Oh. I completely forgot about XP Home. That'd be at least part of your problem.

XP Home has crippled and braindead networking abilities. That's actually the primary difference between Home and Pro. In Home, all the proper sharing and permissions options are hidden from the user, and you're stuck with "simple file sharing" instead. There's probably still a way to get it to talk to a Win98 machine, but I wouldn't know how... it's never been worth my time to bother messing with Home much.

You're probably better off focusing on getting the Win98 machine to talk to your Vista machine instead.

actually, simple sharing is quite similar to the way 9x's file sharing works... the lack of security is what makes it "simple", hence why I disabled it even in pro... it's on by default in pro also

also, file sharing gets screwy when both systems uses different usernames... if they match, there's less issues

When it comes to security and networking, I tend to simply leave security disabled in a LAN if the LAN isn't connected to the outside anyway.

Quick update: thanks a lot for all the advice so far! Re: BlackViper website. I'm sure that site "rings a bell". I think I used it to shut down some of my unessential Windows services! Re: Vista machine. It's so slow and awful, I've given up with it.

Instead, I've dug up my old NetBook with Windows 7 starter on it. I haven't connected it to the internet for 5 months, and so it's found 55 updates, and that's just MicroSlop's stuff. I'll attempt to get this networking issue working once all the updates are finished...

After 3.5 hours of updating (that's using a broadband connection!), I now think that the W7 starter based NetBook has poor networking functionality, so I've abandoned it. Also, my Vista box uses the basic edition, so I've abandoned that too. I trawled through all of those BlackViper settings, and enabled some of the XP-Home's services. That has helped -

Inside Microsoft Windows Network, I can now see a Workgroup. It's the XP-H's workgroup. I changed it's name to Workgroup, to match my Workgroup name in W98SE. But that's all I see. I don't see the W98SE machine at all. Do I have to match up user names and passwords on both machines? I haven't done that yet.

Unfortunately, I've had enough with networking already, because it's giving me a headache. I'll be honest and say that this subject is out of my depth. I don't understand all of this TCP/IP NetBIOS etc terminology. I'll have to stick to pulling out a flash drive from one machine, and pushing it in to the other. At least that's something. It's a pity I can't determine if the network card from the o.p. works or not.

Perhaps I could install XP Home on a test machine? Would that be easier to get 2 machines to "see" each other? Perhaps it would. I'm sure XP Home has built in drivers for the network card, even though it is ancient.

Edit 1: Or what about setting up a 2nd W98SE test machine? Is it easy to get 2 W98SE machines to "see" each other?

Edit 2: How about I get 2 cheap PCI-based NICs on ebay, and set up 2 W98SE machines, and see if I can get basic file sharing to work? Then, if this works correctly, I could remove one of the PCI-based NICs from one of the 2 machines, and replace it with the ISA NIC from the o.p. Would that be my best option to try?

retro games 100 wrote:

Unfortunately, I've had enough with networking already, because it's giving me a headache. I'll be honest and say that this subject is out of my depth. I don't understand all of this TCP/IP NetBIOS etc terminology. I'll have to stick to pulling out a flash drive from one machine, and pushing it in to the other.

Called it. 🤣

At least that's something. It's a pity I can't determine if the network card from the o.p. works or not.

Y'know, while getting the computers to communicate with each other might be difficult, if the network card is working at all you probably could persuade this W98SE machine to communicate with the Internet if you just want to test the card.

Also, as I suggested before, there are protocols that are less finnicky than Windows networking. For instance, you could run this tiny SFTP server on your XP machine, and then run some SFTP client on your 98 machine, and see if you can get it to connect.

Either way, the first step is to run "winipcfg" and see if your router is properly assigning an IP address to your 98 machine. You might need to set it up manually.

I have never heard of SFTP before. I understand from your message above that I need some SFTP client. I had a look on the net, and found something, and the following webpage shows the client requirements, and it is W95 and upwards. This package is a server and a client. I could try that, perhaps?

http://winscp.net/eng/docs/requirements#client_requirements

Also, I thought I'd mess about with this, just a bit more. I ran winipcfg inside W98's "Run box", and it did nothing for at least one minute, then displayed some error message. I shut down the machine, and rebooted and tried again. This time it worked:

In the screenshots above, I removed the numbers. Can someone log on to my machine if they know those numbers? Also, am I right in thinking that I can set up the NetGear modem by launching an internet browser (such as IE), and then typing in some weird looking number address in to the address bar: 192.168.0.1, and up pops some settings for the NetGear box?

