Conexant (formerly Harris/Intersil) PRISM II/2.5/3

The PRISM I chip set was not 802.11b and was limited to 2mb.

PRISM FVO (Frequently Voiced Opinions)

O. PRISM 3 cards are not as good as PRISM II/2.5 cards.

R. PRISM 3 cards have fewer ICs and use a direct digital up/down-converting software defined radio (zero IF). PRISM II/2.5 cards use a digital up/down-converting superheterodyne software defined radio with a specified intermediate frequency (IF) stage. A superheterodyne radio is often superior, however in practice there is more difference in performance between different sets of cards than there is between PRISM II/2.5 and 3 chip sets.

O. PRISM cards from vendor X receive better. See table at some website or other ....

R. The difference in performance of PRISM cards among vendors can be just the difference in antenna structures of the cards. In practice there is little or no difference. A significant drop in performance from one card to the next most often means that the card is bad.

O. Vendor X access points/routers only work with vendor X cards. PRISM cards won't work with cards/access points/routers that use vendor R chip sets.

R. So long as all WLAN components meet 802.11b standards there will be no problems with interoperability. Some cards/drivers do not support all of the various encryption/privacy (WPA, WPA2) methods. Besides, as shown below, vendors may in fact rebadge hardware made by several different suppliers as the SAME MODEL!

O. I want a 100mW, 200mW, or 300mW card!

R. No you don't! Cards with higher output were originally intended for OEM use in routers or other networking equipment and may not work in typical PC Laptop Computers. In fact, the FCC requires that these cards MUST NOT work in Laptops. 802.11b is supposed to be a "Local" Area Network. Consider a directional gain antenna instead. Someone could easily snoop a 200mW signal from up to 3 miles away! BTW: that's milli-Watts == .001 watt. 200 Mega-Watts at 2.4 GHz would cook everything in it's path!

370mW == 25.68dBm
200mW == 23dBm
100mW == 20dBm
60mW == 18dBm == maximum output of PRISM PA (HFA3983/ISL3984)
200mW - 60mW == 23dBm - 18dBm == 5dBm
Gain of simple directional 2.4GHz antenna => 5dB
Loss through window glass => -5dB to -15dB
Loss through trees/forest => -17dB/100 feet
Loss through 10 inches of moist concrete => -24dB "dry" concrete comes in a bag:)
Loss through air => -38dB/mile; -7.2dB/1000 feet
Signal through chain link fence == 0 Why ? The 1 to 1 1/2 inch links in a chain link fence form a reflector at 2.4 GHz.

O. 3.3 volt cards need a Cardbus slot. PC Card slots are 5 volts and will damage 3.3 volt cards.

R. No. Many 3.3 volt cards will work at either 3.3 or 5 volts.
From PCMCIA.org:

Why won't some cards fit into the slot on an older computer? The PC Card Standard includes definitions for the operation of PC Cards at two different voltages: 3.3 V and 5.0 V. A "key" was defined on the edge of the PC Card connector to prevent 3.3 V cards from inserting into slots that only operate at 5.0 V in order to prevent damage to the card. Some cards are able to operate at either voltage, and some slots are able to accept cards that operate at either voltage. If you have a card that will not fit into a slot, that means that the slot is providing 5.0 V and the card will only operate at 3.3 V. Do not attempt to remove the connector key, because if you do so and insert the card, the card will very likely be damaged beyond repair. The CardBus interface was defined as a 3.3 V-only interface, so they will not operate on a 5.0 V-only system.

Or.... Dual voltage cards are keyed to work in any PC Card slot. Dual voltage PC Card slots will accept cards keyed for either voltage.
5 Volt =>

3.3 Volt =>

Dual Volt =>

Tested PRISM II/2.5/3 WLAN Cards

Note on FCC ID and ODM/OEM info:: FCC ID listed has been verified via «FCC OET Database»«FCC OET Database» . ODM/OEM info is often printed on the circuit board or included in the FCC data. ODM/OEM data can not be 100% verified. It would not be unusual to find more than one ODM/OEM per product.

