Press Releases
Network Computing Highlights Harris PRISM Technology

— PRISM-enabled Wireless Networking Solutions excel in 802.11 testing

MELBOURNE, FL, March 29, 1999 — Harris Semiconductor announced today that PRISM-enabled products secured top honors in a recent (March 22, 1999) wireless networking interoperability review conducted by Network Computing. The review focused on interoperability through the IEEE 802.11 worldwide standard. Harris’ presence in the market was evidenced by the incorporation of PRISM technology in six of the eight direct sequence spread spectrum products evaluated.

The Network Computing review reflects the wide acceptance and implementation of Harris technology throughout the expanding wireless networking market. Aironet’s PC4500 Direct Sequence Wireless PC-Card Adapter, a PRISM-enabled solution, secured Editor’s Choice recognition.

"Harris, in conjunction with our PRISM customers, is breaking new ground in the wireless market by bringing wireless technology to mainstream users," said Ron Van Dell, vice president and general manager of Harris’ Communication Products business. "These evaluations give an indication of the capabilities of interoperable wireless networking and the growing realization that wireless is a viable augmentation to existing LANs."

Testing Process
The Network Computing article, "Wired on Wireless: A New Class of 802.11 Devices Go the Distance," evaluated 802.11-compliant wireless local area networking (WLAN) products, focusing on interoperability. In addition, multi-station performance and transmission range were also considered.

• Interoperability was tested through the transfer of 250,000-byte files using File Transfer Protocol. Manufacturer default settings were used for both access points (APs) and PC Cards. PC Cards were tested for interoperability with each companies’ AP offering.
• Multistation performance was examined in an effort to evaluate how wireless devices operate under contention and to determine how AP proximity relates to performance.
• The testing group created three unique indoor testing environments in evaluating transmission range. Examiners developed a long-distance (250 feet from the AP) open-office scenario, a short-distance (100 feet from the AP) walled-office scenario and a long-distance walled-office scenario.

The full article and a complete review of evaluation results can be found at http://www.networkcomputing.com/1006/1006r2.html.

About PRISM Partners
PRISM technology enables users of PCs or laptops to wirelessly transmit and receive data, voice and video wirelessly using 2.4GHz direct sequence spread spectrum technology. The original PRISM chip set operated at 1 and 2 megabits-per-second (Mbps) for IEEE 802.11 standard operation, and up to 4Mbps for non-standard operation. The latest offering from Harris, the PRISM II, has a top data rate of 11Mbps, and targets the high rate extension to the standard, expected to be approved this year.

Several Harris partners participated in the product review. The following partners incorporated Harris’ PRISM technology in their product offerings:

• The Aironet PC4500 Direct Sequence Wireless PC-Card Adapter installs in standard laptop computers or other portable devices equipped with PC card slots.
• InTalk, Inc.’s ST-500A PCMCIA Radio Card incorporates InstawaveTM technology, an innovation that allows for simple connectivity between wireless systems and a wired Ethernet LAN.
• Samsung’s SWL-1000 PC Card is part of Samsung’s MagicWave™ line of products. Samsung’s solution includes all of the components necessary to install a complete 2Mbps WLAN system.
• The Nortel Networks BayStack 660 Wireless LAN PC Card provides high-speed wireless connections to network resources at a 2Mbps data rate.
• No Wires Needed’s Swallow 550 PC-Card operates at 2.4 GHz and delivering a data rate of 5.5Mbps.
• MaxTech Corp.’s LANescape XWL430 Wireless LAN PC Card operates at 2.4 GHz ISM band for 2Mbps Wireless LAN applications.

About Harris
Harris Corporation's Semiconductor sector manufactures discrete semiconductors and integrated circuits. Product development efforts are focused on innovative "next level solutions" for the communications and power markets. The company’s broad portfolio of products serves many market segments – automotive, industrial, computing, wireless networking, telecommunications, signal processing, PC multimedia, consumer electronics, and space/defense. World Wide Web site: http://www.semi.harris.com.