Linksys WLAN Monitor V2 C++ Runtime error and CoCreateInstance Failed

[LeftieLouie]

I am having trouble with the Linksys WLAN monitor version 2. I receive the following messages during system startup or when I launch the WLAN monitor manually.

"odhost.exe CoCreateInstance Failed" followed by
"C++ Runtime error in c:\Program files\ ...\WPC54CFG.EXE"

I looked at the modules in Network Neighborhood | Properties and saw two copies of the LAN adapter, I deleted both and let Windows 98se reinstall it. I have a good connection and I can access the net OK, but I need
the WLAN monitor to set the security settings - I don't like running unprotected.

I had my Linksys WPC54G working but the last thing that Linksys support suggested was uninstalling the WLAN Monitor and installing the update from their web site. That didn't work, so they had me uninstall the updated and
reinstall the WLAN monitor from the install CD. The WLAN monitor hasn't worked since. (Their suggestion was to return the product!) Windows is acting like the uninstall associated with the upated WLAN monitor uninstalled too much and clobbered the C++ runtime library.

I know that Linksys built the WLAN monitor with some specific version of the C++ Runtime library, if I knew what that was I think I could reinstall it without doing a "clean Windows installation". Doing a Windows overlay installation had no effect on the operation of the WLAN Monitor.

Does anybody have any other suggestions on how to find which C++ library the Linksys WLAN monitor is looking for?

Is There a way to look at the Linksys uninstall script to see what it deleted?

[Archangel122184]

C++ doesn't work that way. C++ are complete packages with all linkages made internally. Yes they are programmed for certain systems and use specific syscalls, but you should never have to download libraries, if you did you'd be compiling everything you downloaded which since I use BSD and linux is familiar, it is still a pain in the ass sometimes.

[LeftieLouie]

Thanks for the clarification on C++ under Win98se, never the less, the symptoms began after uninstalling the updated WLAN Monitor from Linksys. Installing the CDROM distribution WLAN version doesn't help.

Is there some other module that Linksys failed to install? BAdWaYz suggested that Orangeville do a clean Windows installation. What could Linksys have overwritten or deleted?

I'm open to try almost anything. If you tell me it's a sure thing I will do a clean Windows 98se install on an unused partition. It's not so much the Windows install, it's rebuilding all the other applications.

Thanks for your suggestions.

[Orangeville]

Not a solution but what happened to me was:

I installed the software out of the box - the card could not associate with the access point. I looked at the Linksys support site and there was a link for a driver download for laptops with Texas Instrument bus installed. I downloaded and installed the driver and nothing worked - wouldnt even recognize the wireless card. I uninstalled then reinstalled the original software. During installation I got a message saying "iphlpapi.dll" was needed - insert Win98 cd. I got the dll file from my cab files ( I think) on my hard drive. Rebooted and I started getting the ODHOST and Runtime messages on startup - but I also now had association with the AP - but still no internet. Gave up and reinstalled windows and a wireless "b" card works fine but I still couldnt get the Linksys "g" card to work. Redid all of the above - got same messages and decided to cut my losses and stick with the "b" card.

FWIW I found the Netgear support to be very helpful and willing to spend the time but Linksys support not too helpful and couldn't get me off the phone fast enough.

Cheers

[bAdWaYz]

My guess is that when you did the uninstall of the WLAN monitor and the update some of it mayb have been left behind then when you did the reinstall it just pooched things up pretty bad. I have read all over the net where this product doesn't work well with 98 or 2k. I even went so far as to call linksys today and spend time on the phone with tech support. Turns out the big story is he didn't know either. I will do some more reading on the issue but in the meantime I can't offer a fix that I would feel 100% right about. If you have an XP computer you can use try the card in it and see if you get the same errors.

[LeftieLouie]

I found an interesting dialog on www.dslreports/forum/linksys
(http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,8606585~mode=flat~days=9999~start=20"

Imann's procedure may have some clues as to what is going on. I did find numerous registry entries for Odyssey Client on my machine (IBM Thinkpad 380XD/96Meg/Win98SE). The contact I spoke to at Funk Software (www.funk.com) said that they have word that Linksys/Cisco is getting out of the wireless card market - that may explain their inability and/or unwillingness to provide support for a product that they marketed as working under W98SE.

I will post the results after trying Imann's procedure...

Update: I did one thing, I installed the Odyssey Client from Funk Software (without uninstalling WLAN Monitor). WLAN monitor no longer gives error messages. I also found a tech note on the www.funk.com web site:
www.funk.com/subsections/odytechnotes.asp refer to tech note OD185, I think you'll find it revealing - it talks about how the Linksys setup clobbers iphlpapi.dll and how to restore it.

I'm still working with the security settings, but at least I have two potential tools to use: WLAN Monitor and Odyssey Client. I hope the above information is useful to others researching this problem.

Thanks again and I'm still hoping for feedback on the root cause here!