icon

3.2.           Select preference

4.      Using e-mail

4.1.           Reading an e-mail

4.1.1.                 In Mail at top click arrow and select Read Mail, New Mail

4.2.           Sending an e-mail

4.2.1.                 In Mail at top click arrow and select Write Mail

4.3.           Send reply

4.3.1.                 When reading mail select Reply icon on right

5.      Attaching files to e-mails

5.1.           When writing a message click on Attachments button at bottom left

5.2.           In Attachments box click on Attach

5.3.           In Attach box find the file you want to attach, highlight it, and click on open button

5.4.           Back in Attachments Box if selected file is present click on the OK button (file should be shown as attached to message at bottom)

6.      Using filing cabinet to manage e-mail

6.1.           AOL 6.0 has a new feature to allow filing of received messages in a separately named folder.

6.2.           When reading a message select Save to Filing Cabinet

6.3.           You can choose to either save the message in an existing named folder or you can name a new folder, and save it there

7.      Downloading files attached to e-mail

7.1.           You have two choices. You can either download it now or later

7.1.1.     If select now, you are shown a Download Manager box to select what folder in your machine you would like the file

7.1.2.     Click OK to download the file to where you selected

7.1.3.     If select later, at end of AOL session go to File on Tool Bar and select Download Manager

7.1.4.     In Download Manager select Download (you are given a choice as to where you would like to save the file)

8.      Set up Automatic AOL (If you are on limited connect time per month)

8.1.           In Mail at top click on Automatic AOL

8.2.           You will either get the Automatic AOL box or the Walk-thru box. I prefer the Automatic AOL box where you can see all the settings

8.3.           If you are in the Walk-thru box select the Expert Setup button

8.4.           Set your desired selection. I just use the first two (Sending and Receiving mail)

8.5.           You now can write mail, and select send later

8.6.           You now can run Auto AOL by going to the Automatic AOL box as described above and select the Run Automatic AOL now

8.7.           You will get a box that asks if you want to disconnect when finished. If you check yes and Begin, you will connect download your mail, upload the mail you have written, and disconnect. This limits the time you are connected. You can sign up for limited connection (2 hours/month) for $4.95/month.

9.      Check PFC for email (On AOL 5.0 it is called Personal Filing Cabinet, on AOL 6.0 it is called Filing Cabinet)

9.1.           Go to mail and select Filing Cabinet (AOL 6.0)

10. Downloading files not in e-mail

10.1.       AOL has a Download Center that you can select by going to Keyword at top, typing in Download Center, and clicking Go.

10.2.       You can browse and select the file for downloading by finding the file, highlighting it, and select either download now or later

10.3.       If now is selected, the file will start downloading after you select where in the Download Manager box

10.4.       If later is selected, at end of AOL session go to File on Tool Bar and select Download Manager

10.5.       In Download Manager select Download (you are given a choice as to where you would like to save the file)

11. Locating files you’ve downloaded

11.1.       If you wrote down the entire name of the file, you can go to Start, select Find and then Files or Folders

11.2.       Type in the name of the file, and click on Find Now

11.3.       Find is set up to search all directories and subdirectories on you C: drive for the file

12. Getting around AOL

12.1.       Toolbar is the bar at the top with File Edit Print etc.

12.2.       Navigation Bar is the bar with Back Forward Stop etc.

12.3.       Menu Bar is the bar with Mail People AOL Services etc.

12.4.       AOL Channels is vertical bar at left starting with Welcome Autos etc.

12.5.       Find-in-top-window feature allows you to search text in the top window (e.g. message) for the pattern you typed in. It is found under Edit in the Tool Bar. It will be dim until you select a text window (e.g. message)

12.6.       Favorites allow you to save the address to a window that you would like to return

12.6.1.            Go to the Favorites in the Menu bar and select Add Top Window To Favorites (Top window is shown by the bar at the top of the window being bright)

12.7.       Keywords is a button on the Navigation bar that leads you to many of the AOL Services

13. The Web Browser in AOL is Internet Explorer. It is integrated into AOL.

14. Personalizing AOL

14.1.       Setting Preferences is found on the Menu bar under Settings

14.2.       Managing Your AOL Account can be found at Help on the Tool bar under Accounts and Billing