Internetnews reports that PCTEL and Micro-Star International will bundle PCTEL’s soft access point software with its WLAN devices and PC motherboards. The joint offering converts any PC into an access point that can link several computers through a single broadband connection.
Besides eliminating the need for external routers or access points, the companies say the joint offering is easier to use than current industry offerings. PCTEL’s Segue SAM software automatically scans the user’s PC and configures in seconds, “illuminating” the area with Wi-Fi capability in seconds.
MSI will ship motherboards with the PCTel soft access points (APs) beginning in February. PCs with soft AP functionality would likely be available by the end of the first quarter of 2004. Wi-Fi cards with Segue software on CD and expected in February.
PCTel’s Segue SAM currently works with GlobespanVirata’s Wi-Fi chips (formerly Intersil’s chips), but the company is working closely with other chipset makers and hopes to eventually be compatible with all WLAN chips.
PCTEL, signed a $14.5 million licensing deal with Intel last week. Intel, which plans a similar software access point, will receive a license to PCTEL’s patents, while PC-Tel will receive a cross-license to Intel-owned patents that relate to its areas of focus.
PCTel will also come out with a more secure version of their Segue Roaming Client, including 802.1X authentication, in January.
Integrating an access point in a computer does not have universal appeal. “Not everyone wants other people sharing their processing power or bandwidth…many people are looking for just the opposite — to block access to their computer,” says Julie Ask, a Wi-Fi analyst for Jupiter Research. It would also require your computer be turned on constantly.
PCTEL’s software access point runs on Windows machines and is somewhat similar to NoCat, the open source software used by many community lans for re-directing users to a splash page and free internet access.
DailyWireless has more on One Piece Access Points.
