Re: [Announce] Intel Wireless Multicomm 3200 WiFi driver

[Zhu Yi <yi.zhu@intel.com>]

On Sun, 2009-05-31 at 20:10 +0800, Maxim Levitsky wrote:
> This is a fullmac driver, thus if I understand correctly, it behaves
> on the outside more like an Ethernet adapter.

Depends on how you define "outside". From the user point of view: yes;
from the firmware point of view: no. Take a look at the new functions
ieee80211_data_{from|to}_8023 in cfg80211 and their usage in
iwmc3200wifi.

> This will mean that many things possible with normal softmac card
> won't be possible, like sending raw packets, etc...

See above.

> (and besides I belive that hardware is more or less the same,

The hardware is different as we mentioned it is a multicomm device.

> but more functionality is pushed down to firmware, and more firmware
> code equals to bigger probability of bugs that aren't possible to
> triage and solve easily.

That's the con. The pro is saving more host CPU power and portability.

> Does this device indicate that intel moves away from softmac devices,
> or this is a device that will mostly be used in some dedicated market
> sector (embedded devices for example)?

I think it should be capable for embedded devices as well as
desktop/laptops.

Thanks,
-yi