On Windows 9X systems, the winipcfg command is used to view the network connections. If the device that the customer is using is not listed under winipcfg, chances are the drives are not installed.

1: Click on Start
2: Go to Settings
3: Click on Control Panel
4: Click on System
5: Click on Device Manager
6: Ask if there are any red X's or yellow question marks or exclamation marks
7: Ask if there is anything under other devices
8: Have the customer hit the plus sign next to Network Adapters
9: See if the network adapter is listed
10: Double click on the network device under Network Adapters
11: Verify that it does state The Device is Working Properly
12: Move down to Universal Serial Bus Controllers and click on the plus sign
13: Verify there is no composite device.
14: If there is a composite device, continue on below.

If the device driver is listed correctly, proceed to troubleshoot the TCP/IP settings and verify that it is set to automatic on everything. Once the settings have been verified, reboot the computer. Once the computer reboots, check winipcfg to see if the driver is loaded yet. If the driver is loaded correctly, and still does not appear in winipcfg, refer to Microsoft or PC manufacturer.

Explanation: Windows 9X Operating Systems depend on several different sub-systems in order to operate correctly online. Even if a driver for a network adapter is installed correctly, this does not mean that the Windows Operating System by Microsoft will be able to use that device. The point of checking in winipcfg is to ensure that the Windows Operating System by Microsoft is correctly addressing the network adapter as a valid connection. If the network adapter is not listed, then the network adapter is not being seen correctly by the Microsoft Windows Operating System. In this case, this is a Code Level issue with Microsoft Windows that falls outside of the limitations Cox Communications can operate in. Cox Communications must therefor direct you to an authorized representative of Microsoft who is able to address code level issues. This can be your computer manufacturer.

This may be complicated by some customers who have Professional Installs where the drivers were installed by Cox Communications. While you can roll trucks for these customers, do keep in mind that if it is indeed a code issue with the Microsoft Windows OS, the field technician may be unable to fix the problem, and the customer will probably be charged if the problem can be addressed. While it is possible that the customer may not be charged, chances are, charges will apply.

Keep this in mind when reading the following, Windows 9X systems do not have native support for USB. Period.

A: USB support under Windows 98 Second edition is primarily a hack in the Operating System. It should also be noted that installations of Windows 98 SE will require additional patches in order to support some types of USB devices. These patches may or may not be applied to a fresh install of Windows 98 SE.

B: USB support under Windows ME is nearly as bad.While USB support is fairly well integrated into the system, other errors with the WinME system make it a poor USB candidate. However, Windows ME should not require any additional patches or updates to support USB.

C: Composite device: Win9X systems generally require a composite device in order to operate properly. Keeping in mind that Win9X USB support is primarily a hack, a composite device is a way of dealing with the lousy implementation of USB. Because of this, it is important to not just check other devices and network adapters, but also the Universal Serial Bus Controllers at the bottom of the device manager. If a composite device is located, follow these steps.

Explanation: The Microsoft Windows 9X Operating Systems have several issues with USB. In order to get high strain USB devices to work, a composite device is often required as an additional controller. Most software installation kits do not install the composite device controller, so it has to be entered manually. Now that your computer has the composite device and the modem driver, we should be able to get online, so lets open up our browser.

Composite Device will not install

It is possible that the Windows hardware wizard may not find a driver to use on the first go around. Remember that little part about needing certain patches earlier? Welcome to the rough end of that situation. Plain and simple, USB will not work on this computer. Use Ethernet.

Explanation: The Microsoft Windows 9X Operating Systems have several issues with USB. In order to get many USB devices to work, these devices require external controllers known as composite devices. However, composite devices rely on parts of the Microsoft Windows Operating System that are not installed by default by the Microsoft Windows Installer. If these parts of the Microsoft Windows Operating System are not present, using USB devices that require additional controllers is impossible. Unfortunately, as Cox Communications is not Microsoft, there is nothing Cox Communications can do to assist in obtaining the needed patches to update the computer to a point where the required patches are installed. Cox Communications must refer you to Microsoft, or to your computer Manufacturer for the required updates. Cox Communications can advise you, however, to use a real Network Adapter instead of a USB connection as Ethernet is the preferred connection. You can get a real network from Cox Communications, however there will be a charge. Also, depending on the version of Windows, the technician may not be able to install a new card if other Microsoft Windows Operating System components are missing.

Quite simply Windows 9X systems are aging, so keep in mind that there will be boundaries on support, and that not all of these boundaries will actually be placed by Cox Communications. It is actually likely that users of Windows 9X systems will run into problems that while simple, cannot be addressed as Cox Communications can not address them.

Windows 95-98: At this point Microsoft no longer offers support for the operating systems known as Microsoft Windows 95, and Microsoft Windows 98. While Microsoft does offer some limited support for Windows 98 Second Edition, Microsoft has made it clear that the operating system is dead as far as any serious updates or problems go. Customers who have Windows 98 Second Edition can get additional help from Microsoft, at about $75 a problem. Microsoft is also making it increasingly difficult for OEM's (that's Dell, HP, Gateway, IBM, Sony, and the like) to offer any support Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition. Many OEM's will simply refuse to assist with 98 Second Edition problems. While Cox Communications is able to at this point offer full assistance as far as troubleshooting network connections, Cox Communications is unable to guarantee that the producers of the hardware needed to connect, or the software needed to connect, will have the necessary drivers or information to work with a malfunctioning connection. Drivers simply may not be obtainable for any given device under Windows 98 Second Edition, and as Cox Communications is not a software vendor, Cox Communications can not make any guarantees that such software will be obtainable from Cox Communications.

Windows ME: Windows ME, or Windows 98 Third edition, is in a slightly better position. Microsoft, however, is even more aggressive about removing this operating system from the market, primarily due to the bad reputation that the OS has earned over the years. It can be noted that in many cases drivers for Windows ME will work under Windows 98 Second Edition, and sometimes under Windows 98 First edition. However, there is no guarantee that this is so.

It will also be seen in the winipcfg box that there are devices labeled PPP adapters. These are PHONE MODEMS. They are supposed to be there. All of them will be pulling 0.0.0.0 ip addresses. This is not an issue.

Apparently it also appears that some technicians are telling the customers that selecting the device in the winipcfg box determines which connection will be used to connect to the internet. NO. THIS IS FALSE. The winipcfg box typically shows PPP adapters to begin with as a system default. Selecting the device in the winipcfg box does not change the device that the computer uses to connect. The winipcfg box simply shows all of the devices that are present and addressable for networking that are recognized by the Microsoft Windows Operating System.