56K Modem for a Windows 95 Laptop

JohnnyTodd

Bought a used laptop online for a friend. He wants to hook it up online and there is no modem in it. I never thought to check as I didnt realise he was using his analog phone line.

I see there is some 56K USB modems you can purchase.

Are these any good?
Would they be supported in Windows 95?

ntlbell

any of the us robotics were always very good i found should find them on ebay

external via serial

iirc windows 95 didn't support usb

uch

Get a PCMCIA modem and you should be fine, might take a bit of searching to find one though, try ebay, as said USB not supported

JohnnyTodd

Do you know if there is such a device for the parallel port?

ScumLord

Can you still get a dial up service off providers?

I haven't seen a PC sold that didn't have an ethernet port. Just connect that into your DSL router.

brianwalshcork

ScumLord wrote: »

Can you still get a dial up service off providers?

I haven't seen a PC sold that didn't have an ethernet port. Just connect that into your DSL router.

1892 150150 still works

If the OP is looking for a dial up modem, it's unlikely that there's a DSL connection installed.

If it's a windows 95 laptop, then there's a very good chance that it didn't have onboard ethernet. I spent €3981 (converted from IRL£) on a tosiba laptop in June 1998, and the ethernet connection was through a PCMCIA card... the laptop is still in use ....

LoGiE

Your not seriously considering connecting a Windows 95 machine to the internet are you?

Hijpo

LoGiE wrote: »

Your not seriously considering connecting a Windows 95 machine to the internet are you?

Yeah man, you'll break the internet on us!

bonzodog2

If you decide to look for a PCMCIA modem, check the specs for the laptop, some laptops had an earlier version of the card interface. I had a 75MHz Toshiba once with this type (took me about 50 floppies to put Win95OSR2 on to it !); the cards you'll see on ebay won't fit this older type of slot.

Another option is a serial modem like this one

coylemj

Total madness, go to adverts.ie and buy a 2nd hand laptop running a 21st century OS. In PC land 16 years (2011-1995) is a lifetime away.

Websites these days are far bigger (in terms of data download just to view them) than in times past so a dialup modem just won't cut it any more.

I also agree that at the time of Win95 laptops they didn't have built-in Ethernet ports, we used PCMCIA Ethernet adapters at work at the time, the premium models had built-in 56K phone ports but no LAN port.

DjFlin

I'm not sure Windows 95 would be capable of accessing the internet as it is.

Given the heavy use of Flash, Java, HTML5 in most websites, your browser may just freeze entirely.

I think your best bet is picking up an second hand netbook. You can get one of the older Asus EEE Machines for about 80 quid now, running WindowsXP or linux.

PogMoThoin

JohnnyTodd wrote: »

Bought a used laptop online for a friend

:rolleyes: You bought a Windows 95 computer, WOW :eek:
It usually costs money to get rid of them.

coylemj

JohnnyTodd wrote: »

Bought a used laptop online for a friend.

Perhaps now an ex-friend?

JohnnyTodd

There is no broadband available in his area. I bought WIndows 95 machine because hes familiar with it. His old desktop was a WIn95 also.

There is no problem using the internet on a Windows 95 machine. I have done it many times.

JonathanAnon

I wouldnt even bother trying to get dialup analog Internet access working.. nor would I even bother try connecting a Window 95 PC to the Internet... You're just creating soooo much trouble for yourself...

You could get mobile broadband for 20 quid a month (assuming you're in range of one of the provider's masts) or see if the phone line is broadband compatible. Also Windows 95 will not be able to handle modern websites with flash and activeX plugins.. You will just end up with errors all over the place when you try to browse.. You could probably pick up a windows 2000+ machine for nothing these days.. I have gotten rid of quite a few of them over the last while..

tricky D

JohnnyTodd wrote: »

There is no problem using the internet on a Windows 95 machine. I have done it many times.

The problem isn't accessing the Internet, it's that W95 is unsupported ie. no security holes have been patched up for years, so the laptop at high risk of infection.

JohnnyTodd

I will install anti virus software to prevent infection

Regarding the win 95 os, he requested it as he didn't want to learn win98 or windows 2000.

I see pc world do modems. I'm going in tomorrow to see if they do a parallel one

JonathanAnon

JohnnyTodd wrote: »

I will install anti virus software to prevent infection

You will probably not be able to install any of the free AV software on Windows 95.. Normally people recommend Microsoft Security Essentials or AVG, but from what I'm aware none will run on Windows 95.. I'm not sure what AV will ..

demanufactured

This thread is lolz

Hijpo

JohnnyTodd wrote: »

I will install anti virus software to prevent infection

Regarding the win 95 os, he requested it as he didn't want to learn win98 or windows 2000.

I see pc world do modems. I'm going in tomorrow to see if they do a parallel one

What does he think is involved in using a modern os? if anything newer os are supposed to be more user friendly.

JohnnyTodd

I can't answer that. He just said he wanted a windows 95 machine.

I'm guessing the lazy sod just dosent want to learn!

JohnnyTodd

demanufactured wrote: »

This thread is lolz

?

MrVestek

I did it! I did it Marty! The time machine browser... it works!

"Doc, you made a time machine... out of Mozilla Firefox?!"

JohnnyTodd

Mozilla Firefox sucks donkey balls

demanufactured

Your not going to get it to work....simples

There is no learning to a newer os its pretty much straight forward

That machine wont load google let alone a site like boards.


I suspect trollz.

JohnnyTodd

demanufactured wrote: »

Your not going to get it to work....simples

There is no learning to a newer os its pretty much straight forward

That machine wont load google let alone a site like boards.


