Windows 98 on a laptop using built-in Infra red operating as SIR

There are two areas to check.

First check the ‘Devices’ on ‘My computer’, and then check the ‘Networking’ arrangements under ‘Network neighbourhood’.

Checking My Computer ‘Devices’

Right clicking on 'My computer' brings up a small menu. Click on ‘Properties’ to inspect the devices. You need to check 4 things:

  1. Device manager shows an 'infrared' device. The infra-red device has one lower level entry (click on the + sign to see it), 'Infrared communication device'. Inspecting the properties of that Infra Red communication device reveal no settable options.
  2. The IrDA system provides an emulated 3-wire or 9-wire serial port. The main communication is via the emulated serial or parallel ports, serial in the case of access to a mobile phone. These can be found under the 'Ports (COM and LPT)'. Clicking on the + sign reveals several entries, but two are relevant to IrDA. There should be a Virtual Infra Red COM port, and a Virtual Infrared LPT port. I have not bothered checking the LPT port, but the properties on the Virtual IR COM port are unexciting, simply saying it is working properly.
  3. Inspection of 'network adapters' should reveal an 'infrared PnP serial port'. Check to ensure it has no conflicts.
  4. Inspection of 'Modems' should reveal, in the basic system, 'serial cable on com4' (it might be on com3 or com2) which is linked in its 'properties' tab to 'virtual infrared Com port'. If a GSM phone IR modem has been installed at this stage, it too should be listed here. Check its properties to ensure any GSM IR phone modem is linked to the ‘virtual Infra Red Com port’ under the ‘modem’ tab.

Checking 'Network neighbourhood' properties

Select Network Neighbourhood, and examine its ‘Properties’. (Right clicking will bring up a small menu.)

There is a networking ‘wizard’ displaying various settings for ‘Adapters’ and ‘Protocols’.

You should find:

Adapter(s)

Protocol

 

(contents) (other settings)