Intel today released new software that let its Centrino 2 notebooks create personal area networks. The software lets notebooks create short range Wi-Fi networks of up to eight devices such as photo frames, cameras and printers in addition to its link to an access point.

EE Times explains the product is an effort to add value to Intel’s Wi-Fi chips. While some OEMs adopt the entire Intel chipset platform, others substitute Wi-Fi chips from Atheros or other suppliers.

Notebooks can already create personal area network connections with Bluetooth or other technologies. Startup Ozmo released a streamlined Wi-Fi chip geared for PANs in June.

The Intel software creates a virtual second Wi-Fi link on existing Intel 5100 and 5300 Wi-Fi chips used in Centrino notebooks. It taps the Internet Connection Sharing facility in Windows Vista to give the virtual personal area network a connection to the Internet.

Intel also released its so-called Intel My Wi-Fi graphical user interface to manage the net on Vista. The software supports a handful of Wi-Fi security protocols including WEP, WPA and WPA2, reports EE Times.