An open source project has achieved the first stable release of a Linux driver for Intel's mini-PCI wireless 802.11b/g adapters. The IPW2200 project, founded by Intel, is offering the 1.00 version of a GPL'd driver for Intel's PRO/Wireless 2200BG and 2915BG miniPCI adapters for free download.

Intel's mini-PCI cards are used in “Centrino” laptops from a variety of integrators, and the company has been criticized in the open source community for taking so long to get a quality wireless/Centrino driver out the door. According to the project homepage, Intel formed the IPW2200 project “to be a community effort as much as is possible given some working constraints (mainly, no HW documentation is available).”

Two weeks ago, ZDNet UK reported that the company had lifted a ban on the use of the “Centrino” brand with laptops pre-installed with Linux, citing improvements to power management in the open source operating system as the reason for the change in policy.

Further details about the new driver release, including a changelog and download, are available on the IPW2200 project webpage.

 
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