Wireless, D-LINK

[Rick Stevens]

Robert G. (Doc) Savage wrote:
> On Mon, 2004-03-15 at 18:49, Rick Stevens wrote:
> 
>>I can assure you that the D-Link DWL-650+ card (the one with the curved
>>antenna) will NOT work with Linux as it uses a TI chipset and they won't
>>release the API to open source.  It works quite well with ndiswrapper,
>>however.
> 
> 
> Rick,
> 
> The same is true of D-Link's DWL-A650 5GHz 802.11a card. Its
> corresponding DI-754 access point works fine with Linux, but requires
> only a web browser to configure for operation.

As does their AP-900+ and AP-1000+ access points/clients/repeaters.  I
use an AP-900+ at home to link my garage/lab's hub to the DI-614+
wireless router/hub/firewall in the house.

> I have heard thru the grapevine (believe it, why not?) that the actual
> reason D-Link will not relase its APIs to open source is that they have
> a very strict NDA with the chip's manufacturer. For all I really know
> this may be just another urban legend, but it has a curious ring of
> truth to it. As the story goes, D-Link respects this NDA not so much
> because of some minor trade secrets, but because the chipset reportedly
> has frequency and power capabilities with potential for real abuse.

Yes, I know.  The chip maker is Texas Instruments and yes, the chips can
"speak" outside the frequency spectrums permitted by 802.11a/b/g.  The
power is also adjustable up to a certain point.

> D-Link would not want to become known as the maker of WiFi cards that,
> in irresponsible hands, could cause significant interference to military
> and public safety communications. To avoid this, says the story, they
> supply only Windows drivers in binary form.

I understand that and I respect it.  However, as I said, any binary
driver can be disassembled and tweaked or the operation can be inspected
and simulated.  For legal reaons, yes, D-Link and TI want to distance
themselves as much as possible from such shenannigans.  I'm not blaming
them.  I'm simply making a statement about the inavailability of open
source drivers from TI and a number of other chip makers.
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- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens at vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
-      I won't rise to the occasion, but I'll slide over to it.      -
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