HFA3842

Features:

• New start up modes allow the PCMCIA Card Information Structure to be initialized from a serial EEPROM. This allows firmware to be downloaded from the host, eliminating the parallel Flash memory device.
• Firmware can be loaded from serial Flash memory.
• Direct attachment to a typical x16 SRAM using five control signals (RAMCS_, MOE_, MWEL_, MLBE_, and MUBE_).
• Low frequency crystal oscillator to maintain time and allow baseband clock source to power off during sleep mode.
• Improved performance of internal WEP engine.
• On-chip execution can now be viewed while in debug mode.
• Independent programmable cycle timing for external chip selects allows attachment of slow memory devices without compromising higher speed instruction execution.
• Pinout is backward compatible with HFA3841.
• IEEE802.11 Standard Data Rates: 1, 2, 5.5 and 11Mbps
• Part of the Intersil PRISM Wireless LAN Chip Set
• Full Implementation of the MAC Protocol Specified in IEEE Standards 802.11-1999 and 802.11b
• PCMCIA Host Interface Supports Full 16-Bit Implementation of PC Card 16 (1995), also ISA PNP with Additional Chip
• Host Interface Provides Dual Buffer Access Paths
• External Memory Interface Supports up to 4M bytes RAM
• Internal Encryption Engine Executes IEEE802.11 WEP
• Low Power Operation; 25mA Active, 8mA Doze, <1mA Sleep
• Operation at 2.7V to 3.6V Supply
• 5V Tolerant Host Interface Input/Outputs
• 128 Pin LQFP Package Targeted for Type II PC Cards
• IEEE802.11 Wireless LAN MAC Protocol Firmware and Microsoft® Windows® Software Drivers
• Pin for Pin Replacement for the HFA3841 Supporting all Functions and operations of the HFA3841


Application

• High Data Rate Wireless LAN
• PC Card Wireless LAN Adapters
• PCI Wireless LAN Cards (Using Ext. Bridge Chip)
• Wireless LAN Modules
• Wireless LAN Access Points
• Wireless Bridge Products
• Wireless Point-to-Multipoint Systems
• ISA, ISA PNP WLAN Cards


Pinout




Specifications

Supply Voltage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 3.6V
Input, Output or I/O Voltage . . . . . . . . . . ..GND -0.5V to V_CC +0.5V
ESD Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Class 2


Description

The Intersil HFA3842 Wireless LAN Medium Access Controller is part of the PRISM® 2.4GHz radio chip set.

The HFA3842 directly interfaces with the Intersil HFA386x family of Baseband Processors, offering a complete end-to-end chip set solution for wireless LAN products. Protocol and PHY support are implemented in firmware to allow custom protocol and different PHY transceivers.

The HFA3842 is designed to provide maximum performance with minimum power consumption. Package pin layout provides optimal PC board layout to all user interfaces.

Firmware implements the full IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN MAC protocol. It supports BSS and IBSS operation under DCF, and operation under the optional Point Coordination Function (PCF). Low level protocol functions such as RTS/CTS generation and acknowledgement, fragmentation and de-fragmentation, and automatic beacon monitoring are handed without host intervention. Active scanning is performed autonomously once initiated by host command. Host interface command and status handshakes allow concurrent operations from multi-threaded I/O drivers. Additional firmware functions specific to access point applications are also available. Designing wireless protocol systems using the HFA3842 is made easier with the availability of evaluation board, firmware, software device drivers, and complete documentation.

The HFA3842 is a WLAN MAC Controller IC, based on the HFA3841. Pin-for-pin upgrade replacement for the HFA3841.