Wireless Network Adaptors and Routers Question

[Ryan]

Last week I purchased a Cisco Aironet 340 series ISA Wireless card for the old computer in our basement, so I could get the computer to connect to my father's network.  Here's a question I need to ask.  Will this card connect to the network if the wireless router is a D-Link DL-624?  Both the router and the wireless card have the IEEE 802.11b wireless network specification at the 2.4Ghz band.  The router's main specification is the IEEE 802.11g at the 5Ghz band.

[EEVIAC]

You'll have to enter the router's configuration setup and change the standard over to the 802.11/b standard...Your router DOES support 802.11/b, as well as /g..

It might already be set at  802.11 g/b   in which it would detect either type of implementation.  But just to be sure make sure the router is configured for at least /b..

To enter the router setup, just type the router IP address into a browser such as IE or Firefox...

[Ryan]

The last time I had a card with the 802.11b specification installed in the Dell computer in our basement, it connected with the router, thus I likely my father doesn't have to do anything.  (The router belongs to him.)

[EEVIAC]

So when you install the ISA card and driver does it work?


If not you might have to configure the IRQ for it... What's the make/model of the computer and Operating System..

[Ryan]

I haven't received the card in the mail yet.  I'm under the assumption that the card is going to use IRQ11.

The computer is an HP Pavilion 200Mhz Pentium with Windows 98SE.  (I had recently upgraded the operating system to be able to install the latest version of Logitech MouseWare, version 9.80.)

I had a firewall (Tiny Personal) and anti-virus (Avast!) installed last week, but will install them before installing the wireless card so that I'll have protection since the computer will be able to access the internet when I'm finished.  I have no plans on accessing IE for I'm going to be using the computer's online capability for wireless LAN gaming for the most part.  The only other purpose is to be able to transfer files to the other computers for backup purposes on the library computer's external hard drive.

When I remove the Ethernet card that is used with a wired connection, I will need to be able to use CCleaner to remove any unneeded program entries in the registry pertaining to that card.

[dahlarbear]

The router's main specification is the IEEE 802.11g at the 5Ghz band.

While it's probably not relevant to your question, 802.11g operates within the 2.4 GHz range.  Yours should also.  See DI-624 High-Speed 2.4GHz (802.11g) Wireless 108Mbps Router.

[EEVIAC]

While it's probably not relevant to your question, 802.11g operates within the 2.4 GHz range.  Yours should also.  See DI-624 High-Speed 2.4GHz (802.11g) Wireless 108Mbps Router.

This is true.. my bad      The /b network card will connect if the router is configured for /g..   But will be limited to 11 mbps..

[Ryan]

I have an update, and a good one at that!  It wasn't the Cisco Aironet 340 series ISA card that enabled me to connect to my father's wireless network.  Despite numerous attempts, even putting in the WEP key, it failed to connect.

I uninstalled the Sound Blaster PCI128 card, and removed it along with the Cisco, but not before uninstalling the firewall to prevent the 'blue screen of death' appearing and telling me about an invalid VxD. 

With both cards removed, I inserted a Sound Blaster AWE64 ISA card in the PCI128's place, and put in a D-Link DWL-520 wireless card, the very card I originally got for the nearby Dell 2350.  I was able to install the sound drivers without incident, and was able to get the external midi module to respond.  Now the next thing.  I was able to install the D-Link card, and after installing the Air Utility, I put in what was necessary to be able to connect to my father's network, and the computer connected to the network successfully at long last!

My only gripe now is that I'll have to get a CD-ROM audio splitter cable to go from both CD drives to the one CD audio jack on the AWE64.  Until then, the E: drive will stay connected to the TAD input on the card so that the DVD-ROM drive can use the CD audio connector.