Wireless Networking → Linksys Wireless PCI & Win 98SE Help!

I have a Linksys Wireless PCI adapter and I cannot get it to run on either of my Windows 98SE machines (with all the Microsoft updates).

I have followed the Linksys CDROM install instructions exactly, the PC shuts down as indicated, and then reboots but at this point I get a prompt for the Windows 98SE CDROM. I will then either put the Windows 98SE CDROM or ignore the prompt and the install either appears to continue or I get the “blue screen of death”.

After I reboot the Linksys icon appears in the toolbar but no network are shown and the manual install radio button does not enable anything.

I have two Windows 98SE machines and each one does the exact same thing no matter how many times I uninstall and reinstall, and no matter whether I put the Windows 98SE CDROM in when prompted or ignore the prompt for the Windows 98SE CDROM.

My understanding is that the Linksys Wireless PCI adapter will work with Win98SE but not Win98 is this correct?

Is there an alternate way to manually install the Linksys Wireless PCI adapter software on a Windows 98SE machine? Do I need to upgrade to Win2000 or WinXP?

Which one? There are a couple of models and several chipsets for that type of card. There should be a version marking on it somewhere - WPM54GS v4, for example. Check the Linksys web site to see if your card is supported under W98.

Without a more current O/S, you will have to forgo WPA unless you buy a commercial supplicant - not quite the cost of a Windows upgrade but you wouldn't be running 98 if you were a spendy type.

What are the specs on the machine? Running XP may also mean more $ for hardware. Maybe Linux would be an option for you.

No_Strings wrote: Which one? There are a couple of models and several chipsets for that type of card. There should be a version marking on it somewhere - WPM54GS v4, for example.

I have two Linksys WMP54GS PCI cards for Win98SE Desktops #1 & #2. The version marking on the card is Ver 1.1 does this matter?

No_Strings wrote: Check the Linksys web site to see if your card is supported under W98.

The card is not supported under Win98 but is supported under Win98SE (so Linksys claims anyway) but understand it seems to be a driver install problem.

No_Strings wrote: Without a more current O/S, you will have to forgo WPA unless you buy a commercial supplicant - not quite the cost of a Windows upgrade but you wouldn't be running 98 if you were a spendy type.

I'm running Win98SE on my two desktops because with desktop #2 it is too much work to upgrade to XP, and with desktop #1 it's too old. I also have three laptops, two of the laptops run XP, the third runs Win98. According to the Linksys installation instructions I do use WEP so I’m not sure why you feel I have to forgo Wi-Fi Protected Access. Am I missing something here?

No_Strings wrote: What are the specs on the machine? Running XP may also mean more $ for hardware. Maybe Linux would be an option for you.

Desktop #1 Pentium II 233 - it would run XP but I’d have to put XP on a major diet or upgrade the CPU. There are lots of cheap used Pentiums CPU’s out there collecting dust, so it’s doable, but if I was to upgrade this machine I’d prefer to keep the Pentium II 233 and upgrade to Win2000.

Desktop #2 Pentium III 666 - it would run XP OK.

Laptops #1 & #2 both run XP, have wireless built in, and wireless network just fine, so all is well with these two.

Laptop #3 - is an older IBM ThinkPad running Win98, I do not need wireless networking on it, so all is well with this one.

As to your suggestion to use Linux, on the Desktop #1 Pentium II 233 I think I would rather upgrade to Win2000 or upgrade the CPU and go for XP.

Here is some more info:

My wireless network works great with Laptops #1 & #2. Desktops #1 & #2 are hard-wired to the network. My wireless network is WEP enabled but according to the Linksys installation instructions it should still show up in the Linksys icon in the toolbar, but no networks are shown and the manual install radio button does not enable anything.

I am using a D-Link DI-624 wireless router and I have heard some D-Link gear is a bit proprietary, but because my two laptops accept the D-Link DI-624 wireless router easily, I figure the Linksys Wireless PCI adapters should have no issues.

Understand that on both Win98SE Desktops #1 & 2 the install process never goes according to the installation instructions, because I get the blue screen of death, or upon reboot it prompts me for the Win98SE CDROM, or I get some other lame-ass error prompt at some point in the process.

Understand that I cannot access the “manual setup option” either as the install fails in some fashion.

Help please!

Make them back up the claim. Call Linksys support. I'd be surprised if you got much help (or if they've done much testing on 98. It's simply too old for them or MS to care. This is a pretty current card.WEP is pretty old, too. It's highly vulnerable to some very simple tools. WPA requires driver support and a piece of code that handles authentication - a supplicant. It's built into XP, but not earlier versions.See my earlier comment about a lack of testing. It's not unusual to get the prompt for the W98 CD unless you've installed all of the CABs. Do you no longer have the CD?

Some suggestions:

Get a wireless Ethernet adapter (AKA a bridge) (or a router that will function as one because they're cheaper) or buy a cheap refurbished box with a more current O/S.

Move to WPA as soon as you can.

Learn to quote.

No_Strings said: See my earlier comment about a lack of testing. It's not unusual to get the prompt for the W98 CD unless you've installed all of the CABs. Do you no longer have the CD?

Pupper says: I do have the Win98SE CDROM and I tried three things 1) ignoring the prompt, 2) putting in the Win98SE CDROM 3) directing the prompt to the C: \ windows directory. In the case of 1) and 2) the install appeared to either be happy and find the files it was looking, for or it would crash.

Thanks for the advice as per a wireless bridge or a wireless router that will function as one, I had thought about a bridge but I did not know that a router could function as one.

I’ll move to WPA ASAP!

Now this is going to crack you up, from a number of sellers of the card on the internet (Amazon etc.) and from a number of (what I thought were knowledgeable) posters on wireless broadband the WMP54GS card is supposed to run on Win98SE but………last night I noticed in fine print on the side of the box it says Minimum Requirements Windows 2000 or XP with service pack 1.

BTW I tried the quote but it does not seem to work like the quote function I'm used to on other forums also the "Reply Notifications?" keeps defaulting back to “nope”.

It also seems since I have VER 1.1 firmware (that's the first version BTW) that later versions may indeed support Win98SE.

If you hit the Auto Quote button at the top of the edit window, it aout-generates a quote-block that you can edit down and borrow the format from.

[BQUOTE=[user=Pupper]]BTW I tried the quote but... [/BQUOTE]
 

Your welcome. The cheapest option I've seen is the ZyXEL P-330W.

»www.compusa.com/products ··· d_Router

I believe the Buffalo can do the same and some Linksys WRT54G routers, although 3rd-party firmware may be needed.

Dedicated bridges are typically more expensive.

Oh hey I just realized I have two wireless routers a D-Link DI-624 and a Linksys WRT54GS. Can I use the D-Link DI-624 as a bridge?

I don't know, these folks will: »D-Link

No, you cannot.

Alas! Oh well, I could upgrade to Win2000 on both desktops #1 & #2 and then I should be able to use those Linksys wireless PCI cards.