Wireless IP cores and HostAP

[Dominique Blas]

Hi,

Maybe you know that it exists what is called IP (Intellectual Property) chips (or IC, Integrated Circuits) .
These chips focus on a particular technology (cryptography, telecoms, routing, etc) and are then reselled as core products.
Newlogic, based in Austria is such a foundry.

Moreover, newlogic sampled a new line of IP products called WiLD that contains all is needed to build a 802.11a/b/g wireless element.
Of course, as it's a core there is nothing else than the basic functions : radio interface, downdrop converter, broadband modem and MAC processor.
Clearly speaking, there is no host interface (whatever it can be : PCMCIA, PCI or USB).

So, in order to make a real product you'll have to integrate a host controller and drop every body onto a chipboard.

But, despite these different step,I'm convinced that It would be very interesting for the community built around HostAP to use this chipset. 

To be compared to existing chipsets (ie Prism) the WiLD permits us to not have a embedded secondary firmware but a host controlled secondary firmware  through HostAP.

I let you imagine what could be the possibilities offered by such a combination : we'll blow out all the existing AP on the market .

Of course we have to find an integrator that accepts (and feels it good for its business) the buy the developer kit from newlogic and to use HostAP as its core software,

Any further idea ?

db