Wireless card for an OLD computer?

innisfree

We have an old unused computer just sitting in another part of the house and were wondering if anybody manufactures wireless cards for these things anymore? It's difficult to find details on google because a lot of places don't list the type of pci thing it takes.

It's the old version (I think 2.1 rather than 2.2?) of the pci standard, and it's running win95. I know there were plenty of standard ethernet cards for these, so surely it's possible to change where the socket would be into an antenna (but then again, I know nothing about technology so excuse my ignorance).

If anybody could offer any advice on this, that'd be great. Thanks.

Superman

I'd say thew easiest way to do this would be to get the patch or some how enable the PC to use USB ( i think win 95 has issues with it).Then use the usb adapter like the one on this page just check to make sure it works with 95

rob1891

I've run a netgear ma311 on an old gateway pentium 100Mhz that has PCI2.1. It worked grand in FreeBSD, I never ran win95 on the machine.

You mentioned ethernet, yep, you can get a wireless device that will connect to the ethernet port, some people use them for hooking up xboxes. See a few of them here:

http://www.dsl-warehouse.co.uk/products.asp?pm=2772

innisfree

Ooh, fantastic I was expecting a lot of no's.

Let me just break this down (because I'm slow with things like this):

- I can get a normal ethernet card, then plug in one of those wireless bridge doo-hickeys into the ethernet socket of it.
- I can also plug a wireless bridge doo-hickey into a USB connection should i manage to get one to work on this computer.

I definitely can't get USB on this machine. Windows 95 says it won't run it under any circumstances and I don't think you can buy any USB adapter things that'll go in a machine this old. I've no idea what FreeBSD is, but sounds messy for a simpleton like me.

Option 1 sounds quite pricey, so ideally I'd like just a single card that will have wireless and work with the old pci type. Your MA311 sounds exactly like what I need. I'm off to do a bit of research and see if it does the job. It says it supports 'Win98se' and above, but I'm wondering if that's because they don't bother testing 95 for products these days?

I'd love if anyone has some positive confirmation that the MA311 will work under 95. Also, I forget what number the PCI type is, but it's the 'old' one. If there's only two types 2.1 and 2.2, it's 2.1 - which Rob says it'll plug into. I can't find that listed as a specification anywhere and it seems odd to use an old technology for it, no?

Thanks for the help so far you two

innisfree

Hmm... in the specifications from the netgear site on the MA311:

Bus interface: 32-bit PCI v2.2 Compliant
Provided drivers: Microsoft Windows 98, NT 4.0, Me, 2000, XP
System Requirements: Pentium III Class PC with an avilable PCI 2.2 compliant slot
5 Mbytes of free hard dirve space

Doesn't sound too good for a Pentium 1, Win95 PCI 2.1 computer? Rob, you sure (apart from the Win95 bit as you said you didn't know on that)?

innisfree

Ok, I found a standard ethernet wired card for e10 that says it'll fit both 2.1 and 2.2 and has drivers for win95.

Am I right in guessing that any wireless access point I plug into it is not dependant on what version of windows, as it just feeding into the ethernet card and if the ethernet card works, all is well?

I can get this linksys access point for about e60
http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?action=zoom&prid=563&scid=35

and I think if I combine the two, I'll have wireless access?

Webmonkey

By Default win95 doesn't come with support for usb.

Superman

Once the ethernet card works in your pc the network will work ok. It s just a matter of setting up the router properly (thing the ethernet cable from pc goes to from pc). now which router to get?

**There is a distinct difference between an access point and a router!, an access point is basically like a hub, but a router gives your network settings, parameters and manageability.**

I would be in favour of (if you have adsl/broadband) to get:
Netgear DG834G 54Mbps Wireless ADSL Modem/Router/Switch/Firewall

It has everything a home user or even small business could need. If you get the item listed above it will allow you greater control over you internet (has to be broadband).This way you control all the settings in one package and any other way will probly cost you the same. If you don't have broadband i'll get another solution for you.

Check out item (NW-017-NG) on overclockers.co.uk, It has a linkj to the netgear site and also says netgear have a help line if youi get stuck (i don't know how good it is).


If you already have a wireless access point/router and just want to set you pc up to connect to it, it is usually not a problem to use just an ethernet patch cable or if you want to convert the ethernet to wireless use this:

Linksys WET11

rob1891

Ooh, fantastic I was expecting a lot of no's.

Let me just break this down (because I'm slow with things like this):

- I can get a normal ethernet card, then plug in one of those wireless bridge doo-hickeys into the ethernet socket of it.
- I can also plug a wireless bridge doo-hickey into a USB connection should i manage to get one to work on this computer.

you won't be able to hook an ethernet bridge into a usb card, only ethernet. But an ethernet card will be a lot cheaper than a usb card and less trouble to get working. If you really want usb you can get a usb wireless card on the same website I linked to.

I don't know why you are looking at a wireless access point instead of the bridge though. Do you have a wireless network up and running yet?

Doesn't sound too good for a Pentium 1, Win95 PCI 2.1 computer? Rob, you sure (apart from the Win95 bit as you said you didn't know on that)?

FreeBSD is a cool Unix operating system and I don't think that because it works there, it will also work in windows. All I am really saying is that just because it says PCI2.2 and Pentium III, doesn't mean it definitly won't work

I think the wireless bridge that you plug into an ethernet card is the most sure-fire option, but they are quite expensive (i.e. worth more than the PC you have). MA311s go for around 25 Stg on ebay, not that much cheaper ...

I have two of them, both not in use if you want to give one a try, if it works you can seek one out on ebay or make me a reasonable offer

innisfree

Sorry, I should have pointed out that we already have a wireless router that has one computer plugged into it by cable, and a laptop running off it wirelessly. It's working fine and able to share files/printer.

I think by the sounds of things now, I should go for the ethernet card and buy the access point one I mentione0d also? I've no idea what the different between a bridge and an access point is - but the access point I mentioned seems to have little risk and is near the cheapest option I'll come across.

Thanks again

maxheadroom

A bridge essentially turns your ethernet card into a wireless card. An access point is a wireless version of an ethernet hub/switch.

I don't think an access point will help you here, you need a bridge or a wireless card to connect to your existing wireless router.