I'm looking for open-source software that integrates a PCMCIA 802.11-type network card onto a 16/32-bit MCU (M-CORE, ARM, H8S, SH2) with or without an embedded OS. I am porting an old V25 design to a new platform and new connectivity, and I'm in the process of sizing the various options. Ethernet is a no-brainer, but integrated 802.11 is really closer to what they need (if its feasible).
It is feasible, but the only open-source driver is in Linux, which is a sizeable chunk of software to port to your board. If you're hoping to use a lightweight OS with suitable device drivers, you may find it a full-time job keeping up with the technology, as 802.11b becomes
802.11g, WEP becomes WPA and 802.11i.If you can consider alternatives to open source, take a look at our new ER22 PICmicro WLAN board with I/O; although designed for a microcontroller with limited RAM, the code could be ported to other platforms.
Jeremy Bentham Iosoft ltd.
Another alternative to open source is CMX-MicroNet with the Wireless Ethernet Add-On. The wireless ethernet driver is based on the Intersil Prism chipset and is running on an H8S. The driver works with and without an RTOS, in Infrastructure or Ad Hoc mode, and using 64-bit or 128-bit WEP or without WEP. CMX-MicroNet also uses very little ROM and RAM. See
Paul Bosselaers CMX Systems, Inc.
Check out Ubicom's IP2022. They've got a reference model for 802.11, the chip seems to pack a lot of punch, and the feedback here has been generally very positive. It implements interfaces in software using high-speed serdes, so one chip can do USB, Ethernet, 802.11, etc.
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