Atheros launches single chip WiFi access point

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 15 November 2005 14:01

Business IT - Technology

Atheros Communications has announced a "design breakthrough in WLAN...a complete 802.11b/g wireless access point...[combining] the wireless network processor, media access controller (MAC), baseband, and all radio functions up to the antenna in a single silicon chip."

The company says that with the new AR5007AP-G chip it has integrated many of the discrete components contained in its previous generation design. "The new AR5007AP-G offers a total component reduction of 40 percent versus Atheros' AR5006AP-G access point solution, which has led the market for total bill-of-materials (BOM) integration."

Atheros says the new chip will reduce the cost of implementing 802.11g Wi-Fi in networking products for homes and small businesses, thus promoting widespread adoption of personal wireless LANs.

The new chip supports IEEE 802.11i security and 802.11e quality of service (QoS) specifications and Atheros' XR (eXtended Range) and JumpStart for Wireless technologies. Atheros XR is claimed to provide double the range of standard 802.11g devices. The JumpStart technology is claimed to provide easy wireless LAN setup and security and to be compatible with emerging simple configuration solutions from other companies including Intel and Microsoft.

Atheros says the device is in volume production and costs $US12.50 in 10,000-unit quantities.