Windows 95 Support for Infrared Data Association Connectivity
ID: Q139445
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The information in this article applies to:
SUMMARY
Microsoft has added support for Infrared Data Association (IrDA)
connectivity to Windows 95. The latest release of the Infrared (IR)
Communications Driver for Windows 95 is version 2.0.
Infrared (IR) communications, based on technology similar to that used in
remote controls, offers a convenient and reliable way to connect to
peripheral devices without cables. IrDA connectivity is designed to take
advantage of mobile computing features already built into Windows 95 and
supports Plug and Play.
The Infrared Communications Driver version 2.0 is an optional component of
the Windows 95 operating system. The Infrared Communications Driver
supports hardware devices which enable networking and communications over
infrared media. The hardware device can be an infrared port built into the
platform or an infrared adapter connected to one of the platform's serial
or parallel ports.
Infrared devices and Infrared Communications Driver 2.0 provide the
following benefits:
- You can use wireless infrared links instead of serial and parallel
cables. For example, instead of using a serial or parallel cable, you
can exchange files between two computers that are equipped with an
infrared device and Infrared Communications Driver 2.0. You can also
print to infrared-capable printers without the need for cable.
- With IrLan you can use wireless infrared links rather than network
cable to access your local area network (LAN). IrLan currently supports
Access Point Mode. Access Point Mode enables a computer with an IrDA
adapter to attach to a local area network through an access point
device that acts as the network adapter for the computer.
An access point device is hardware supporting both a LAN network
interface controller (NIC) and an infrared transceiver. For
communication over the infrared link, the access point device runs a
protocol stack that conforms to the IrDA standards and runs the IrLan
protocol over the IrDA stack. The access point device implements a
network adapter for the client using infrared as the bus for accessing
the adapter.
Currently there are two companies building Access Points: Hewlett-
Packard (HP) and Extended System. Infrared Communications Driver 2.0
has been tested on both access points.
Infrared Communications Driver 2.0 supports infrared communications links
running at speeds up to 115.2 Kbps.
MORE INFORMATIONInstallation
To install IrDA connectivity in Windows 95, follow these steps:
- Download the W95ir.exe file from one of the online services listed
below to an empty folder.
- In My Computer or Windows Explorer, double-click the W95ir.exe file
to expand the files it contains.
By default, these files are copied to the Msir20 folder.
- Open the Relnotes.doc file in WordPad or another word processor for
complete installation instructions. This file is in the Msir20 folder.
NOTE: The Relnotes.doc file is also available in the following articles
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q149449 IR Communications Driver 2.0 Relnotes.doc (Part 1 of 2)
Q149450 IR Communications Driver 2.0 Relnotes.doc (Part 2 of 2)
Instructions for Downloading
The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Software
Library:
~ W95ir.exe
For more information about downloading files from the Microsoft Software
Library, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services
Additional query words:
2.00 2.0 wireless irda2
Keywords : kbfile win95 wincomm
Version : 95
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :
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