[X4U] Netgear and AOL

[Jon]

I have a wireless Netgear router, model WGR614 v. 4, and an AOL account 
(that I'm basically happy with). My problem is that I can't run the AOL 
OS X client unless I do a hatchet job on the router settings. Netgear 
support (while I had it) and AOL each point to the other and are of 
little help.

My network works without a hitch - wired and wireless (b and g) - 
except for the AOL OS X client. All browsers and time servers (for 
example) work perfectly on each of my machines.

My config: 1) Main machine is a new 12 inch PowerBook (1.33 GHz) with 
an Airport Extreme card. As I described above, everything works except 
I have to change some settings to get the AOL client working.

2) A G5, 1.6 GHz, that's connected to the router with cable. Same 
comments.

3) A clamshell iBook, connected with a 802.11b Airport card. Again, 
same comments.

4) An H-P Celeron machine running Windows XP and connected with cable. 
All browsers work fine, and AOL 9.0 just works with the router - 
without fiddling.

I can live with the router because it works for everything else and I 
found a workaround for the Mac AOL clients. The workaround is to 
disable the DMZ for one of the Macs. Then AOL works on that Mac (only); 
Netgear only allows DMZ disabling on one machine (wired or wireless) at 
a time. Since I've setup my wireless network as a closed network and 
don't broadcast the SSID, only my machines can connect wirelessly and 
other systems won't see it (unless they sniff or something), and since 
the OS X firewall is still in place, I think my risks are minimal.

I've seen recommendations for opening various ports for AOL access; 
they have no effect on this problem.

AOL suggested something like that double NAT was happening - not true; 
all four machines use DHCP so only the router is doing NAT. IAC, it 
doesn't affect the Windows client.

Why does the AOL Win client work when the Mac client won't?

One comment I read suggested something to do with tunneling. What could 
this mean?

Thanks in advance.

Jon