On Mon, 7 Aug 2006 15:39:32 +0100, Sally Thompson <me2@privacy.net>
wrote in <0001HW.C0FD0F3400282B18F0284530@news.individual.n et>:

>I am having a problem getting my Win98SE notebook to connect wirelessly to my
>Netgear router, which has WPA-PSK security enabled. After extensive googling
>and reading on this newsgroup I realise that such an old OS as Win98SE is
>apparently incompatible with WPA-PSK.

No Microsoft support for WPA, and OS support has ended. Highly
recommend upgrading to Windows XP, which works well, given enough
memory, even on my old ThinkPad 600 (266 MHz Pentium II).

>My current set-up is: Netgear Wireless
>ADSL Firewall Router DG834G with an iMac G5 connected through an Ethernet
>cable and an iMac G4 which connects (successfully) wirelessly through its
>built in Airport, Compaq Armada notebook running Win98SE with a Belkin PCMCIA
>card which has in the past connected with the same model router (but one
>which didn't have any security enabled) in another house.
>
>I don't use the notebook a lot but I have found three options (apart from
>throwing out the notebook!) and would be glad of some advice:
>
>1. When I want to use the notebook, unplug my Netgear router and plug the
>notebook into my old BT Voyager broadband modem using my old USB cable (the
>notebook has no Ethernet slot). I'm not keen on this although it would be a
>work-around.

USB is problematic on Windows 98. I'd suggest a PC Card Ethernet
adapter. Just about any will do that comes with a Windows 98 driver.
Newegg.com and Provantage are good online sources.

>2. Set the encryption on the router to WEP rather than WPA when I want to use
>the notebook, and then switch back. I believe from my reading that Win98SE
>would work with WEP? I can set up WEP on the router OK, but I'm not sure what
>I would have to set up on the Belkin settings.

Don't use WEP.

>3. I have found some downloadable *WPA software* from McAfee:
><http://www.wirelesssecuritycorp.com/wsc/public/WPAAssistant.do>
>which apparently enables a Win98 computer to use WPA. Is this a good idea,
>and does anyone know if it would work, or is there a better way?

Haven't used it myself, but it reportedly works fine.

--
Best regards, FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://Wireless.wikia.com>
John Navas FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.wikia.com/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>