PCI Wifi card idea

[motorollin]

I don't know if this would work but here goes...

With the Mediator we can use PCI Realtek Ethernet cards. Into that we can connect a Wifi bridge to get wireless access. Is there any reason why this couldn't be combined in to one PCI card? So as far as the Amiga is concerned, the card is a standard Realtek RTL8139 Ethernet chipset, but then the card is internally connected to a Wifi Bridge with an antenna on the back of the PCI card.

I know there would not be enough of a market of Amiga users for this to be developed (if it would even work). But this could also be useful for people using Linux/Unix/BSD etc, as most kernels seem to support the RTL8139 chipset, so it would be much more compatible than Wifi chipsets.

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moto

[amigakit]

We installed a Wireless network at a customers property last week.  We used a NETPCM003 and D-Link Wireless Bridge to enable the A1200 to connect wirelessly.  The PC then connected directly into the router.  The customer was then able to access the PC's hard drive (as an icon on the Workbench) and access the internet on the A1200.

This solution had good reach around a traditional building with fairly thick walls.

[motorollin]

I've used Wifi Bridges that connect to the Ethernet port of the Amiga's network card. I was talking about having the Wifi bridge on the PCI card so you don't need a bridge hanging out the back of the Amiga.

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moto

[amigakit]

Interesting idea.

Well you could remove the case from the bridge and then mount it to a back plate, but then you would still have the problem of powering it internally.

[motorollin]

That't not a problem - my Wifi bridge is 5v so I powered it off a molex connector. I might try ripping it to bits and mounting in inside the case. It would be neat to have it all in one PCI card though :-)

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moto

[LawlessPPC]

you can by direct wifi cards that are PCI the problem is do they work with any existing Amiga drivers?

[motorollin]

Read my original post :-) The card I was suggesting has an RTL8139 Ethernet chipset, so the Mediator drivers would be compatible with it. The card also contains the same circuitry as a wireless bridge, connected to where the Ethernet port would be on the Realtek card. So as far as the Amiga is concerned, it is talking to a Realtek ethernet card, and the PCI card then bridges that to the Wifi network.

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moto

[PaSha]

It's propably cheaper to have someone write/port a driver...

EDIT:
You could ofcourse try to hack an external bridge inside the tower somehow...

[Floid]

Realtek have made a few 802.11 chipsets that have earned OpenBSD's blessing; I haven't looked to see if the interfaces are at all related to their wired designs, but at least that means they're documented.

The external implementation is usually a blessing from a RF and convenience perspective, and Linux/BSD support isn't really that dire, so I'm not sure I see a niche.

[Iggy_Drougge]

The Amiga already has drivers for genuine WLAN cards. They work with PCI cards in AmigaOne and with PCMCIA cards on the A1200.