RichSCS@... wrote:
>
>
>
> I unpacked a win98 Progear which I have had sitting around in a box for
> a couple of years. I got it to work OK although it seems the built-in
> Orinoco wireless card has a limited reach. I could hook into my own
> access point and the public library but not the local Starbucks. I have
> a USB wireless stick however that is where I run into problems as I
> would need to plug in more than one USB device, if I want to use the
> keyboard. When I plug in a hub to the USB port, it does not light up
> like it does on my desktop PC. I tried plugging in an optical mouse,
> same thing -- lights up on the PC but not on the Progear. I have a USB
> keyboard and a Lexar memory stick which both work fine with the USB
> board. It seems that the USB port does not have sufficient power to
> drive the mouse or the hub. The hub has an external power supply which
> I haven't tried yet, but it sort of defeats the purpose. Any
> suggestions or comments?
>

I've used a hub with the Linux ProGear with a wifi device, keyboard
and mouse plugged in to the hub w/o problem.

Doesn't 98 require a driver for the hub? IIRC I had to find a driver
for a hub because a different 98 box did not recognise the hub. I
think I needed drivers for every hub.

Most hubs require regulated +5VDC but a rare few can handle higher
voltage which means that a battery pack can be used. Battery life
tends to be a bit short, though. For the majority of hubs, a regulator
can be added to a battery pack. There are some battery packs sold that
will power hubs but the prices for them far exceed what they are worth
and they typically last for less than an hour. It's far less expensive
to roll your own either from scratch or by assembling the basic
components.

--
jd