Windows 95/98
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Windows 9X NetworkingWinsock 2.0Windows Sockets OverviewWindows Sockets, or Winsock, is an open network API standard that was originally designed to provide consistent programming interface for TCP/IP on all versions of Microsoft Windows including:
Functions of Winsock 2Winsock 2.0 provides all of the Winsock functionality provided in Windows 95, plus the following new features:
Winsock 2.0 Architecture
Winsock 2.0 provides an API interface to network applications similar to what was provided by the Winsock 1.1 support in Windows 95. Unlike Winsock 1.1, however, Winsock 2.0 exposes an interface between itself and protocols beneath it on the network stack. This interface is called the Service Provider Interface. Winsock Service Provider Interface (SPI)The Service Provider Interface is the layer between service providers and Winsock. Although the SPI is an open standard, currently, the only transport protocol included with Windows 98 that supports SPI is TCP/IP. As such, TCP/IP is currently the only protocol included with Windows 98 that supports Windows Sockets. The name space SPI allows multiple name resolution services to be accessed through a uniform API. As vendors create service providers for DNS, Novell Directory Services, and X.500, all their name resolution capabilities will be accessible to Windows Sockets applications via the Winsock name space SPI. Winsock 1.1 Backward CompatibilityTo provide backward compatibility, the version 2 architecture includes 16-bit and 32-bit dynamic-link library (DLL) implementations of Windows Sockets version 1.1 Winsock 2 Support IssuesUninstalling Winsock 2 and reinstalling Winsock 1.1If Windows 98 is installed over Windows 95, all Winsock 1.1 components are backed up. In the event that you experience interoperability problems with Winsock 2, and are unable to workaround the problem. Winsock 2 can be uninstalled to return your machine to the pre-existing Winsock 1.1 configuration. Uninstall is performed by opening the Add/Remove Programs applet in the Control Panel and selecting "Restore Winsock 1.X Configuration", then clicking "Yes" when prompted. Note: After you go back to Winsock 1.1 you can return to Winsock 2 by removing TCP/IP from Network Properties in Control Panel. This also places Restore Winsock 1.X Configuration back into Add/Remove programs in Control Panel. Applications known to fail with Winsock 2Winsock 2 installation breaks applications and network stacks that replace the Microsoft Windows 95 version of Winsock.dll or wsock32.dll. In an effort to minimize the impact of this issue, Winsock 2 will not be installed as part of Windows 98 installation if any of the following are detected:
Microsoft is working with all of these vendors to ensure that all of these applications will work with Winsock 2 in the near future. Please do not file bugs against the applications mentioned above in this round of beta testing. Winsock 1.1 functionality not supported by Winsock 216-bit Winsock 1.1 applications that share socket handles do not work. (This includes Microsoft Proxys 16 bit Winsock Proxy Client)
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