Text 42700, 134 rader
Skriven 2008-02-06 07:48:00 av James Bradley (1:134/77.0)
  Kommentar till text 42642 av Jeff Guerdat (1:123/789.0)
Ärende: W98 CD update.
======================
On or about: 02-04-08  17:51, Jeff Guerdat did engage James Bradley regarding,
but not limited to: W98 CD update.

 JG> James Bradley -> Jeff Guerdat wrote:
 
 JG>> I'm not following.  I haven't seen any WiFi connection that requires
 JG>> ActiveX  nor any router that requires it to configure the router.
 
 JB> I thought I read Alan explain, that ActiveX was required to run the
 JB> Windows updates from the MS site. I guess the answer to your question
 JB> would be, "No, I know of nothing else that requires ActiveX." I don't
 JB> even know *what* ActiveX *is.*

 JG> First off, here's a snippet from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activex:

 JG> Prior to ActiveX technology, two standards were becoming prevalent in 
 JG> Microsoft Windows. One was OLE (Object Linking and 
 JG> Embedding), and the other was COM (Component Object Model). 
 JG> Both schemes were designed for software interoperability, 
 JG> the former focusing on communicating and the latter 
 JG> focusing on implementation. In 1996, Microsoft combined the 
 JG> technologies and refitted them into ActiveX.

Ah... I guess I *did* know about the predecessors. For the record, my trying to
update IE4 was only to be able to run the site survey script. Installing FF has
solved that problem. (I guess it more deferred the problem.)

 JG> So, I'm going to ass-u-me that you don't need IE/ActiveX 
 JG> for anything other than Windows Updates.

That ass-u-mption would be correct.

 JB> As near as I can ascertain, the server I am trying to tap into redirects
 JB> my first attempt to access any page, to *their* login page. (IE: My
 JB> [...]
 JB> because I have to go with a static address for my access point, might
 JB> not be helping my cause either.

 JG> So, this is a machine at the public library, not at home?  That could
 JG> make  all the difference in the world.  It sounds to me that 
 JG> they're using a proxy server, which is used partly to 
 JG> enforce a validated login (that's why you get redirected to 
 JG> the login screen before you can do anything else).  I 

Their server being a proxy, sounds reasonable. The patient is a small footprint
PC I am experimenting on, and I cart this - my own machine - into the site when
I try these tweaks.

 JG> without resorting to WEP/WPA or other secure connections
 JG> (helps keep their trouble calls to a minimum, too, what 
 JG> with many folks not having a clue about how to setup or 
 JG> even connect to a secured access point).

I see one connection with, and one connection without WEP on the same channel.
I only see the SSID on the one without, so I try that one first. If they
*provide* WEP on the same channel... You'd think they would also need to
provide an SSID?

 JG> Wow!  I just had a big chunk of reply that I had to delete once I
 JG> realized  what you were doing (you had to hit me between the eyes 
 JG> with the "D-Link DWL-G810" 2x4).  I now understand that you 
 JG> have an access point for the purpose of giving a non-WiFi-
 JG> enabled laptop a connection.  I would submit that a USB or 
 JG> PC Card adapter would be easier to work with but you got 
 JG> what ya got.  On the DLink site, however, I can't find a 
 JG> DWL-G810 - there IS an 820.

DWL-G820: That's at least roughly the pdf I have here on the subject. Near as I
can tell, the only difference is the colour of the "Akn/Traffic" indicator. I
do have a USB->802.11g, but its software doesn't want to work under W98, and I
never have a chance to do a site survey with it. I don't recall compiling an
adequate kernel in Linux, but I just installed a new tree to toy with, so I
might try it again shortly. (Dangling participle? B-)

 JG> However, to get any settings you need, you might just need to ask.

...To be met with silence. They can "only support WXP."

 JG> Failing  that, is there a library-supplied computer that you can
 JG> use? Can you open a cmd prompt from the Start menu or 
 JG> Start, Run?  If not, can you use CTRL-ALT-DEL to open the 
 JG> Task Manager?  If so, click on File, New Task and type in 
 JG> "cmd" and hit Return.  Now, try an "ipconfig /all" in that 
 JG> DOS window and note the settings, especially for DNS. Those 
 JG> settings, minus the IP address, are what would be needed to 
 JG> put into your network settings.  That doesn't guarantee 
 JG> it'll work but it's an attempt.

Any info is progress! They provide workstations that are connected, but I think
they have to make them as inept as tolerable. I'm a little excited to see what
is possible. I noticed you (I think it was you?) mention ipconfig earlier. It
has been moving up on my list of favorites ever since!

 JG> You also say that you're stuck with a static IP address.  That would
 JG> be a  problem unless the network accepts an address that you picked out
 JG> of the air  that's on the same subnet (you'd have to be very careful to
 JG> not use an address that's already, or potentially, in use). 
 JG> The documentation for the 820 shows that you can set it 
 JG> for DHCP, which is what you'd want to do fer sure.  Using 
 JG> the web interface (it sez you need a Java-enabled browser - 
 JG> Firefox would be fine but it's not clear to me that you 
 JG> need the Java run-time package installed), you'd use the 
 JG> "Home" tab and the "LAN" button on the left to set this to 
 JG> DHCP.  My suspicion is that it's the lack of DHCP that's 
 JG> the root of your problem.
 
I think that is spot-on to my problem. I lose contact with the device, and lose
the ability to run a site survey, when I do go DHCP.

 JB> (Being... Site survey accomplished, but nothing after the "negotiation."
 JB> If that's what it is called? Traffic does seem go in both directions,
 JB> but nothing seems to leave my box past the negotiation.)

 JG> The site survey is what's used to determine what networks 
 JG> are out there so you can choose one to connect to.  (Yes, I 
 JG> know I shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition - 
 JG> thought I'd beat you to it. ;) )  Once you  choose the 
 JG> network, the negotiation takes place, which is where the 
 JG> DHCP comes in...

I doubt I could do a site survey, *then* switch to DHCP without losing the
connection. <Scratching head> Well, you did give me a few tools to toss at it.
Thanks!

Oh, and I don't really know what sentence segment is a preposition, so I hope I
*don't* fog my ideas with too many of them. <-;


... James

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