Question

Problems setting up on Wireless Network Windows 98SE

Asked by: nedwob

I can't see Windows 98 as a 'Topic Area' - I hope this area will be OK.

I am setting up a network. My main PC uses XP Pro. I installed a netgear GA311 Ethernet card,  connected to a Netgear DG834G Modem/Router and then to the ADSL phone connection - all works fine.

I recently decided to network this PC to my notebook. This notebook is several years old - it runs at 800mhz and only has 192mb RAM. I tried Xp but it was struggling, so I created a second boot partition and installed Windows 98SE. This has been reasonably satisfactory.

In order to network this notebook, I installed a Netgear WG511 wireless cardbus card.

Initially, I decided to set up networking in the Xp partition, having read that it is much easier to install networking in Xp. This I found to be the case, and I set it all up with no problems. Both PC and Notebook can access each other, and I can access the Internet from the notebook, and also print to the printer on the main PC.

Because Xp is very slow and I don't normally use it on this machine, I then decided to set up the network in the Windows 98 partition.

The WG511 has been installed into 98SE, and from the WG511 control panel I can see that it is reading the DG834G with good signal strength, and appears to be working OK.

However all attempts to get 98SE to 'network' have failed. I feel that the main problem is lack of information.

Clicking on 'Neighbourhood Network', 'Entire Network' raises an error message.

When I open 'Control Panel', 'Network' - on the Configuration page, there is a long list of options, including
Netgear WG511 ....
IPX/SPX....Netgear WG511....
TCP/IP....WG511...
PPPoE .... Netgear WG511 ...
plus quite a few others that don't include WG511 in the description.

Opening the Properties dialogue for any entry brings up a dialogue with quite a few options, (sometimes lots, depending on the entry selected), to some of which the answers are not obvious. Where can one find out what to enter?

Are there other things that I need to set up (other than 'sharing').

If someone can supply some answers or point me at a source of answers I would be grareful.

Thanks

nedwob

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Asked On
2006-02-09 at 04:11:19ID21729946
Tags

wireless

,

windows

,

98se

,

network

,

up

Topic

Windows 95 - 98 Networking

Participating Experts
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Points
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Comments
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Answers

 

by: nicksen782Posted on 2006-02-25 at 14:50:47ID: 16046933

Hello Nedwob.  

Does the Win98 partition on your laptop actually connect to the internet?  (I ask so that we can determine if your laptop is connecting to the DG834G Modem/Router.  Also, do you have WEP or WPA encryption set up on your DG834G Modem/Router?  If so you'll need to set it up in Win98)

What is the error message that you receive when you "click on 'Neighbourhood Network', 'Entire Network' ?"  When you do that, Windows should show you a list of 'workgroups' it's found.  Is your workgroup name the same for your Win98 partition as for your WinXP partition on your laptop?  What about your other machine connected with the Netgear GA311 Ethernet card?  I beleive that WinXP has the default workgroup name of "MSHOME" and that Win98 has a default workgroup name of "WORKGROUP."  You should make the Win98 partition have the same workgroup as your other WinXP setups.  Also, check to see if you have File and Print Sharing turned on in Win98.  

I hope this helps,

Nickolas

 

by: nedwobPosted on 2006-02-27 at 08:41:47ID: 16056508

27-02-06

Hi Nickolas

Thanks for the reply.
a) The WG511 card 'Smartwizard' is showing an EXCELLENT signal from the DG834G.

b) I removed the WG511 from the 'Trusted Wireless Stations' list in the DG834G. I then started the notebook in 98SE. The router then detected the signal from the WG511, and I have added this station to the 'Trusted Wireless Stations' list. S the router and WG511 are 'in communication'

c) when I open 'Neighbourhood Network', 'Entire Network', there are NO workgroups shown. There is NOTHING shown (unlike in Xp which shows 'Microsoft Windows Network'.

d) I am using the same name for the workgroup in 98SE as I used in Xp.

e) I have successfully networked a third (desktop) machine running Xp.

f) I have defined my own name for my workgroups, and I have not used any defaults like MSHOME or WORKGROUP.

g) When I double click 'Network' in Control Panel, the dialogue shows -
   a) Client for Microsoft Networks
   b) Microsoft Family Logon
   c) Netgear WG511 54 Mbps Wireless PC Card
   d) TCP/IP
   e) File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks

h) The SAME security is set up on all machines - currently WEP, while testing.