NetBSD «wi(4)»«wi(4)» driver

Eventually, all cards will be tested in all 3 platforms

NetBSD/hpcmips - IBM Z50 Workpad
NetBSD/alpha - Multia/UDB
NetBSD/i386 - IBM Thinkpad 365XD and/or 560

^1,2,3 AmbiCom WL1100B / PRISM 2.5 -
FCC ID: INVALID: NI3-2511CD-PLUS / Correct: «NI3-2511CD»«NI3-2511CD» (ODM/OEM == Senao SL-2511CD)
Card sample has wrong FCC ID.
```
wi0 at pcmcia0 function 0: <AmbiCom, WL1100B 802.11b PC-Card, 2.2>
...
wi0: using RF:PRISM2.5 MAC:ISL3873B(PCMCIA)
wi0: Intersil Firmware: Primary (1.1.1), Station (1.8.4)
wi0: 11b rates: 1Mbps 2Mbps 5.5Mbps 11Mbps
```
^1,2,3 Compaq WL100 / PRISM II - FCC ID: «E2XSWL-2000N»«E2XSWL-2000N» (ODM/OEM == Samsung SWL-2000N)
^2,3 3.3 volt only card - won't fit in Multia or early Thinkpad 365XD or 560.
Works fine in the Z50. Also works OK under Windows XP.
Similar to Proxim Harmony OEM below.
```
wi0 at pcmcia0 function 0: <Compaq, WL100_11Mbps_Wireless_PC_Card, Version 01.00, >
...
wi0: using RF:PRISM2 MAC:HFA3841 CARD:HWB3163 rev.A
wi0: Intersil Firmware: Primary (0.3.0), Station (1.7.1)
wi0: 11b rates: 1Mbps 2Mbps 5.5Mbps 11Mbps
```
D-Link DWL-650 (rev A-J, and P only. Others, Cardbus)
```
wi0 at pcmcia0 function 0: <D, Link DWL-650 11Mbps WLAN Card, Version 01.02, >
```
- ^1,2,3 rev A / PRISM II - FCC ID: «MXF-WL211F»«MXF-WL211F» (ODM/OEM == Gemtek WL211F rev 02)
  Early rev J cards may use same label
  Note: The card in the FCC photos is the rev A card - WL211F rev 02.
  Unlike the Intersil reference design, HWB3163, the DWL-650 rev A card has a 5 V to 3.3 V LDO regulator on the card and will work with 5 or 3.3 volts.
```
wi0: using RF:PRISM2 MAC:HFA3841 CARD:HWB3163 rev.A
wi0: Intersil Firmware: Primary (0.3.0), Station (1.7.1)
wi0: 11b rates: 1Mbps 2Mbps 5.5Mbps 11Mbps
```
- ^1,2,3 rev J3 / PRISM 2.5 - FCC ID: MXF-WL211F (ODM/OEM == GemTek WL211F rev 15?)
  Note: The rev J3 card I have uses the Harris/Intersil HFA3842 MAC / HFA3863 BBP and not the ISL3873B BBP/MAC chip.
  D-Link claims the DWL-650 rev J3 requires a Cardbus slot because the card uses 3.3 V. The DWL-650 rev J3 cards are dual voltage cards. They have a 5 V to 3.3 V LDO regulator on the card.
```
wi0: using RF:PRISM2.5 MAC:ISL3873B(PCMCIA)
wi0: Intersil Firmware: Primary (1.1.1), Station (1.8.4)
wi0: 11b rates: 1Mbps 2Mbps 5.5Mbps 11Mbps
```
- ^untested rev P1 / PRISM 3 - FCC ID: «KA22003070026-1»«KA22003070026-1»
  Needs downloaded firmware, no flash on card.
  Needs Primary (1.1.2) pm010102.hex; Station (1.8.4) rf010804.hex to be loaded by driver before initialization.
```
wi0 at pcmcia0 function 0: <D-Link, DWL-650 Wireless PC Card RevP, ISL37101P-10, A3>
..
wi0: command timed out, cmd=0x0, arg=0x0
wi0: wi_cmd: busy bit won't clear.
wi0: wi_cmd: busy bit won't clear.
wi0: wi_cmd: busy bit won't clear.
wi0: wi_cmd: busy bit won't clear.
wi0: init failed
wi0: failed to attach controller
```
Linksys WPC11 - (Version 1 through 3 only. Version 4 and greater are Cardbus.)
- ^1,2,3 (V.1) / PRISM II - FCC ID: «O7J-GL2411010700»«O7J-GL2411010700» (ODM/OEM == Global Sun Communications GL241101)
