News & Events
Intersil and Sybergen Networks to Develop Dynamic IP Wireless Software

— Software enables wireless networks with dynamic IP addressing and secure encryption for public wireless zones

IRVINE, Calif./FREMONT, Calif. — August 15, 2000 — Intersil (NASDAQ: ISIL), the world’s leading developer of silicon technology for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), and Sybergen Networks, Inc., a leading provider of Internet security and access management solutions, today announced a strategic partnership that will revolutionize wireless networking by making it faster, easier, more secure and providing simultaneous Internet sharing and roaming capabilities.

Under terms of the agreement, Sybergen will develop secure and cost-effective software that will work seamlessly with Intersil’s PRISM^® WLAN chip set to provide high-performance access to broadband services in homes and offices that is both easy to set-up and simple to use. The partnership agreement also calls for Intersil to make a strategic investment in the company.

Sybergen Networks is known for its innovative software solutions for smaller networks used in homes and offices. Such software allows Internet sharing among multiple users, security from hackers, and the elimination of multiple phone lines and modems. Sybergen Networks has also solved "contention issues," a frequent headache encountered in small networks when performance is lowered as devices compete for the same resources. For mobile networks, this software allows for easy and secure access from remote locations.

"Sybergen has brought remarkable network software to a million plus users in over 30 countries through its flagship product, SyGate^®," said Larry Ciaccia, vice president and general manager of Intersil’s PRISM Wireless Products business. "Our joint development will deliver coordinated hardware and software solutions that accelerate the installation of wireless local area network (LAN) systems."

Intersil’s strategy for its PRISM wireless products is to deliver complete solutions — including hardware, firmware, software and reference designs — that allow customers to quickly bring competitive and innovative wireless systems to market.

"For home systems, SyGate^® software makes it incredibly fast and easy to enjoy the benefits of wireless networking. Consumers without any networking experience can setup a system quickly and easily that will allow simultaneous Internet sharing by members of the household," Ciaccia said. "For office managers, SyGate^® software provides roaming, great security and many other excellent network management features. And, for the road warriors, SyGate’s auto-configuration software makes it easy for them to log on anywhere they roam."

"Sybergen has always been dedicated to creating simple, effective security and access management solutions that work for people at home, at the office, or on the road. The Intersil-Sybergen alliance will result in easy-to-use wireless networking solutions that give users secure access to broadband media," said Chris Guo, founder and chief technology officer of Sybergen Networks. "As the wireless LAN market expands in the next few years and wireless access to broadband becomes more pervasive, Internet appliance users are going to become increasingly concerned about security — particularly in multi-tenant, multi-user locations. This partnership will result in solutions that are easy to use and secure, and we think that’s a winning combination for WLAN systems manufacturers and users."

Adoption of PRISM WLAN Technology
Since introducing the PRISM WLAN chip set in 1996, over fifty companies have incorporated PRISM chips in more than 100 product designs. In a May 2000 report, the Cahners In-Stat Group called Intersil "the dominant force in the WLAN chip set marketplace with their PRISM chipsets holding the majority of market share." PRISM technology is designed to comply with the IEEE’s 802.11b global standard, and Intersil is a founding sponsor of the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA), whose Wi-Fi™ brand is a mark of compatibility for 802.11b-based systems. PRISM chips are used in WLAN systems from industry-leading companies including Alcatel, Cisco, Nokia, Siemens, Compaq, 3Com, Dell, Nortel, Samsung, SpectraLink, Symbol Technologies and Zoom.

About Sybergen Networks
Sybergen Networks was founded in 1995 to address an explosive market for secure Internet access products that is estimated to exceed $1B by 2002. Today Sybergen serves more than one million users through its flagship product, SyGate^®, the leading Internet-sharing software that allows multiple computers to securely share a single Internet connection, modem and phone line. In addition, the company offers innovative, flexible Internet security and access management solutions designed to address the specific needs of corporate environments, satellite offices and service bureaus, small/medium businesses, telecommuters and the mobile workforce. Sybergen’s products have been widely adopted by users and companies worldwide including Xerox, Aironet and Dell. Sybergen’s products are available from resellers, its Web site, www.sybergen.com, or by calling 510-742-2600.

About Intersil
Irvine, California-based Intersil uses its semiconductor expertise to enable highly integrated voice, data and video communications. Intersil's integrated communications portfolio includes PRISM^® Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) chip sets that enable mobile connectivity products for the home and office; analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits for broadband access to wireless and wired Wide Area Networks (WANs); and power management products that enable 24x7 reliability in network servers, next generation PCs and information appliances. For more information about Intersil, visit the company's Internet homepage at www.intersil.com.

This press release contains information relating to the growing demand for wireless products that are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based upon management’s current expectations, estimates, beliefs, assumptions, and projections about our business and our industry. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will" and variations of these words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in the forward looking statements as a result of various risk factors. Important risk factors that may cause such material differences for Intersil in connection with the wireless market include, but are not limited to, the rate at which our present and future customers and end-users adopt Intersil’s wireless technologies and products; the timing, rescheduling or cancellation of significant customer orders; the loss of a key customer; the qualification, availability and pricing of competing products and technologies and the resulting effects on sales and pricing of our products; silicon wafer pricing and the availability of foundry and assembly capacity and raw materials; intellectual property disputes; as well as other risk factors detailed from time to time in Intersil’s filings with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release and Intersil undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements.

PRISM is a registered trademark of Intersil Corporation.

SyGate is a registered trademark of Sybergen Networks.

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