Hi everyone,

I'm currently running Age of Empires II: The Conquerors on a real Windows 98 PC, using original hardware – no emulation, no virtualization.

To enable multiplayer over the internet in a way that feels authentic, I've set up a WireGuard VPN that creates a clean, isolated 192.168.98.x LAN between machines. AoE2 treats it just like a classic LAN session via IP connect.

My setup uses:

• A Windows 98 PC connected via Ethernet to a WireGuard-capable router (VyOS)
• Another peer can join via Raspberry Pi or similar, routing to their own Win98 PC
• No internet access for the Win98 system – just LAN between the players

I'm looking for fellow retro enthusiasts who:

• Still run Win9x hardware
• Want to test/play AoE2 TC in a true LAN setup
• Have some interest in trying out a clean VPN setup for retro multiplayer

If you're interested or just want to chat about retro networking and AoE2 – feel free to reply!

Cheers,
sys49152