Re: [Announce] Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection

["Jeff V. Merkey" <jmerkey@wolfmountaingroup.com>]

Awesome. Now all we need is someone to write the bcm series for wireless 
and ndiswrapper
can go away.

Jeff

James Ketrenos wrote:

>Intel is pleased to announce the launch of an open source project to
>support the Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection mini-PCI
>express adapter (IPW3945).
>
>The project is hosted at http://ipw3945.sourceforge.net.  A development
>mailing list is available (linked from the top of the IPW3945 project
>page.)  You can find the current development release for the adapter by
>following the links on the project home page.
>
>A stable [end user targetted] version is not yet available. Those
>interested in using the development version should review
>the notice linked to from the project page.  A stable version should
>be available in the next few weeks.
>
>Aside from a form factor change (our prior wireless cards were mini PCI
>while this one is mini PCI express), this project has also changed the
>division of work between what occurs on the adapter and what the host is
>responsible for performing.  The microcode and hardware provide lower
>level MAC services (timings, backoffs, transmit queue management, etc.)
>The host is responsible for middle and upper layer MAC services.
>
>As a result of this change, some of the capabilities currently required
>to be provided on the host include enforcement of regulatory limits for
>the radio transmitter (radio calibration, transmit power, valid
>channels, 802.11h, etc.)  In order to meet the requirements of all
>geographies into which our adapters ship (over 100 countries) we have
>placed the regulatory enforcement logic into a user space daemon that
>we provide as a binary under the same license agreement as the
>microcode.  We provide that binary pre-compiled as both a 32-bit and
>64-bit application.  The daemon utilizes a sysfs interface exposed by
>the driver in order to communicate with the hardware and configure the
>required regulatory parameters.
>
>Those familiar with our prior projects may be pleased with the changes
>we have made with the license agreement for binary portions of this new
>project.  We were able to provide a more easily understood agreement
>for the binary components required for the adapter to function.  While
>this new license still restricts against reverse engineering and
>modification, it has been changed to allow easier redistribution.  You
>can find the terms of the agreement accessible from the microcode
>and daemon download page linked to from the project site.
>
>The current development snapshot contains backward compatibility code
>to allow the driver to work in older kernels.  We will be removing 
>that code prior to submitting the driver for inclusion in the kernel.
>
>Thanks,
>James
>
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