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Is it possible to write win98SE drivers for a 2k/XP USB modem?


retro99

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Sorry for the dumb question, but is it possible or worthwhile for someone to write a Windows 98 driver for some types of hardware?

I have the ubiquitous Pantech PX-500 (PC5750) USB modem. It uses CDMA 1xRTT, EVDO Rev. O and Rev. A and only works

with Windows 2000 and up. It is quite popular for use with Sprint, Verizon and other ISPs in desktops or laptops.

There are probably a lot of folks who use mobile internet these days and would like their win98 laptop (I use a desktop) to be online

with high speeds. I bet they'd be willing to pay for the drivers as I know I am.

I don't know if it is possible or if R. Loew or anyone else could write drivers for some popular 2k/XP hardware for $$$.

If it is not possible or worth it, do you know of a USB modem that works out of the box with Windows 98SE?

Thanks. I appreciate your help. :)

Paul

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Apart from the complexity of the task, the main problem is that the necessary technical information is not publicly available.

However, since this is CDMA and not WCDMA (UMTS), I believe W98 drivers were available at one time. These things are all based on Qualcomm chipsets, and I think I've seen W98 drivers for a C-motech (Korea) model. Once you've found such a driver, you may need to edit the INF files if your model's VID (might be the OEM's instead of Qualcomm's) and PID value differs, just try to confirm it's the same or compatible chipset. You can use Intel's USBView utility to see what you've got.

Joe.

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Guest wsxedcrfv

I have the ubiquitous Pantech PX-500 (PC5750) USB modem. It uses CDMA 1xRTT, EVDO Rev. O and Rev. A and only works

with Windows 2000 and up. It is quite popular for use with Sprint, Verizon and other ISPs in desktops or laptops.

Your question about using a broad-band USB modem with windows 98 was asked about a month ago here:

And about a year ago here:

And about 7 months ago here:

Instead of pursuing a software solution where you plug the USB modem into your win-98 PC, I suggest (again) that you obtain a router that has a USB port where you can plug the USB modem into it, turning the router into a wireless "hotspot" (which you may or may not find useful) but which will also get you connected to the internet via a conventional ethernet RJ-45 connection from the back of the router.

This Netgear router (MBR624GU) is one example:

http://www.netgear.com/products/service-providers/mobile-broadband/3g-mobile-broadband/MBR624GU.aspx

It's retail price is listed as $130, and I see current internet pricing as low as $65.

If you wanted a truly portable solution (say, if your win-98 PC was a laptop) then the use an external router would be impractical, but since your win-98 is on a desktop PC means that a wired solution like this router won't affect the ergonomics of your situation, and give the added benefit of allowing all of your wired and wireless computing devices to connect to the internet at the same time through the router.

Edit: You say that your Pantech PX-500 (PC5750) is a "USB modem", but my search results for that indicate that it's a PC-cardslot interface - not USB. Does your modem look like this:

http://3g.co.ua/forum/uploads/662/pc_5750.jpg

If so, you might want to look at this:

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wirelessrouters/ig/Linksys-Wireless-Routers/Linksys-WRT54G3G-ST.htm

I don't know if the netgear router I mentioned above has a PC-card slot.

Edited by wsxedcrfv
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Apart from the complexity of the task, the main problem is that the necessary technical information is not publicly available.

However, since this is CDMA and not WCDMA (UMTS), I believe W98 drivers were available at one time. These things are all based on Qualcomm chipsets, and I think I've seen W98 drivers for a C-motech (Korea) model. Once you've found such a driver, you may need to edit the INF files if your model's VID (might be the OEM's instead of Qualcomm's) and PID value differs, just try to confirm it's the same or compatible chipset. You can use Intel's USBView utility to see what you've got.

Joe.

Hi Joe.

I did find this:

http://www.driverssoftware.com/drivers.php/data-modem-cdma-6803-driver/70037

and

http://www.baltia.net/en/nodes/view/594

Those are C-motech Rev. A modems (USB) that support Win98. So, I'm downloading those drivers and just need to make

a few edits? This would be awesome if it works. :)

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Guest wsxedcrfv

> My ISP offers two interfaces for the Pantech PX-500 (PC5750): PCMCIA and USB

I would get the USB, since it seems like routers that take USB broad-band modems are cheaper than routers that take PCMCIA card-slot modems - and the USB interface is more universal compared to card-slot.

> My wife has an Asus laptop with Windows 7 on it. Would it be possible to run an ethernet

> cable from her laptop to my PC and use internet connection sharing until I can afford that router?

You were going to offer to pay for a custom driver for your win-98 system, so I'm wondering why all of a sudden you can't afford a $65 router...?

The router is the way to go. That way both your win-98 desktop and Asus Win-7 laptop will have internet access at the same time, without messing with Internet Connection Sharing and cables and junk like that.

But yea, you should be able to get ICS working on the win-7 system. There's a short thread about that here:

http://discussions.virtualdr.com/archive/index.php/t-237754.html

My guess is that it's gonna take you a lot of putzing to get it to work.

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> My ISP offers two interfaces for the Pantech PX-500 (PC5750): PCMCIA and USB

I would get the USB, since it seems like routers that take USB broad-band modems are cheaper than routers that take PCMCIA card-slot modems - and the USB interface is more universal compared to card-slot.

> My wife has an Asus laptop with Windows 7 on it. Would it be possible to run an ethernet

> cable from her laptop to my PC and use internet connection sharing until I can afford that router?

You were going to offer to pay for a custom driver for your win-98 system, so I'm wondering why all of a sudden you can't afford a $65 router...?

The router is the way to go. That way both your win-98 desktop and Asus Win-7 laptop will have internet access at the same time, without messing with Internet Connection Sharing and cables and junk like that.

But yea, you should be able to get ICS working on the win-7 system. There's a short thread about that here:

http://discussions.virtualdr.com/archive/index.php/t-237754.html

My guess is that it's gonna take you a lot of putzing to get it to work.

Thanks for your help. I agree the router is the way to go but unfortunately I can't find that router in Indonesia. It may be available here under a different model # but the price will be much higher than it is in the US, that's for sure.

I did see one on eBay for $83 but it was in the US and shipping/handling/insurance and customs taxes (25%) would make it unaffordable.

I'd pay $50 for a driver if that's a fair price. I paid $70 for the Pantech USB modem in 2009.

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Apart from the complexity of the task, the main problem is that the necessary technical information is not publicly available.

However, since this is CDMA and not WCDMA (UMTS), I believe W98 drivers were available at one time. These things are all based on Qualcomm chipsets, and I think I've seen W98 drivers for a C-motech (Korea) model. Once you've found such a driver, you may need to edit the INF files if your model's VID (might be the OEM's instead of Qualcomm's) and PID value differs, just try to confirm it's the same or compatible chipset. You can use Intel's USBView utility to see what you've got.

Joe.

Hi Joe.

I did find this:

http://www.driverssoftware.com/drivers.php/data-modem-cdma-6803-driver/70037

and

http://www.baltia.net/en/nodes/view/594

Those are C-motech Rev. A modems (USB) that support Win98. So, I'm downloading those drivers and just need to make

a few edits? This would be awesome if it works. :)

Maybe. You need to check the VID&PID codes in the INF files, and using USBView, the VID&PID codes as seen via USB. Then we may see if they match or have a chance of being compatible (identify the relevant chipsets and see what information is out there about them).

the USB interface is more universal compared to card-slot.

Why? Because it has the word "Universal" in its name?

Joe.

Edited by jds
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