Wireless card on older computers

[Dragonbate]

With all of the cheap wireless products going around family members have asked me about setting up a wireless network for them. Netgear minimum system requirements list pentium III. I've run a linksys usb wireless b on pii 400 mhz. Anyone running a wireless network with older hardware. I think the oldest is like a pII 266. I'll catch hell if I recommend this and it doesn't work. Thanks for any comments/suggestions.

 

[phisrow]

I've run wireless PCMCIA cards on mildly crufty hardware (PII-300 laptop) and they seem to work just fine. The card may well suck down almost all your processor time if you try to push it to full speed; but I see no particular reason why it should fail for ordinary use.

Editshould have been more specific) When I was on my home network(residential DSL) the wireless drivers weren't unacceptably processor hungry, on a good day the university network (damned if I know, multiple OC3s or something) would be speed limited by CPU utilization.

 

[Dragonbate]

So wireless cards work like winmodems? They use the cpu to do their work instead of on the card itself? That's interesting- since this setup will likely be used almost exclusively for internet access it seems like I would be below any limitation to speed from the processor. Anyone else have any experience with older hardware on a wireless network? I guess my fear is that the drivers will refuse to load. Thanks again.

 

[Dragonbate]

Bump; anyone else with experience with this kind of lan?

 

[skyking]

I am guessing win98 on that PII 266? I've got a 2k box I can dumb down to 300 @ 66FSB and whatever ram you'd like. It is a testing box I have set up, sitting here with the side off. Next week I can pick up my bro's spare <mmmm, tasty!> orinoco A/B/G PCI card and try it. That is, if you can wait

 

[Dragonbate]

Thats more than I can ask for- Don't go through that much trouble. I've gotten enough input from this site and another to risk my sister's time on this project. We're probably do an in store buy so I don't risk a restocking fee if it doesn't work.

 

[skyking]

really, It is not a problem for me. I am going across the mountains do do a job, and have to pick up that card and a router anyway. The case is literally laying open beside me, connected to the KVM and a massive x-ray film digitizer.

 

[JackMDS]

As far as Wireless Cards and performance goes, from point of view of resource it is not a problem. I run them as low as PII-233 (probably will be OK even lower).

1. PCMCIA - on Laptop needs old cards that would work on older version of PCMCIA Slots, some of newer cards will not work on old Laptops. I have a PII-233 Laptop with Win98se 128RAM and an old 16bits Proxim WLAN card, works very well.

2. USB - Old USB is more Quirky and depends the most on CPU resources, it will work but should be the first choice.

3. PCI ? The oldest and most stable bus of all, PCI works well on old computer and should be the Wireless of choice. Just male sure that the Antenna is free of obstructions.

CompUSA is offering this week all three versions in Netgear flavor for $9.99 after rebate (steep rebate of $50).

:sun:

 

[Dragonbate]

Thanks fopr all the great replies. I'm gonna go ahead and try it with one of the deals from Staples. Hopefully they are not oos yet.

Originally posted by: JackMDS
As far as Wireless Cards and performance goes, from point of view of resource it is not a problem. I run them as low as PII-233 (probably will be OK even lower).

1. PCMCIA - on Laptop needs old cards that would work on older version of PCMCIA Slots, some of newer cards will not work on old Laptops. I have a PII-233 Laptop with Win98se 128RAM and an old 16bits Proxim WLAN card, works very well.

2. USB - Old USB is more Quirky and depends the most on CPU resources, it will work but should be the first choice.

3. PCI ? The oldest and most stable bus of all, PCI works well on old computer and should be the Wireless of choice. Just male sure that the Antenna is free of obstructions.

CompUSA is offering this week all three versions in Netgear flavor for $9.99 after rebate (steep rebate of $50).

:sun:

Great post special thanks