I initially had problems getting networking to work in Xp on the portable because the Network Setup Wizard insisted on 'bridging' the WG511 to an internal (disabled) Ethernet card. Once I sorted that, all was well - but I can't see anything similar in 98SE.

Any further help would be appreciated.

nedwob

 

by: nedwobPosted on 2006-02-27 at 08:44:41ID: 16056542

27-02-06

Forgot to say - I can't connect to the Internet in 98SE from the notebook - no error messages - just nothing happens

Similarly when I open Entire Network

nedwob

 

by: Bill_FleuryPosted on 2006-03-01 at 20:57:38ID: 16082039

If you hit start, run, and type in winipcfg, then select the wireless adapter from the drop down menu, do you have a valid IP address and gateway?

 

by: nicksen782Posted on 2006-03-01 at 21:19:28ID: 16082114

Did you set up WEP security using the Manager software that came with your Netgear adapter?  Is it WEP 64 or 128 bit?  Or did you use WPA?  When you set the WEP key on the client computer (your laptop) you usually have to type in the WEP key as HEXIDECIMAL pairs and not the passphase that you used to generate the HEXIDECIMAL key.  Have you inputed the WEP key in HEX or no?  This may be the problem.  

Please let me know if this helps,

Nickolas

 

by: nedwobPosted on 2006-03-02 at 07:48:29ID: 16085653

2nd March 06

Thanks for the comments.

I ran winipcfg on the notebook. The Adapter address and IP were correct. The subnet mask was correct and the gateway IP was the router IP (192.168.0.1). The router 'sees' the notebook adapter, and the notebook shows the correct network name and channel in the WG511 wizard. The signal is shown as excellent.

So the router and WG511 are 'in communication'.

WEP is enabled at BOTH ends, currently set to 64 bits. I have tried entering the 'Passphrase' and clicking 'Apply' and also MANUALLY entering the 4 hex keys. I also tried again with WEP disabled (at both router and WG511).

I just cannot access the Internet or network from the notebook, or access the notebook from other networked machines. If I open 'Entire Network' this folder is EMPTY.

Yet in the Xp partition on the notebook there is no problem (using the same WG511 adapter

I suspect possibly some configuration problem in TCP/IP, Netgear WG511, Client for Msoft networks WindowsLlogon or whatever ???. I am baffled.

nedwob

 

by: LindyMoffPosted on 2006-03-02 at 10:50:18ID: 16087518

I am wondering if this may be an issue of outdated or incompatible drivers.  Have you checked out Netgear's site for the latest version of drivers for this card?

http://kbserver.netgear.com/products/wg511.asp

 

by: nedwobPosted on 2006-03-03 at 06:23:43ID: 16094566

I went to Device Manager to get the driver version. The only info there was the date 19th April 04. I didn't know if they were the latest so I downloaded and installed the latest drivers.

After this the date was shown as 21st October 04.

However I still couldn't connect to the Internet or network.

I did notice that the WG511 'Smart Wizard' screen was saying 'Internet Connected' - I didn't recall seeing that before updating the drivers - but I can't be sure. However when IE6 was opened, it just displayed a blank screen. Typing a URL and hitting 'go' did NOTHING - no messages, rotating symbol or any response.

I attampted to start AOL (my ISP) - it seemed to update a lot of files and asked for a restart - but after this it just wouldn't work and kept asking me to try some suggestions - which didn't help.

So it just doesn't want to work!!!

nedwob

 

by: LindyMoffPosted on 2006-03-03 at 07:26:34ID: 16095194

I'd do some cleanup of your protocol stack.  If you're not using IPX, remove it.  Also, I doubt you're using PPPoE so you should probably remove that too.  

There is a remote chance that your TCP/IP stack is just plain busted and needs to be reinstalled, but you are able to connect when the notebook is wired, right?

Could you please open up a command prompt and type "IPCONFIG /ALL" for us?

 

by: nedwobPosted on 2006-03-04 at 03:32:23ID: 16103055

Thanks for the comments.

I made an image of my 98SE partition( for quick restoration), formatted it, and reinstalled 98SE. I then installed the WG511, and ran the Network Setup Wizard.

It now all works OK !!!

I don't know if there were too many protocols previously - the stack now only shows 'Client for Microsoft Networks', 'Netgear WG511 ....', 'TCP/IP' and 'File and Printer Sharing......'

Thanks to everyone for their interest and help, all of which has been useful.

I would like to share the points, but if that can't be done I will award to Lindy as I feel that this reply was going in the right direction.

nedwob

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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