Here is my real experience of two PCI Wi-Fi network cards and still no resolution to networking a Win98SE PC.
Ok, so what am I doing using a Win98SE PC - they're out of date right? Well, I just happen to have it in the garage for occasional quick access to information when I am working there. My main PC is an Windoze XP upstairs.
Anyway, I have been trying to network the Win98SE PC in the garage and not having much luck.
I started with a D-Link DWLG-520+ PCI Wi-Fi network card (WNIC). I could just get a signal from my router upstairs in the kitchen if I positioned the antenna and PC just right. The garage is about 20 metres sideways and 5 metres down from the wireless router location. Ok, so that wasn't good enough.
I then purchased a 18dBi Yagi antenna - thought that might come in handy for other things as well. So the signal shot right through the roof, about 75% now compared to 10% before.
Ok next problem, Win98SE seems to have a problem working with DHCP servers and likes to assign local 169 numbers and go deaf when there are DHCP servers around. I just couldn't get the D-Link DWLG-520+ PCI to work with dynamic addressing and static wasn't going to suit me as I need to connect to more than one wireless network around home ;-) D-Link technical support in Australia wasn't much help saying "it was a Microsoft problem" and "we only support D-Link products, we can't offer help with Microsoft products.... It's an operating system problem.... format and re-install the OS". If I had a dollar for everytime a hardare vendor blamed the OS when it wasn't I would be almost as rich as Bill Gates. So I happended to have a spare hard disk around and did a fresh install, nope no the OS." So the box says works with Win98SE, but in reality it doesn't, ha - good laugh. Using a google search I found that there was a Registry change to do with DHCP autoconfiguration but couldn't seem to get it to work and D-lInk of course don't support Microsoft products - ha ha ha!
Next, take the D-Link back for a refund and explain to the person in the store what was going on and I could tell they didn't have clue what I was talking about. Made the exchange rather easy.
So next I shoot over to another large retail outlet and puchase a Belkin F5D7000 PCI WNIC. I arrive home full of anticipation and am soon to be let down again. DHCP problems again and a local assigned IP address. But that was easy to take. The worst part was the receive signal strength was poor - very poor. It was now down to about 10% with the antenna in the same postion and the best I could get was 30% with a lot of repositioning. I thought I would put the other working har disk in and do an install in the wrong order, that is hardare first and then software. Well DHCP was working now. Don't know if it was the registry hack or the incorrect install but it didn't matter anyway - the receive signal strength was hopeless and the data rate was non-existent.
So to summarise the pros and cons.
D-Link D-Link DWLG-520+ PCI
Pros
Very good receive sensitivity compared to the Belkin. Tray icon as soon as Windows loads and before card initialises.
Cons
Card stalls operating system whilst it is initialising or searching for networks. DHCP issues with Win98SE. I have one in the XP PC and it works fine.
Belkin F5D7000 PCI
Pros
Better user interface. DHCP seems to work with Win98SE?
Cons
Substandard receive sensitivity. Poor data rate associated with bad sensitivty.
The search continues.
Regards, craig