On Sat, 08 Oct 2005 20:43:49 GMT, John Navas
<spamfilter0@navasgroup.com> wrote:

[Netgear WG511 v1 and v2]

>The cards I currently have:
>v1: PY3WG511-F
| https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/cf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&RequestTimeout =500&calledFromFrame=N&application_id=984128&fcc_i d='PY3WG511-F'
| https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/f...ive_or_pdf=pdf

Looks like a clone of the Intersil/Harris ISL38001C Prism GT Cardbus32
reference design. It was formerly type certified by
Rockwell/Intersil/Conexant as OSZ38001C at:
| https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/cf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&RequestTimeout =500&calledFromFrame=N&application_id=655680&fcc_i d='OSZ38001C'
Looks exactly the same as the Netgear WG511v1. I can't tell who
manufactured it.

>v2: PY3WG511V2H1

| https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/cf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&RequestTimeout =500&calledFromFrame=N&application_id=189923&fcc_i d='PY3WG511V2H1'
| https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/f...ive_or_pdf=pdf

Marvell chipset. Made by Cameo Communications Inc in Taiwan.
| http://www.cameo.com.tw/products/htm...s/wlg-1100.htm

Note the color of the circuit board materials. The yellow color of
the Intersil version is low loss polysulfone. The green of the Cameo
version is G10/FR4 which has considerably higher loss. There's where
the RF got lost in the v2 version.

>Google suggests that there are at least 5 versions of this card:
> PY3WG511 Intersil
> PY3WG511-F Intersil
> PY3WG511V2H1 Marvell
> PY3WG511V3 Atheros
> PY3WG511TV1H3 Atheros
>That last is probably the WG511T, a distinctly different Netgear product, and
>I'm thinking the prior one may be as well, leaving the first three as members
>of the base WG511 family, with two chip vendors.

Incidentally, the reason they don't change the part number is to avoid
having massive dealer returns for obsolete stock. If the new version
is "functionally identical" to the original, with the same part
number, then the dealer is stuck with the "old" stock. Usually, the
new version is better in some way, but this time, it's the other way
around.

>My guess is that the Marvell
>implementation is cheaper but not as good as the Intersil implementation.

I agree. The v1 Intersil looks like a much better and substantially
more expensive to produce. Polysulfone falls apart when overheated
and is a pain to solder.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558