Re: Win98SE and WPA-PSK incompatibility

Sally Thompson wrote:
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. 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.

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.

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?

The notebook doesn't have to connect wirelessly, but with no Ethernet
slot in the notebook I believe there is no other choice, unless
someone can advise otherwise.

Incidentally, the Belkin card registers (beeps on turn-on) and is
shown in the taskbar, and its little green light is on. If I look at
the card properties, it shows: Belkin 11Mbps Wireless Notebook
Network Adapter. If I go to Start-Programs-Belkin PCMCIA WLAN
Utility and select Belkin PCMCIA WLAN Monitor my Router SSID is shown
but I get an Authentication Error with a message to Check Encryption
Settings when I try to connect to the network.

I'm a novice at all this so having trouble fully grasping some of the
technical terms and issues.


You left off the one thing that will probably be the easiest, work
absolutely and possily make sense.... Why not upgrade the OS on your laptop
to something that is current, rather than use the obsolete 98?

Much of the stuff out there nowadays specifically will not work with
win98... Why not dump it?


.

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