Wireless PC Card Compatible with a laptop with Windows 98 First Edition

The Successful Dropout

The Successful Dropout

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As the title states, I'm looking for a wireless pc card for an older laptop with Windows 98 First Edition on it. It's my gf's old laptop. She thought it was broken and threw it in her closet a couple of years ago. She pulled it out recently and I got it working like new. I just don't know anything about pc cards and what's compatible with it, where to shop for something that old and if the pc card that old would be compatible with newer routers. Any help would be very much appreciated. I've searched online and have found some stuff that I think might work...but the keyword there is "think." I have no idea and don't wanna waste time buying and returning, buying and returning, and so on...
 
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After a quick google search..

http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-MA401-802-11b-Wireless-Card/dp/B00005B8HO

However, Amazon doesn't have it, it's only through marketplace.

http://www.buy.com/prod/netgear-wg5...-card-802-11g-netgear/q/loc/101/10353617.html

This one lists Windows 98 and SE separately (which is a very good sign). A little pricey but there's a great chance that one will work. Drivers should be on the included disk since it's a complete package.

I'm sure there's others if you search around. My google was "Wireless PC card windows 98".

But don't expect miracles from Win98. I'm lucky and get free XP codes from school (and soon work), but depending on how old it is, just don't expect anything much to run on 98. (Firefox 2.0 still works on it, though!) It's still very viable as an internet machine with IE6/FF2.
 
Thanks for the help guys, but I'm afraid it's not as simple as that. ;o(

I'm more or less hoping to find someone who knows for sure that something will work with windows 98 first edition. I've done a good amount of searching myself and other people have seemed to have the same question as myself, but after finding the answer out for themselves, they don't bother reporting their findings. The first card in the link seems to be a good shot at working, but after I googled the name of that card, I find pages that only list 98se and newer. I might just order it through buy.com anyhow, but I don't want to get stuck in the mess of returning through buy.com and so forth if they even it allow that at buy.com.
 
Another question that I might just start a new thread about (i don't think this one gets many views)...

How easy is it to upgrade to 98 Second Edition on a laptop? Is it a download, can I get a disc....? I heard that it's free, but I don't know where or how to get it. I also don't know if this computer meets the requirements.
 
Windows 98 SE came as a stand alone product if I believe (new install only no upgrade). Win98 SE is the first CD based install. If you obtain a 98 SE CD, you can install it from there. If not, get the contents of the CD and copy the WIN98 directory on your hard drive. Boot in safe mode and install. You can install it from there. If you don't have a CD , locate a Parallel port Zip drive since it will work with most PC/Laptops.

I have a wireless card that I know works with Windows 98 .. Its is a Lucent Wavelan flashed with Orinoco Gold firmware. There are Proxim and Avaya drivers for this card. This card was originally inside a Mac Access point.

I also have a legal copy of Win98 SE CD with legit License. Maybe we can work something out.

By the way, how old is the laptop ? Does it have USB? Floppy Drive ? Network Card/port ? Do you know how to go into the BIOS?
 
Any 802.11B card should work for Windows 98, though they're very hard to find at retail. Online, you should be able to find something somewhere.
 
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