wifi NIC drivers for Win98

[rip_1956]

I am trying to help a relative set up a wireless PC. The PC runs Windows 98. That little detail slipped my mind when I helped them pick out a wireless NIC. They also have a Netgear wifi router waiting for me to configure.

We bought a D-Link WDA-1320 wireless NIC. The box states that it requires XP or Win2k. I called D-Link and the person there repeated those requirements. Their website says the same.

My question: Are there 'generic' drivers available that might work?

I would like to avoid the hassle of shipping this thing back to newegg if I could.

[Train]

Going to have to get a card that supports 98.

[Sterling_Aug]

It would be so much easier for the user to upgrade the system to Win2k, XP, or a flavor of Linux such as Ubuntu.

You can't be expected to support a 10 year old (and obsolete) operating system.

You will pay a 15% restocking charge if you return the NIC.

[rip_1956]

Train,
I suspected that. I was just hoping to find some kind of hacked version or something.

Sterling,
This PC is a bit old (500mhz pentium), so the owner will not want to spend what M$ wants for an upgrade. Linux would work if it was my PC (I've been a Linux user since RH v5.2), but that would be a hard sell to the owner. I suspect they would not want to load an 'unknown' OS. Their understanding of all things PC related is minimal. Maybe I'll pop in a spare HD and load Ubuntu or PCLinuxOS to see how it goes (after I explain that all their old stuff will not 'go away')...

This NIC has excellent support in most *nix distros. If all else fails, I'll just keep it around for my various teardown/rebuild boxes.

[rip_1956]

You can't be expected to support a 10 year old (and obsolete) operating system.


How true. I've been trying to get out of being the family 'tech support' for everybody's Win PCs for a couple of years. I haven't kept up with the MS world since Win2k came out, but that doesn't keep folks from asking for help. :rolleyes:

[cat6]

In most cases the OS support of Wireless card is an Hardware Chipset issue so No hack Drivers would do any thing.

If the computer has 128MB or more RAM upgrade to Windows2000 is the best choice.

If it has 256MB or more WinXP would work too.

[cat6]

This might be a solution too, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833315041

AFAIK the above is the best PCI Wireless for the price does Win98/2000/xp, and Vista.

[rip_1956]

Darn it, Cat6, why didn't you tell me about that one last week???
:cool:

That might be what they need. I totally missed that sucker, and I visit newegg often (I like to go there and say hello to all the money I gave to newegg over the years.)

Thanks for the heads up!

[Midknyte]

Manufacturers won't support win98 if microsoft doesn't support it either. That's the way it is.

Win2k is coming to its end of support life soon too, so keep that in mind.

[Lgbpop]

Windows 2000 extended support ends in 2010. No new stuff coming out for it, not since July 2006.

I used to have a Linksys 802.11b adapter (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124126) that worked just fine, with 98SE. The adapter came with a setup CD that was tricky to install but it did eventually work. 98 (first version) probably won't work, since the adapter is USB as most of them are.

You won't be doing your relative any favors by keeping that system going too much longer. I'm sure they'd understand, unless they're still driving a Packard. :)