Atheros Delivers 90 Mbps TCP/IP Throughput in High Performance 802.11a/g and 802.11g Wireless LANs

Super G and Super A/G Narrow the Gap Between Data Rate and Throughput in Wireless LANs While Maintaining Backward Compatibility

NETWORLD+INTEROP, LAS VEGAS, April 29, 2003—Atheros Communications, the leading developer of advanced wireless LAN (WLAN) technology, today announced the availability of  “Super G” and “Super A/G” capabilities that deliver 90Mbps TCP/IP throughput for 802.11a/g and 802.11g Wireless LANs. These capabilities include a new 108Mbps data rate design for 11g and 11a, real-time hardware data compression, standards-compliant bursting support, and dynamic transmit and modulation optimizations. Super G and Super A/G are fully backward compatible with conventional 11b, 11g, and 11a products and are activated by a simple software driver upgrade for products already on the market.

Atheros’ performance enhancements provide over 10 times the actual throughput of other wireless LAN solutions, are scalable to any number of users, and are fully compatible with legacy equipment. Other solutions that offer special turbo or bursting modes are only effective under limited network conditions and adversely affect users of 802.11b products.

“Previous reviews of our customers’ products have shown radio capabilities that provide at least 30 percent better 802.11g throughput at a given range than products based on our competitors’ chipsets,” said Craig Barratt, president and chief executive officer of Atheros. “With Super G and Super A/G, Atheros vastly extends our performance-oriented leadership with ‘wired throughput’ on a wireless network.”

Super G and Super A/G Performance Enhancement Components

108Mbps with 11a,b,g Backward Compatibility

The new 108Mbps data rate design upgrades the original Atheros Turbo Mode and is based on applying innovations from the 802.11g draft standard to enable the higher speeds while maintaining backwards compatibility. It enables data rates up to 108Mbps for 802.11g and 802.11a with full backward compatibility and interoperability with conventional 802.11a, 802.11b or 802.11g (Draft 8.1) products. This innovative multimode technology allows the same access point, gateway or client card to simultaneously support 108Mbps 802.11a/g, 54Mbps 802.11a/g, and 11Mbps 802.11b communications.  Super G and Super A/G make Wi-Fi easier by allowing users to use networks from 11 Mbps to 108 Mbps without configuring their equipment for a particular type of wireless technology.

Real-time Data Compression

The new drivers activate an Adaptive Lempel Ziv Hardware Compression Engine that is embedded in all current Atheros chipsets. The hardware analyzes network traffic and compresses it in real time using the reliable, standards-based algorithms employed by popular data compression software. With mixed network traffic, the Hardware Compression Engine provides 10 to 30 percent additional throughput with access points and gateway products from leading Atheros DrivenÔ networking equipment manufacturers.     

Standards-Compliant Bursting Capability

The products use advanced 802.11a, e, g, and h features to enable a standards-compliant bursting capability for 108Mbps and 54Mbps single and mixed mode connections. This technique adjusts data frame, acknowledgement and response parameters according to the number of users, level of wireless activity, and other network conditions.

Dynamic Transmit and Modulation Optimizations

Based on measurements of the RF environment, the designs dynamically optimize transmit timings and adjust modulation parameters to improve 802.11a/g communications. This increases the multipath resistance of the signal while enabling the use of higher modulation and coding rates, and the effective throughput for the end user. 

The complete Super G and Super A/G designs deliver over 90Mbps TCP/IP throughput for network traffic consisting of compressible data. With less compressible traffic, throughput may be reduced to 70Mbps. Products featuring Super G and Super A/G capabilities operate transparently to the end user and are compatible with all Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products.

Product Availability

The Atheros AR5001G (802.11b/g) chipset and the AR5001X+ (802.11a/b/g) chipset are in volume production and available in products today from leading wireless LAN retailers, networking equipment manufacturers, and PC OEMs. Atheros-based products are Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, and support 802.11a, 802.11b, and the latest 802.11g Draft 8.1 standards. The new Super G and Super A/G performance enhancements are activated through driver upgrades available to Atheros customers this quarter.

Visit Atheros at N+I

For more information and demonstrations of Atheros’ new WLAN performance enhancements for its advanced 802.11b/g and 802.11a/b/g chipsets, please visit www.atheros.com or stop by the Atheros booth #6761 at the Networld+Interop Conference, April 29-May 1, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

About Atheros Communications, Inc.

Atheros Communications is the leading developer of networking technologies for secure, high-performance wireless local area networks. As the industry innovator and market-share leader in multi-mode wireless solutions compliant with the IEEE 802.11 specifications, Atheros is driving transparent connections among electronic devices in the office, home and on the road. Atheros technology is being used by many of the world's leading wireless equipment manufacturers including 3Com, Accton, Actiontec, Acrowave Systems, AIRAYA, Airespace, AirVast Technology, ALPS, Ambit, Aruba Wireless Networks, Askey, ASUS, Avaya, BenQ, Chantry Networks, Contec, CyberTAN, Dacom, Delta Networks, D-Link, Extreme Networks, Gemtek, Gigabyte Technology, Global Sun Tech, HP, IBM, ICOM, Intel, Intermec, I-O Data, Linksys, NEC, NETGEAR, Nortel, Philips, Proxim, Samsung, Senao, SMC Networks, Sony, Symbol Technologies, TDK, TECOM, Toshiba, Trapeze Networks, USI, W2 Networks, Wistron NeWeb, Z-Com and others. For more information, visit www.atheros.com or send email to info@atheros.com.

# # #

For press and analyst inquiries contact: Cheryl Patstone, 408-773-5344, cheryl@atheros.com or Greg Wood, A&R Partners, 650-762-2838, gwood@arpartners.com.