Does your dedicated VLAN have a DHCP server at all?
Try ipconfig or winipcfg to show the used ip address.
If it starts with 169.254. then you have no DHCP server, which may and will slow down start.
You may overcome this with using a static IP address.

Disruptor wrote on Yesterday, 19:46:

Does your dedicated VLAN have a DHCP server at all? Try ipconfig or winipcfg to show the used ip address. If it starts with 169. […]
Show full quote

Does your dedicated VLAN have a DHCP server at all?
Try ipconfig or winipcfg to show the used ip address.
If it starts with 169.254. then you have no DHCP server which may and will slow down start.
You may overcome this with using a static IP address.

Yes, and I see it assigned an IP to the machine. Should I just assign it statically? Not sure what it looks for during that pause...

If your system uses a 169.254. IP address you should go for static IP address instead.
Your systems don't need to wait for an IP address then.

Use one starting at 192.168.xxx.10
3rd octett xxx should be same in your retro VLAN. Please use a number from 0-255 but not the same as you use in your routed network.
4th octett should be unique on each computer in your retro VLAN. I recommend to start from 10 and go up to 250

Subnet mask is 255.255.255.0
Basically there is no need for gateway, DNS and WINS.

Disruptor wrote on Yesterday, 19:57:

If your system uses a 169.254. IP address you should go for static IP address instead. Your systems don't need to wait for an IP […]
Show full quote

If your system uses a 169.254. IP address you should go for static IP address instead.
Your systems don't need to wait for an IP address then.

Use one starting at 192.168.xxx.10
3rd octett xxx should be same in your retro VLAN. Please use a number from 0-255 but not the same as you use in your routed network.
4th octett should be unique on each computer in your retro VLAN. I recommend to start from 10 and go up to 250

Subnet mask is 255.255.255.0
Basically there is no need for gateway, DNS and WINS.

I see, so you recommend to set IP on the card instead of rely on the DHCP server. Even thought I don't see an apipa address, I think I could test it with static!

You just may try.
If it won't get faster with a static IP address and you don't get an APIPA address on dynamic address you can go with the DHCP too.

Please also be aware that you may need to adjust MTU
Standard Ethernet: 1500
VLAN Ethernet: 1496
PPPoE Ethernet: 1492

Well. I guess I'm not alone with this: https://www.reddit.com/r/windows98/comments/v … _network_cards/

I will try this when my little 3 port switch arrives, I don't have room to plug my retro things in the office.

I've had my 98SE and XP machines connected to an internet gateway behind a NAT for over a year without issues, having retro boxes internet connected isn't as bad as people think

The DHCP delay for 98SE happens before you get to the GUI, usually while the loading screen is running. The delay you are seeing is after the network logon box which means it's more likely related to the network client being used - in this case AD services. If you change the default network client in the networking settings to something else and the delay disappears that would confirm it.

Oh, that sad then. I guess I will give it a try anyway. In addition, I have a dial-up network virtual card that looks exactly like my real NIC. I will delete it (uninstall a feature). I got it there while installing an OS (by mistake, I thought it would be needed).

Question is. Will my mapped drives work without Active Directory Services?

Yes, I know about the NAT and all that, in fact my edge router is pretty secure with geo filtering and lots of security. I just don’t know what to do on internet and IE 5?! Use some kind of proxies to open sites?

Are you using the 'Client for Microsoft Networks' as your 'Primary Network Logon' in the Network Control Panel, instead of 'Windows Logon'?

It'll change to that by default when you install a network adapter, and it can slow you down. But it's really not needed if you don't run a Windows NT domain.

You know what, I don't remember. But I suspect yes. I thought I needed it to login as my NAS account and authenticate via SMB1.

I'm using client for microsoft networks without AD services and there's no delay after logon and mapped drives work fine. I'm just using a standard workgroup. AD services are specifically for managing network resources permissions and access in a centralised manner (e.g. for businesses). It's not necessary for home networking.

NeoG_ wrote on Yesterday, 22:14:

I'm using client for microsoft networks without AD services and there's no delay after logon and mapped drives work fine. I'm just using a standard workgroup. AD services are specifically for managing network resources permissions and access in a centralised manner (e.g. for businesses). It's not necessary for home networking.

So you just matched workgroup name? Damn, I wish I knew this earlier. Not sure if I can even uninstall this SP3 with ADS now.

Old_mATX wrote on Yesterday, 22:07:

You know what, I don't remember. But I suspect yes. I thought I needed it to login as my NAS account and authenticate via SMB1.

You just need to have it installed, not necessary to have it as Primary Logon

I've never used ADS on 98 myself but in the same place you joined the computer to a domain you should be able to switch it back to workgroup mode. Matching the workgroup isn't strictly necessary either, it just makes other machines automatically show up in network neigborhood which is nice.

NeoG_ wrote on Yesterday, 22:14:

So you just matched workgroup name? Damn, I wish I knew this earlier. Not sure if I can even uninstall this SP3 with ADS now.

Unofficial SP3 is not well liked in general, these days.

Beerfloat wrote on Yesterday, 22:30:

Old_mATX wrote on Yesterday, 22:07:

You know what, I don't remember. But I suspect yes. I thought I needed it to login as my NAS account and authenticate via SMB1.

You just need to have it installed, not necessary to have it as Primary Logon

That's reassuring. I will test!