Amiga WIFI NetGear M401

[rabidgerry]

So been reading about getting my Amiga online and after hours of flicking through decent models of PCMCIA network cards to use which are compatible I settled upon the Netgear M401.

Of course there was already one misfire before this and that was when I bought the 3Com Megahertz 3CXFE575BT thinking I was clever and that I would get online for a bargain. NO! Isn't compatible. Anyways, I began searching again and that's when I seemed to stumble upon a sure fire winner with the Netgear MA401.

WRONG! Shafted again.

Why?

Well I set it all up with MiamiDX and Prism2 and I can't get online and my own conclusion is simply because the Netgear MA401 needs flashed to a more modern firmware that allows for WPA2 security (I dunno for certain if this is my issue but I'm pretty sure this is why).

So that just isn't feasible as I have nothing to connect the pcmcia wifi card to to be able to flash this newer firmware unless someone else knows a way or even better a way around my issue?

I thought I would be clever and add the MA401 mac address to my router but that did sweet F.A! Probably still need the updated firmware.

Any advice, tips, ways around it, guidance, sympathy or condolences would be very much appreciated other wise I'm flogging two duff pcmcia network card on ebay

[Amiga4000]

Hi there rabidgerry, yes, you must update the firmware on the card to support WPA2. I flashed mine with an old Thinkpad 600 / Win98 laptop. Any old laptop with a 16bit PCMCIA slot with Win98 or XP will do the trick. You can still get the firmware update and flash tool on the net. Don't chuck the card, they work just sooooooo well I would never use another. Try to find someone to flash it for you! Bought two of them as a matter of fact (1 for a spare) 10 years ago, brand new in the box for $20. I thought it was funny that around 2015 people caught on that they were great for Amiga and started shilling them $50.00+ on ebay. Good luck!

[rabidgerry]

I actually have a thinkpad also but its an x201. It has a slot that fits the pcmcia but when I plug it in or a cf card in using pcmcia adapter it does nothing. It slides in too easily making me think the pins aren't actually plugging in. The lap top is windows 7 too. I why does it have to be XP? Surely you can flash it using the windows compatibility mode where you can install drivers in older modes like I did with a soundcard that I had to install using windows vista sp3 compatibility but on windows 2.

I know noone with such out of date hardware to help me unfortunately.

[Amiga4000]

Ahhh, I never tried compatibility mode so not sure about that using Win7. Using XP would be the best though as it is very plug and play and would probably be your best bet to get the card to respond upon insertion although Win98 worked just fine too.

I'm fairly certain that the card slot on the x201 is an ExpressCard/54 (54 mm (2.1 in) wide slot and would in no way be compatible with the 16bit MA401.

However, you being in Ireland, I'll bet someone just might have an old laptop that could flash the card for you. I'm in the States.

Maybe give Daedalus here on the forum a PM. He has a lot of connections and even runs an Amiga get together once a month or so (Covid might be affecting the meetings though) in Ireland.

Heh.... I keep bugging him to design a Zorro II to PCMCIA board! That would be awesome!

[Amiga4000]

I was just googling for a 16bit PCMCIA PC Card to 54 mm ExpressCard Adapter but only came up with an adapter that supports 34mm. Maybe you could do a better job than me searching for an adapter for a 54mm slot.

[rabidgerry]

Originally Posted by Amiga4000

I was just googling for a 16bit PCMCIA PC Card to 54 mm ExpressCard Adapter but only came up with an adapter that supports 34mm. Maybe you could do a better job than me searching for an adapter for a 54mm slot.

Yeah I found that as well. Hard gizmo to come buy a 54mm PCMCIA adapter to usb.

Even at the adapter, I could end up shelling out more $£$£$£$ and I could have just bought a brand new kit for as much of one of the Amiga selling companies. Totally shit out of luck with this venture.

BTW what do you do online with your Amiga? Just file transfer stuff?

[lesta_smsc]

I think the better way is to use use a PCMCIA ethernet card and connect it to WiFi bridge. Less hassle with WPA2 and get best of both worlds - this is what I did!

