Connect One is shipping a secure IP (Internet protocol) coprocessor chip aimed at adding encrypted WiFi connectivity to cost-constrained machine-to-machine (M2M) applications. The iChipSec CO711AG coprocessor offloads the overhead of sending and receiving secure data over 802.11b/g wireless networks using a wide… range of Internet protocols, according to the company.

(Click here for larger view of CO711AG eval board)

The iChipSec CO711AG frees up processing time on the host processor by offloading cryptography, network security, and TCP/IP tasks, the company says. The device supports digital signatures using RSA public and private keys, and supports hash algorithms for signing and verifying data. Cipher suites used for encryption include 3DES, AES-128, AES-256, ARC4, MD5, and SHA-1. The chip also supports WiFi WEP and WPA encryption.

iChipSec architecture diagram
The interface between the device's host processor and the iChipSec coprocessor is a serial port that communicates using Connect One's AT+i Protocol, described as an extension to the industry-standard Hayes AT command set that adds security and Internet protocols.

AT+i requires no Internet programming expertise on the part of the designer, and minimal modification of the host application, according to the company. Additionally, AT+i's SerialNET “plug-and-play operating mode” requires no change to the host application and enables CO711AG to act as a serial-to-WiFi bridge, the company claims.

Pricing and Availability

The iChipSec CO711AG is available now, priced at under $14 in quantities of 50,000 or more. The II-EVB-330 evaluation board (shown above) for secure LAN, cellular, or dial-up access is priced at $450, while a “-331” version, for secure WiFi access, goes for $725. WPA2 encryption support is expected to be available in Q3, according to the company, with secure SMTP (SMTPS) and HTTP (HTTPS) following in Q4.

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