Can I network a 486 running Win/3.11 with Win/ME machine?

Can I network a 486 running Win/3.11 with a Win/ME machine? I realize this is ancient history, but if it is relatively easy, I might try it to see if it would be useful. Thanks for any response.

 

Yes. is the simple answer.

You'll need DOS drivers for the Network card.

It has been a very long time since I did this sort of thing. If memory serves me right, it is easier to set up IPX/SPX or even (dare I say it) NetBUEI on a DOS/Win3.11 computer. TCP/IP was a bit of an afterthought on the original Windows and I think you have to obtain additional patches to get it to work. So I'd suggest using one of these protocols rather than TCP/IP.

My memory just ain't good enough to provide you with more detailed advice.

 

Thanks Reggie, I'll try it out and see if I can get it to work.

 

Good luck. I hope it goes relatively smoothly.

One thing I do remember is that getting the IRQ of the network card right in DOS was a bit of a headache. The old network cards with jumpers made life a little easier in DOS - you just set the DOS software to the same IRQ as the jumper settings. If you're using a card that came with the system, I'd suggest you take it out and look at the jumper settings before you start.

Plug and play cards were a bit more troublesome. Modern DOS drivers may overcome this. In the old days it sometimes got to the point of watching the POST screens to see what IRQ was being assigned to the card on boot.

If you go the IPX/SPX route, the key thing to keep in mind is that both machines need to use the same network number and protocol type. It might be easiest to set the ME machine to automatic protocol type and let the DOS machine define the IPX protocol encapsulation.

 

Actually this thread brings back happy memories. A 486 with DOS 6.22 and Win3.11 was a great platform once you got it set up. The performance was fine as long as you kept with software of about the same age. A great platform to run Word 6. I had a 486SX with 4 Mb RAM and it was much more stable than the new Windows 95 Pentiums my colleagues were running. I used to open as many windows as I could and when my neighbour came in the office, sit there flicking between windows. It really used to annoy him, because his shiny new Win 95 system would crash if you tried that!

 

Thanks Reggie, for your additional comments. Your impressions of the relative stability of Win/3.11 vs Win/95 is part of my motivation to see if I can get this to work on Win/3.11. I am starting from scratch however - my 486 doesn't yet have a network card, but I think I can get one for less than $5 from a local university surplus store. Also, I have read about TCP/IP and have downloaded Win32s and Wolverine in the hope that I can install that on my 486 and make that work too. I'm not sure how to do that either, however. There are lots of variables involved in all this, and I am not very familiar with all the port addresses, etc. that are involved. I'll be working on it more next week when I get my network card. Thanks again, and any other advice is more than welcome.

 

I would suggest you look for a network card of a recognised manufacturer. 3Com were top dog around the mid nineties, and you can often pick up cheap old 3Com cards. It shouldn't be too difficult to get drivers for an old 3com card.

One thing to watch out for on these cards is if they have BNC (thin ethernet) and RJ45 (modern type twisted pair CAT5 connection), that you sometimes have to switch between the two in software. YOu might find you problems connecting to a modern network are due to the drivers being set to use BNC.

Good luck! It should be an interesting challenge.

 

Thanks again, Reggie - one more basic question:

On my 486, after I select "Add Network Adapter ", I get a screen that says "Select a Network Adapter to install:" and then a list of Network Adapters to select from, including 3Com EtherLink 16, ii or iiTP, III, or /MC. I assume that this process is related to setting up the NETWORK, and that the software driver for the Network Adapter is something else to be installed. Is that correct? Or is this screen actually going to install the software driver itself?


Thanks again.

 

Sorry, it's too long ago since I did it for me to remember.