[Amiga4000]

Originally Posted by rabidgerry

BTW what do you do online with your Amiga? Just file transfer stuff?

Yup, pretty much.... or download WHD slaves, and mostly snag software. I have USB in my A1200 and A2000 but it's just a bit more fun to download directly. I do cruise AmiNet directly with IBrowse 2.5 too.

[crazyc]

Hey mate I have only just seen this thread, and I need to check it out as I haven't booted it in years but I MAY actually have a xp laptop that may have a suitable pcmcia slot. Will try and take a look in the next few days.

[rabidgerry]

Originally Posted by crazyc

Hey mate I have only just seen this thread, and I need to check it out as I haven't booted it in years but I MAY actually have a xp laptop that may have a suitable pcmcia slot. Will try and take a look in the next few days.

Don't be going to any trouble, you will need to start downloading drivers and shit so might be a bother.

[khph_re]

When I got my new router, it was WPA2 only, no WEP.

I've got data on my phone, so when I want to create a network for my A1200, I set up an open network on my phone, and connect through that. A security risk, but I only have it on for a couple of hours a month. Amiga files are generally quite tiny, so I never use more than a few hundred meg a month.


I tend to use it for Aminet and FTP.


but tbh, a have a USB card reader that I use to transfer files.

[rabidgerry]

Originally Posted by khph_re

When I got my new router, it was WPA2 only, no WEP.

I've got data on my phone, so when I want to create a network for my A1200, I set up an open network on my phone, and connect through that. A security risk, but I only have it on for a couple of hours a month. Amiga files are generally quite tiny, so I never use more than a few hundred meg a month.


I tend to use it for Aminet and FTP.


but tbh, a have a USB card reader that I use to transfer files.

This sounds like an interesting idea. I wonder is it even worth experimenting? What kind of phone do you have?

Is this like tethering your wifi adapter of your Amiga to your phone?

[khph_re]

Samsung Galaxy S7 (Android) but it worked with most of my previous android phones as well.

[rabidgerry]

Originally Posted by khph_re

Samsung Galaxy S7 (Android) but it worked with most of my previous android phones as well.

ok I'm not having much luck, I'm using an Android here also but I can't see anything that allows me to setup a network or with my phone network provider either.

I was able to setup a guest wireless on my main internet provider but I probably wont be able to connect to that either.

[khph_re]

Don't know if this is Samsung specific:

Turn on mobile data and mobile hotspot.
Go into hotspot settings >three dots> configure mobile hotspot >security: open

[rabidgerry]

Ok I can do the same. It's just called tethering on my phone and then wifi hotspot. I I am able to turn security off. I will try it later with the Amiga running. I encountered something different tonight whilst attempting different things, but Miami keeps telling me that the device is in use which sounds like another bunch of headaches. Can't get rid of it. At least last night I was able to put in the info and then try and generate an IP. Won't even get that far now.

[khph_re]

Hope you sort it Gerry.

[rabidgerry]

It's bizarre I can't even get the software to look for an IP anymore never mind connect to my phone. On the first early attempts the led on the card flashed you see, now it's permanently on. Also tried using the old prism2 since it is WEP only. Figured that would be better to use than the newer prism since my ma401 isn't able to cope with WPA2 passwords.

[lilwshu]

Watch out for the PCMCIA reset bug if you don’t have a fix in place for it - the cards generally won’t work unless the machine is power cycled each time and the card inserted after Workbench has booted in my experience.

[rabidgerry]

Originally Posted by lilwshu

Watch out for the PCMCIA reset bug if you don’t have a fix in place for it - the cards generally won’t work unless the machine is power cycled each time and the card inserted after Workbench has booted in my experience.

I knew it would something to do with this.

I thought cardpatch and cardreset fixed all of that though.

I have also tried powering down and rebooting with the card in from the start like I originally did when it worked.

But still stays lit solid on the LED on the card.

I have then tried powering on and placing the card in after it has booted up and still the same thing.

What am I doing wrong here?