If true, it's a pity that I can't get past the W98 IE set up screens, because when I launch IE, it wants to know what modem I am using before I can use IE. Well, I threw my dial up modem out about 20 billion years ago (slight exageration), and I can't get past the IE set up screen, to get access to the IE address bar.

Also, I've been thinking about connecting 2 W98SE machines together, again. How about I get a couple of these PCI NICs from ebay. They are very cheap, and they support W98. The advert is below. Thanks a lot.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/250591193104

retro games 100 wrote:

If true, it's a pity that I can't get past the W98 IE set up screens, because when I launch IE, it wants to know what modem I am using before I can use IE. Well, I threw my dial up modem out about 20 billion years ago (slight exageration), and I can't get past the IE set up screen, to get access to the IE address bar.

What it is trying to do is sell you the MSN service. Just cancel and check the box "Don't ask again". Alternatively, you can delete that 'connect to the internet' shortcut on the desktop (it's the giant evil mouse cursor attacking the earth)

Thanks a lot. Deleting that MSN set up icon on the desktop allowed me access to IE. I tried the NetGear's set up address, and I get to see the following screen. Is it possible that the ISA NIC is damaged? It doesn't look in particularly good condition, and 90% of the time when I shut down W98, it hangs.

That IP address is an IP from within your own network.
Have you tried typing in google.com in the url?

(and yes, getting the bloddy thing to work can be a pain, if you never done it before. I feeeel your pain 😜...sry 🤣).

retro games 100 wrote:

I have never heard of SFTP before. I understand from your message above that I need some SFTP client.

SFTP is just a file transfer protocol. The advantage of the server that I linked to is that it is a single file and requires no fancy installation or configuration of services – you just run it, specify a few obvious settings, and close it when you're done.

Client-wise, I think an old version of FileZilla is the way to go, as current versions do not support Win9x. Wikipedia says that 9x support stopped at 2.2.23 . (Of course, old versions of FileZilla are insecure, but so are Win9x and IE6...)
http://www.oldversion.com/FileZilla.html

In the screenshots above, I removed the numbers. Can someone log on to my machine if they know those numbers?

Numbers starting with 192.168 are private, and you can (and should) disclose those without any concern.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_network

Also, am I right in thinking that I can set up the NetGear modem by launching an internet browser (such as IE), and then typing in some weird looking number address in to the address bar: 192.168.0.1, and up pops some settings for the NetGear box?

I understood that your 98 box was plugged into the same router as your XP box, so why don't you just type that number into IE on your XP box and establish that it works there? The router setup might also be able to tell you if another computer (i.e. your 98 box) is connected to the router.

retro games 100 wrote:

Is it possible that the ISA NIC is damaged? It doesn't look in particularly good condition, and 90% of the time when I shut down W98, it hangs.

Of course anything is possible, but considering it was detected by W98, it seems unlikely.

The pictures in your OP show that the card has some lights on it; are they turning on at all?

OK thanks a lot for the help people. I'll switch the W98 box back on soon and test google.com. I have now DL'd the SFTP program, and I've also DL'd FileZilla 2.2.23. Yep, the XP box is also plugged in to the NetGear box, and typing 192.168.0.1 in to IE works. I just wondered if it would also work on W98. Also, I do get a constant green light on the ISA NIC.

Right, time for some installing, and more testing. I might not finish today though, but I'll continue first thing in the morning. Thanks a lot for the help!

Having some problems with FileZilla. When running it, it falls over with a C++ runtime error. Will try an older version. In the meantime, what about Total Commander? It works on W95/98 etc. Even 3.1! Will it do what I need it to do? Thanks a lot.

http://www.ghisler.com/

Edit 1: Got FileZilla 2.2.15 working. Now trying to figure out what to do with it... 😉

Edit 2: When I type in the address in FileZilla, I understand that I do this:

sftp://address. I'm sorry to be so stupid, but what is the address of my Windows XP box? I know what to do with the other fields: User name, password, and port (22). Thanks a lot.

retro games 100 wrote:

Yep, the XP box is also plugged in to the NetGear box, and typing 192.168.0.1 in to IE works. I just wondered if it would also work on W98.