I suspect trollz.

This is incorrect. Google can be loaded. Not sure about Boards but I will test

Tails142

JohnnyTodd wrote: »

Bought a used laptop online for a friend. He wants to hook it up online and there is no modem in it. I never thought to check as I didnt realise he was using his analog phone line.

I see there is some 56K USB modems you can purchase.

Are these any good?
Would they be supported in Windows 95?

I'm pretty sure USB requires Win98

ntlbell

Something like conseal firewall if you can still get hold of it and use a text based browser and it will be like a dream

unkel

Buying a modem in PC world you say?

I doubt they still sell PCMCIA ones. And I haven't seen a serial modem in at least 15 years And if PC world did have one of these, it would probably cost you more than a basic second hand windows xp laptop with built in modem (about €50)

But really your friend should get some sort of broadband connection and as others said, beware that any USB based solution doesn't work with Windows 95

If he does get ethernet connected broadband, I have a spare PCMCIA ethernet card that you can collect for free. Best of luck finding the right Windows '95 driver for it though

Skerries

Tails142 wrote: »

I'm pretty sure USB requires Win98

second edition at that

JohnnyTodd

Skerries wrote: »

second edition at that

Ok I'll look into buying a serial one. Perhaps I can get one on ebay.

unkel

I'm sure you could get one on eBay. Getting it to work with Windows '95 is gonna be another matter altogether

MrVestek

unkel wrote: »

I'm sure you could get one on eBay. Getting it to work with Windows '95 is gonna be another matter altogether

I love it when people totally ignore the very suggestion that something might be a bad idea.

demanufactured

Maybe you should get your friend a wind up radio instead

spagboll

brianwalshcork wrote: »

I spent €3981 (converted from IRL£) on a tosiba laptop in June 1998

specs for the lols!

BostonB

Not that any of this makes any sense, but the least daft way (with this laptop) would be to connect the laptop via Ethernet to a router.

That said the real question is why you'd spend time and effort helping someone do something so stupid.

Of course theres a pattern here.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=75572690

JonathanAnon

Skerries wrote: »

second edition at that

That's a good point.. USB only works properly with Windows 98 SE... Like I said above I think you are just putting good money after bad...

As an alternative, have you considered using this .. (In Kildare we used think this WAS the Internet up until a few years ago)

The UI differences between 95 and even XP aren't that severe. You can even make XP look like 95 if you want to.

stevek93

lolz at this thread, best bet is to wipe it with linux and buy a wireless usb stick

stevek93

stevek93 wrote: »

lolz at this thread, best bet is to wipe it with linux and buy a wireless usb stick

Assuming it even has USB in the first place as 95 itself certainly didn't support it.

ShooterSF

BostonB wrote: »

Not that any of this makes any sense, but the least daft way (with this laptop) would be to connect the laptop via Ethernet to a router.

That said the real question is why you'd spend time and effort helping someone do something so stupid.

Of course theres a pattern here.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=75572690

OP definitely seems a hoarder of old tech! I have friends like that but no so severe!

Sticking linux on it defeats the purpose which is to allow someone to live in a frozen time capsule. I think all the suggestions here should help them do that. When it comes to price you are going to probably pay more to get a poorer quality internet experience in 95 than even one in XP but if your main goal is to continue to use 95 then the cost is just that, a cost. Fair play for having more patience to help out a friend than most of us, I'd have told them to get atleast an XP machine or they're on their own. Then let them decide which learning curve they'd prefer.

unkel

ShooterSF wrote: »

Fair play for having more patience to help out a friend than most of us

He's not really helping his friend by doing the Windows 95 thing for him though, is he? Gentle doctors make stinking wounds and all that...

MrVestek

You need to upgrade to a much more stable OS that can handle what you want it to do.

Try installing Windows Millenium Edition. I hear that's pretty good...

ted1

How much did you buy it for? Is this a wind up?

JohnnyTodd

No its not a windup. I paid 80 euros for it.

I am going to try an install Win98 SE on it.

PogMoThoin

JohnnyTodd wrote: »

No its not a windup. I paid 80 euros for it.

I am going to try an install Win98 SE on it.

:eek: Are you off your head?

I'm fully convinced you're trolling now, nobody is that stupid (or admits to being that stupid)

BostonB

Does it have USB 1 or 2 ?

unkel

JohnnyTodd wrote: »

No its not a windup. I paid 80 euros for it.

80 euro :eek:

I sold a relatively modern laptop (fresh legit XP SP3 install, fully patched, wifi, modem, network, multiple USB, 15.4" 1200*800 widescreen) a few weeks ago for €100

BostonB

I sold a old USB1 era P4 desktop recently because I though it was just too slow on the web. It got replaced by a later P4 2.8Ghz with USB2 (€50) and it made the web much more usuable. Needed USB2 aswell. On XP. You can make make XP close to 95/98 as makes no difference.

I'm using http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/ for Windows 7 it makes the windows/explorer more like 98/XP which for me had better functionality than the Windows 7 one.

A Machine that will run 98/XP well, with say 512mb ram, will run Windows 7 ok if you turn a lot of fluff off. You can also make it quite 98/XP like. You could probably even install a 95 theme is you wanted to.

brianwalshcork

spagboll wrote: »

specs for the lols!

Here you go:

Purchase date: 19/06/1998
Toshiba XCDT
Pentium II 266 MHz
64 MB Ram
3.8 GB HDD

The price included the PCMCIA eternet adapter - it was a 10/100 & Coax combo card - real fancy!

MrVestek

I've looked over a few of the threads that this boardsie has started and he's either a really clever troll or a fucking moron...