  Unlike the Intersil reference design, HWB3163, the WPC11 version 1 card has a 5 V to 3.3 V LDO regulator on the card and will work with 5 or 3.3 volts.
```
wi0 at pcmcia0 function 0: <Instant Wireless ,  Network PC CARD, Version 01.02, >
...
wi0: using RF:PRISM2 MAC:HFA3841 CARD:HWB3163 rev.A
wi0: Intersil Firmware: Primary (0.3.0), Station (1.7.1)
wi0: 11b rates: 1Mbps 2Mbps 5.5Mbps 11Mbps
```
- ^untested (V.2.5) / PRISM 2.5 -
  FCC ID: INVALID: PKW-WPC11-V2 / Probably should be: «PKW-WPC11-V29»«PKW-WPC11-V29»
  (ODM/OEM == BroMax Communications WE250, FCC ID: «O6M-WE250»«O6M-WE250»)
  Card sample has wrong FCC ID.
- ^1,2,3 (V.3) / PRISM 3 - FCC ID: «PKW-WPC11-V3»«PKW-WPC11-V3»
  (ODM/OEM == BroMax Communications WE300, FCC ID: «O6M-WE300»«O6M-WE300»)
  Intersil reference design ISL37300P is a PRISM 2.5 design not PRISM 3. OOPS!
```
wi0 at pcmcia0 function 0: <The Linksys Group, Inc., Instant Wireless Network PC Card, ISL37300P, RevA>
...
wi0: using RF:PRISM3 MAC:ISL3871(PCMCIA)
wi0: Intersil Firmware: Primary (1.1.1), Station (1.8.4)
wi0: 11b rates: 1Mbps 2Mbps 5.5Mbps 11Mbps
```
^untested Microsoft MN-520 - FCC ID: «HEDACC3501D68»«HEDACC3501D68»
(ODM/OEM == Accton WN3301F)
^untested Netgear MA-401 - FCC ID: «PD5LMWP100»«PD5LMWP100»
¹ Proxim Harmony OEM / PRISM II - FCC ID: unknown
(ODM/OEM == similar to Samsung SWL2000 series)
Probably prototypes or evaluation units that DID NOT pass and therefore have no traceable FCC records.
Circuit board says "rev : SWLAN2KD6-VER 3.0 / designed by Jino & Wongi"
Not supported in any version of NetBSD. Patches required.
Very quirky card. Seems to get hung up with busy bit set. Seems to quit responding to commands. 3.3 volt only card won't fit in Multia slot due to voltage key. Works OK under Windows XP however.
AVOID even if refurbished.
```
wi0 at pcmcia0 function 0: <PROXIM, LAN PC CARD HARMONY 80211B, , >
...
wi0: using RF:PRISM2 MAC:HFA3841 CARD:HWB3163 rev.A
wi0: Intersil Firmware: Primary (0.3.0), Station (1.7.1)
wi0: 11b rates: 1Mbps 2Mbps 5.5Mbps 11Mbps
```
- and, after a few commands -
```
wi0: command timed out, cmd=0x0, arg=0x0
wi0: command timed out, cmd=0x0, arg=0x0
wi0: command timed out, cmd=0x0, arg=0x0
wi0: wi_cmd: busy bit won't clear.
wi0: wi_cmd: busy bit won't clear.
wi0: init failed
wi0: interface not running
wi0: wi_cmd: busy bit won't clear.
```
^1,2,3 SMC SMC2532W-B / PRISM 2.5 - FCC ID: «M4Y-0325H»«M4Y-0325H» (ODM/OEM == Z Com XI-325H)
²Gets hot and hangs Multia. Works OK elsewhere. FIXED: see «PR/33581»«PR/33581»
Removeable Antenna - Reverse MMCX
If using single antenna, use MMCX jack closest to LEDs.
```
wi0 at pcmcia0 function 0: <SMC, SMC2532W-B EliteConnect Wireless Adapter, , >
...
wi0: using RF:PRISM2.5 MAC:ISL3873B(PCMCIA)
wi0: Intersil Firmware: Primary (1.1.1), Station (1.8.4)
wi0: 11b rates: 1Mbps 2Mbps 5.5Mbps 11Mbps
```
^untested SMC SMC2632W V.1 / PRISM II (Version 2 is Atmel based) - FCC ID: «LLM002WL11000-1»«LLM002WL11000-1»
(ODM/OEM == Eumitcomm WL11000)
^untested Seimens SpeedStream SS-1021 (Version 2 is TI ACX100) - FCC ID: «LLM002WL11000-1»«LLM002WL11000-1»
(ODM/OEM == Eumitcomm WL11000)