You're right, it probably should. And if it doesn't, there might well be something else wrong in your network settings. I do not have a 9x box handy at the moment, so I cannot recall the precise details of what you should poke at.

(Alternatively, the router might be set up such that 192.168.0.1 is only accessible from a computer plugged into a specific port on the router.)

So when you go there from your XP box, does it tell you if there's another computer connected to your router?

retro games 100 wrote:

sftp://address. I'm sorry to be so stupid, but what is the address of my Windows XP box? I know what to do with the other fields: User name, password, and port (22). Thanks a lot.

The equivalent of winipcfg in XP is "ipconfig" (best used as "ipconfig /all"). You have to run it from a command prompt.

In order to answer your question properly, I'll have to wait until the morning when I can fire up the Vista box, because it's also connected to the NetGear box, but I know that connection works, as the Vista box can connect to the internet OK. When it's connected, I will run the 192.168.0.1 command inside my Win XP's browser, and see if I spot anything that looks like a 2nd machine is connected to the NetGear box. Because at the moment, I just can't tell if the W98 box is connected or not. I just can't figure out what all these numbers and codes mean on the 192.168.0.1 configuration settings page. To me, it's mind boggling. (Simple things boggle my mind.)

I gave ipconfig /all a go inside my W-XP's command prompt screen. I notice that it says IP Routing enabled = No. Do I need something called port forwarding if I am using a router? I picked up that bit of info when reading about the SFTP mini server program from that webpage you linked to earlier. Also, it says that my IP address is 192.168.0.2. That's just one digit out from the config address. Does that sound correct? Thanks a lot! I'll start testing again in the morning...

you need to start from the basics
you said the NIC's light is lit up solid... which light is that? NICs usually have 2 lights
look on the router also, are the lights lit up for the particular port you connected the cable to?

nothing is working for you because your 98 box is failing to get an IP address from the router... hence why winipcfg is fail. so your problem lies with either a physical problem or something with the drivers or settings... getting an IP address and establishing a true connection is a level above these, so you need to start from the bottom first

and if you're going to replace the NICs, don't buy that crap on ebay... look for a 3Com 3C905B-TX card... they were one of the most popular cards back in the days. They worked great and there are tons of software support for it... The stuff just works. And if you want to mess with any of the card specific settings, boot into DOS and use their DOS util to reconfig the card.. no reason to as defaults work fine. The difference between a cheap card and a good card isn't just simply driver support, but speed.... the 3coms work very fast and have very little CPU overhead compared to the cheap crap

retro games 100 wrote:

I just can't figure out what all these numbers and codes mean on the 192.168.0.1 configuration settings page.

You could post a screenshot.

I gave ipconfig /all a go inside my W-XP's command prompt screen. I notice that it says IP Routing enabled = No. Do I need something called port forwarding if I am using a router?

I'm not sure if it's strictly necessary.

Also, it says that my IP address is 192.168.0.2. That's just one digit out from the config address. Does that sound correct?

Yes, that sounds fine. In theory when the server is running you would connect to it via sftp://192.168.0.2 (if everything else is working correctly). Was winipcfg reporting a number that started with 192.168 ?

TheMAN wrote:

nothing is working for you because your 98 box is failing to get an IP address from the router... hence why winipcfg is fail.

What makes you say that? The second picture above (the one that doesn't show the PPP adapter) suggests that it is indeed obtaining an IP address.

how does a 255.255.0.0 subnet mask and a 255.255.255.255 DHCP server address even remotely SUGGEST to you it is obtaining an IP address?
a 169.254.*.* IP address is automatically assigned by windows when it fails to DHCP an IP address. With this IP address, the subnet for it is 255.255.0.0.
When you use a 192.168.*.* IP address, the subnet is 255.255.255.0... and when it DHCPs properly, you'll get a proper DHCP server address, plain and simple

elementary dear watson!

I see...

What about setting it manually, to 192.168.0.3 and subnet mask 255.255.255.0 ? I mean, there are other reasons that it might not DHCP properly aside from being physically defective, right?

he can try but I don't think it'll work.... basing this on experience

he needs to ping localhost also to see if he's getting responses... the loop back test is one of the most basic and essential troubleshooting tests... if it doesn't work, the card is 99% bad

home networking doesn't have to be difficult, crappy hardware and software just makes it so... one shouldn't give up so easily just because of these problems as networking has far greater benefits than without

I really recommend getting an old edition of networking for dummies and just learn the basics