[ale] IBM & Centrino wifi: no support

[Stuffed Crust]

On Wed, Aug 13, 2003 at 09:35:11AM -0400, David S. Jackson wrote:
> Later in the thread some folks discuss why internal wifi specs
> can't be released due to the FCC's insistence.  I guess the newer
> generation of wifi devices do all the controlling in software, so
> releasing the specs could enable someone to make the device
> interfere with devices outside the allocated frequency range, a
> very big no-no as far as the FCC is concerned.  

Which is a bunch of BS, because even existing 802.11b devices with full 
opensource drivers can interfere with devices outside the allocated 
frequency ranges -- and since the frequency tables are well known 
anyway, a simple binary search/replace would fix that even for the 
closed drivers.

This argument holds a little more validity with 802.11a, as the 5G 
frequency bands aren't contiguious and do have genuine restrictions 
(primarily in Europe) but the 2.4G band.. is pretty much wide open.

Nevermind that if you want to wreak havoc on the 2.4G band, all oyou 
need to to is take apart your microwave oven..

 - Pizza
-- 
Solomon Peachy                                   pizza at f*cktheusers.org
                                                           ICQ #1318444
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur                 Melbourne, FL

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