# Winsock **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 24, 2000, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winsock/47061 "2000-12-24T04:12:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2000, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winsock/47061/1 "2000-12-24T04:12:35Z")
I recently downloaded a new version of a favorite program. It tells me that my Winsock version is suboptimal and I should get a newer version. How do I get a new Winsock? Which should I use? (I run Win 95 on a Pentium II 233MHz.) Is there any danger in replacing my old version? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![kinoons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2000, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winsock/47061/2 "2000-12-24T04:39:16Z")
you can update your Internet explorer to version 5.5, that might get you a newer version of the winsock ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2000, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winsock/47061/3 "2000-12-24T04:43:50Z")
Sorry. I forgot to mention that I use Netscape. ---
**Author:** ![kinoons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2000, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winsock/47061/4 "2000-12-24T04:51:01Z")
Touche – winsocks are files built into the windows OS for viewing the internet. I’d give upgrading to IE 5.5 a shot even if you use netscape ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2000, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winsock/47061/5 "2000-12-24T05:04:32Z")
Thanks, **kinoons** , but I am very wary of downloading any MS stuff, especially IE. When I had it before, IE seemed to run in the background and I think it may have interfered with Netscape. Also, I am very afraid that installing a new IE will generally play havoc with my Netscape and system. I am probably paranoid but, when you’re as Web and computer illiterate as I am, it’s probably reasonable to leave ‘well enough’ alone (unless I get really desperate). But thanks for your interest! ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2000, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winsock/47061/6 "2000-12-24T05:31:46Z")
I couldn’t get the link to work here, but what you need is the Winsock 2 update. Just do a search for “Winsock 2”. You might just want to install the DUN 1.3 (dial up networking) update, as it includes Winsock 2 plus a number of performance/security enhancements. It is on the MS site as well, just search for "DUN 1.3 As far as I know, these are the final such updates for win95. I installed them a while back with no problems. ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2000, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winsock/47061/7 "2000-12-24T05:37:04Z")
Oh, BTW, you might also want to install the “Kernel 32” update. It addresses some issues which, among other things, can contribute to Netscape locking up. (the dreaded kernel32 error) ---
**Author:** ![WillGolfForFood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/82dd89/32.png) [@WillGolfForFood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillGolfForFood)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2000, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winsock/47061/8 "2000-12-24T14:15:12Z")
You can get the Winsock 2 update for Windows 95 direct from Microsoft’s support website ([support.microsoft.com](http://support.microsoft.com)) either by performing a search for “Winsock 2” in the “Windows 95” section or by linking directly to here: [http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q182/1/08.ASP](http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q182/1/08.ASP) In addition to providing support for the Winsock 2 standard (the version of winsock that shipped with Windows 95 only supported Winsock 1.1), this upgrade also fixes some bugs that were apparently in the original release. I recently had to perform this upgrade on a couple of computers because a VB app that I built that generated multicasts required it. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2000, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winsock/47061/9 "2000-12-24T17:10:59Z")
Thank you all. I will try this when I get home (I have to work today!) ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2000, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winsock/47061/10 "2000-12-24T19:28:14Z")
Seems to have worked. Interestingly, I could’t DL it via Navigator. Had to dust off IE and use it. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![kinoons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2000, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winsock/47061/11 "2000-12-24T20:25:21Z")
Thanks for the info golf, I’ll stick that in the back of my mind for further use!