Is Win98se DSL compatable?

[Killrose]

Went over to a friends house to help him with a Win98se machine that he was trying to use on a DSL service. I messed with it abit and then called their tech support and was told that Win98 is not DSL capable and that I would need to install a router between the Comp and the DSL modem to get it to work.

Is that true?

I thought maybe at least it would work if they gave me a net address I could asign to the machine in the network device properties or something?

 

[acaeti]

It should work without a router. Unless the DSL service uses PPPoE - which I believe ATT services still use in some areas (for instance, old Ameritech territories). What DSL provider is your friend using? If it requires PPPoE, your friend may need to get a router or upgrade.

<aside>
You may also want to tell your friend to move on from Win98SE, but that's another story . If you are technically inclined, perhaps you could help them select a decent computer from Craigslist.org or your local University or State or other gov/edu organization may have a surplus program. Many <$200 bargains to be had at all these places. Otherwise even Dell has <$500 laptop specials, but money may be tight.

If you get a used machine you could perhaps add some RAM (also super cheap on Craigslist, but use a memtest cd to test it) and put on Ubuntu (the live cd has a memtest program option during bootup) or Xubuntu (if it is older, say <1GHz) and boom, fresh, nice new machine that is not completely outdated and waiting to get owned with the screensaver virus of the month. Ubuntu and Xubuntu are good fits for the web/email only types, especially if you walk through their daily usage pattern with them and show them how to work Firefox, Evolution/Thunderbird and MP3s, as well as setup videoLAN, flash and Java.

If you are not so technically inclined, perhaps someone else you know is.
</aside>

 

[Killrose]

Thanks for the info. I am in Alaska and the sevice provider is ACS. The kit they provide for their users came with a software disc that had Win98/ME as a choice when setting up the service, so I was surprised when they said it was not supported. When I checked Network in Device Manager CP, I beleive I saw PPPoE as one of the network devices in the list even though he is using a 3com NIC which was listed as well. I guess that must be an emulator of sorts?

Anyways, this is his first Comp and was given to him. Its an Old Dell with an 833MHz P3 and 128mb and a TNT2 32mb video, and such from that era. I told him I would ask around abit before we went digging around for an old router.

Thanks

 

[robmurphy]

If you have a windows 2000 disk available that would run fine on that machine. It still has limited support from Microsoft. 2000 is a much more stable and reliable OS than 98SE.

Rob.

 

[c3p0]

Killrose,

In my opinion Win98SE will probably work just fine. ACS may not support it with their Tech Support, but the OS will probably work just fine. That's my take on this. Give it a try. If it doesn't work out, then you may have to consider upgrading to Win 2000 or something!!!

c3p0
:beer:

 

[Rottie]

In the past I used DSL on my old win98se and it works but I can't remember if I used pppoe.
But if your friend's win98se can run windows 2000 then it is safe to move to windows 2000.

 

[JackMDS]

Get a Router and then it does not matter which OS you use, you would also get better Connection with a Router.

http://www.ezlan.net/PPPOE.html

 

[Killrose]

Thanks for the help. I have a router here at home I can try to test and show him thats what it will take to get him online. Then he can decide how he wants to proceed.

 

[Rottie]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
Get a Router and then it does not matter which OS you use, you would also get better Connection with a Router.

http://www.ezlan.net/PPPOE.html

Exactly! That is how it worked.

 

[Drexl]

Yeah, having the router would be a good idea regardless of whether it's absolutely needed or not. Security would be better, and the connection would always be active so he wouldn't have to wait for the computer to initialize it each time.

The tech really meant that Win98 didn't have built-in support for DSL, which may be all for which they're trained to provide support. I think XP was the first to have a built-in DSL connection client.