WiFi driver source code for Windows CE 6 is already posted in the AR6001 WLAN driver project's Codeplex area. According to Paul Lever, one of the project's coordinators, the same code should work on Windows CE 5 without the WPA2 support, and with "perhaps a few minor header file changes."


AR6001XL block diagram
Atheros describes the AR6001XL as a "Radio on Chip for Mobile" (ROCm) platform. It provides a direct connection to cellular baseband and application processors via SDIO, SPI, and memory-mapped parallel interfaces. Its on-board processing and storage capabilities allow it to be integrated with the host platform with "minimal development upfront and minimal loading during runtime," according to Atheros.

How to get a card

What kind of participation is the project looking for? "We are interested in anyone who wants to improve the driver's performance and functionalities," says Microsoft's Nic Sagez, another of the project's coordinators.

Those interested in obtaining a free CompactFlash WLAN card for use in participating on the project are asked to send a request via email to devreq@microsoft.com before February 16.

Codeplex, launched last June, is an online collaborative software development and source code sharing portal that aims to offer capabilities similar to those provided by SourceForge. The site currently lists 860 active projects, in a wide range of software categories.

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