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Can I connect a Windows 95 computer to the internet?


RetroB1977

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1 hour ago, mr_me said:

Install the TCP/IP network protocol, if it's not already.  Set it to get settings from server and default gateway assuming you have a DHCP server.

 

I'm no expert on security but it's usually not recommended to put these old operating systems on the internet.

Okay I have already installed TCP/IP. I don't have a DHCP server though. (Sorry, I'm a noob at networking.) Also I only plan to just mess around with it, not keep it long term.

Edited by RetroB1977
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3 minutes ago, Tuxon86 said:

I wonder what will be the time it takes for a win95 machine to get hacked/contaminated if hooked up to the internet today...

 

Maybe forget connecting it to the internet... Could I connect to my Linux Sambashare server safely?

Edited by RetroB1977
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4 hours ago, mr_me said:

Install the TCP/IP network protocol, if it's not already.  Set it to get settings from server and default gateway assuming you have a DHCP server.

 

I'm no expert on security but it's usually not recommended to put these old operating systems on the internet.

 

Putting it on the internet OUTSIDE the firewall is bad.  Inside is fine, just browse carefully.  Though most of the browsers aren't going to load many modern websites anyway.

 

 

 

 

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It has been so long since I file shared a PC with my Mac or through any computer connected to a router.  In the Network Control Panel, turn on File Sharing, or whatever is there.  And inside a Windows Explorer window, under one of the menus should be an option to "Connect to Server" or some such, or is it under the START icon in the bottom left hand corner.  (sooooo looooog agoooo, memooooooory fadiiiiiing)  Enter the servers network address.  Something like HTTP://169.0.168.3, or whatever the routers address displays.  The server device should mount on the desktop or in Windows Explorer.

 

All I remember is I did a lot of file transferring through Windows Explorer.

Edited by Iamgroot
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It CAN go on the internet, but it is highly inadvisable.

 

The "ms lanman" and "client for windows networks" services are vulnerable to direct intrusion by opportunistic worms.  

 

9x machines should be heavily firewalled, and should NOT talk to the internet.  I would go so far as to say TCP/IP shouldnt be running, and it should only use nonroutable protocols.

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Addendum:

 

The win9x networking environment is NDIS3 + SMB1.0.

 

SMB1.0 has many outstanding security holes, which opportunistic software can use to gain entry to the system, and then set up an active infection.  These included such august infectors as Blaster and Stuxnet.

 

All of them rely on vulnerabilities in the smb for tcp/ip stack.

 

SMB can be routed over protocols that dont easily go past your ethernet router, such as NETBEUI or IPX/SPX. Getting modern windows, or worse, dedicated NAS boxes to use those protocols with SMB is problematic, but BITD that is how I dealt with that issue.

 

These days, i would put it on its own subnet, with a special route going in and out defined on the router, with some very aggressive rules to block outbound and inbound ports.

 

 

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Well...  I might as well answer the actual question..

 

 

On the Win95 machine (is this OSR2? It really should be OSR2.), open network neighborhood.

Check the listed adapters, and bound clients and protocols.  Make sure that windows logon service, and TCP/IP protocols are in the list, as well as File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks.

 

On the TCP/IP protocol, configure it to use a DHCP server, and point the primary DNS at the IP address of your router (or specify one of the public ones out there, such as 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1 )

 

After that, it should "just work" when you start internet explorer for the first time.  The internet setup wizard will fire, and you should tell it "I connect to the internet using a LAN"

 

After that, update it to at LEAST IE6, then install a REAL browser.  You will find that, IIRC, the newest browser that will work is Firefox v46 ESR (I think?), and some similarly outdated version of Chrome.  Pick one of the two, but please, for the love of gawd, dont use that machine to go on the internet.

 

 

To get that 9x machine to see a more modern file share, you will need to have SMB1.0 services enabled on the modern machine.  More modern versions of windows use SMB2.0 and SMB3.0 services, which are too new.  Due to the MASSIVE SECURITY HOLES present in SMB1.0 (which was **NEVER** intended to share a network segment with the internet, EVER) it is disabled by default.

 

https://www.tachytelic.net/2019/09/windows-10-enable-smb1/

 

After that, you need to create a share that has "Share level" peer-to-peer access control.

https://silicophilic.com/setup-a-peer-to-peer-network/

(Most consumer NAS devices are already configured this way, and you can omit this step if you have one.)

 

You will also need to change the security policy to use older MS Lanman style announce messages.

http://kishy.ca/?p=1511

 

With any luck, shares should be capable of being created and used in either direction after this.

 

I would recommend having and using a consumer NAS (or a home-made one, using SAMBA, which is configured to work with SMB1.0 clients), as it can more readily facilitate this kind of interoperability. (Modern hosts will use SMB2/3, and the 9x Host will use SMB1.0, and they can talk to the same share.)

 

Again, due to the extreme security holes in SMB1.0, it should not be readily accessible from the internet, and ideally, should not be connected to the internet at all.

Edited by wierd_w
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19 hours ago, RetroB1977 said:

Maybe forget connecting it to the internet... Could I connect to my Linux Sambashare server safely?

If internet is not working, check that it's getting an IP address, gateway, dns with ipconfig.  Test by pinging another local device, then try pinging google.com.

 

For SMB1 client support install "client for microsoft networks".  Remove the default gateway in tcp/ip if you don't want internet.  If you don't want to add smb1 to the sever you can exchange files through ftp.

Edited by mr_me
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2 hours ago, RetroB1977 said:

I tried the Browservice thing and that didn't work... It works on every modern computer I have. Not on the Windows 95 machine plugged right into it! I get an error about the protocol being invalid. 

I'm guessing this means Windows 95 is not configured right...? It gives an extension error when the page doesn't exist so it is connected. Hmm...

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On 2/21/2022 at 2:45 PM, RetroB1977 said:

Okay I have already installed TCP/IP. I don't have a DHCP server though. (Sorry, I'm a noob at networking.) Also I only plan to just mess around with it, not keep it long term.

Your router likely serves up DHCP.

 

You don't need to use DHCP if not supported, you can assign it an IP address that it in your home network's range as long as you know nothing else will use it.

 

TCP/IP on Windows 95 isn't the easiest to set-up.   Win95 came around the time the internet started to explode but most corporate networks were running something like Novell and TCP/IP was included almost as an afterthought.

 

If you could get your hands on Win98,  it's a lot more internet ready. 

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1 minute ago, zzip said:

Your router likely serves up DHCP.

 

You don't need to use DHCP if not supported, you can assign it an IP address that it in your home network's range as long as you know nothing else will use it.

 

TCP/IP on Windows 95 isn't the easiest to set-up.   Win95 came around the time the internet started to explode but most corporate networks were running something like Novell and TCP/IP was included almost as an afterthought.

 

If you could get your hands on Win98,  it's a lot more internet ready. 

Good news! I ordered Win98 yesterday!

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35 minutes ago, RetroB1977 said:

Nope, it give a protocol error on every IP address. It is not connected at all.

Stupid me. The ethernet connection isn't working right! :) I wonder how I make the Linux machine connect. I'll wait until I have Win 98 so I can just use ethernet on my router.

Edited by RetroB1977
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