Broadband with a Windows 98 desktop ?

netnovice

I recently got Eircom broadband
They sent me out a netopi 2247 router
It has wireless capability but I am currently just using RJ45 network cables to connect my stems to it.
My Windows XP Laptop works fine with it.
My network settings for this are as follows
(Output from running ipconfig at a command prompt)
IP Address 192.168.1.1
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway 192.168.1.254
My Windows 98 desktop does not work with it.
My network settings for this are as follows
(Output from running ipconfig at a command prompt)
IP Address 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway 192.168.1.254
The Windows 98 desktop can
ping 192.168.1.1 successfully
ping 192.168.1.1 successfully
ping 192.168.1.1 successfully
display the router's homepage in a browser pointed at http://192.168.1.254
BUT
the Windows 98 desktop cannot connect to any Internet sites e.g. http://www.google.ie
Yes, I know the Windows 98 desktop is a bit old but it is there for free and is only required
for some simple web browsing which does not justify major expense or a new PC IMHO.
Any suggestions to resolve the net access for the Windows 98 desktop ?

Thanks,
netnovice

Cabaal

Windows 98 is a bloody pain for connection to anything,
Maybe its a DNS issue on the Win98 machine, what happens if you goto google's IP 64.233.169.103

Also ensure IE's settings are set to auto detect, goto > Control Panel > Internet Options > Connections Tab > LAN sETTINGS

Makre sure only thing thats ticked is auto detect settings,

see how you get on,

croo

Is the network on win98 machine manually configured?
It could be the DNS server is not correctly set.

You say you cannot find www.google.ie in a browser
but what if you just ping www.google.ie?

I have some unix utils installed on my one window machine so I'm not sure if nslookup is a windows tool or part of the unix utils I added.
But if you can, do a nslookup www.google.ie
It should return the IP address of www.google.ie
If nslookup is not available then... when I do it here I get 66.249.93.99 66.249.93.104 & 66.249.93.147
so try pinging these
If you can ping these but not www.google.ie then I would think that confirms that DNS is the issue. This is typically assigned by DHCP along with the IP but maybe not with win98 .. or maybe you have manually configured it?


**Opps... I'm too slow

uncle_sam_ie

I'd get rid of Windows 98 all together and stick Ubuntu on it. http://www.ubuntu.com/
It would make your PC safer and faster.

Rattlehead_ie

I just cant remember off the top of my head but doesn't Windows 98 no have a proper TCP stack native to the system and only Second Editon has this.

thebman

Ubuntu might be the way to go since its actually designed for a world where the Internet exists unlike windows 98. It runs well on old hardware too.

That's if you only want to browse the web and send emails and recieve pictures/video's and do some word processing or spreadsheets. Ubuntu could do that no problem but you'd have to be willing to learn a bit if you've not used it before as its a little bit different to windows.

Ubuntu is a free download though. And if you don't have a computer to download and burn the disc, they'll ship a disc to you for free.

Shane O' Malley

Win 98 is fine for the internet. Even Win 95 was fine.

The problem is probably to do with TCP and your best bet is to uninstall and then reinstall.

Can you ping www.yahoo.com

uncle_sam_ie

I stuck it on my mom's computer and she's getting on fine. It's not a huge learning curve.

watty

As long as you have ethernet connection and a TCP/IP stack any OS works
Even DOS* I have run Email and text only browser.
It's just with older OS you may not be able to run a newer browser so either you could be vunerable to attacks or web pages might not load.

Ubuntu is a good upgrade direction from Win98. but you might not have enough RAm, Disk oor Graphics if a very old PC.


(* though TCP/IP takes up nearly 1/2 the DOS RAM )