Proxim Shipping the Industry’s First PCMCIA Wireless LAN Adapter

March 29, 1993 — Proxim Inc., a leading supplier of wireless networking products, Monday announced that it has begun shipping its RangeLAN/PCMCIA wireless LAN adapter.

RangeLAN/PCMCIA is the first wireless LAN adapter designed to fit the specification of the TYPE II PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) I/O card sockets that are becoming increasingly popular in new laptop, notebook and palmtop computers. According to PCMCIA’s forecasts, more than 4 million mobile PCs with integrated PCMCIA slots will be shipped by 1995.

Providing a true wireless networking solution, RangeLAN/PCMCIA is the only wireless LAN adapter that enables mobile computer users to communicate with existing wired client/server networks or to instantly set up a peer-to-peer LAN between mobile PCs. Proxim provides RangeLAN drivers for most popular LAN operating systems including Novell NetWare 3x, NetWare Lite and Microsoft Windows for Workgroups.

“The PCMCIA slot offers today’s serious mobile computer user the first truly wireless LAN connection,” said Rick Heller, president and chief executive officer of Proxim. “With RangeLAN/PCMCIA just about anyone can now gain convenient wireless access to their server, desktop or another portable.”

“We have used RangeLAN/PCMCIA to demonstrate the benefits of wireless computing using Microsoft Windows for Workgroups and Microsoft Windows for Pen Computing,” said Richard Tong, director of Windows Marketing, Microsoft Corp. “We’ve been impressed with RangeLAN/PCMCIA and believe it will play a key role in expanding the power and value of mobile computing with Windows.”

All RangeLAN wireless network adapters use spread spectrum radio frequency technology that, unlike conventional radio frequencies, does not require end-user Federal Communication Commission (FCC) licensing. It has an in-building range of 300 to 500 feet and an 800 to 1,000 foot range outdoors or in warehouse-type environments. Range-LAN provides users with three full channels that effectively triple the available bandwidth. This approach to wireless networking enables users to have three independent wireless LANs in the same physical space and provides a significantly higher interference immunity than other wireless technologies. In addition, RangeLAN also features a highly reliable signal reception that provides a consistent data rate over the entire range.

“Now, the portable computer user can function as part of a client/server environment or communicate on a peer-to-peer basis with other computers for critical applications such as E-mail, printer sharing, terminal emulation, and file transfer without a wired connection,” said David King, Proxim’s vice president of marketing. “RangeLAN/PCMCIA also pro-vides new networking solutions for vertical markets such as retail, medical and manufacturing where the need for mo-bile computing is paramount.”

Suggested retail price for RangeLAN/PCMCIA is $595. In addition, RangeLAN adapters are available in several form factors including RangeLAN/ISA for servers and desktop PCs, $495; RangeLAN/LT for Compaq notebooks, $595; and, RangeLAN/Parallel, for connections to the printer port of any PC, $595. RangeLAN/ISA for desktop PCs and servers began shipping in early 1992, with RangeLAN/LT for Compaq portables released in the summer of 1992. The products are available through resellers and VARs around the country.

Headquartered in Mountain View, Proxim was founded in 1984 to develop and market wireless networking products.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Microsoft is a registered trademark and Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corp. Novell, NetWare and NetWare Lite are trademarks of Novell Corp. Other products and company names used herein are trade-marks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

CONTACT:
Proxim Inc.
David King, 415/960-1630
Walt & Sommerhauser Inc.
Robert Walt or Paige Burgess, 408/496-0900