Atheros Communications’ Wireless LAN Products Receive Wi-Fi Certification for WMM™ and Featured in the New WMM Test Bed

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™  for WMM Program Tests Products for QoS Interoperability

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 8, 2004 – Atheros Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATHR), a leading developer of advanced wireless LAN (WLAN) chipsets, today announced that two of its WLAN reference designs have been Wi-Fi CERTIFIED for WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia) by the Wi-Fi Alliance. Atheros’ Dual-Band Access Point and Universal 802.11a/b/g Wireless Network Adapter reference designs have also been chosen for inclusion in the WMM certification test bed. WMM is the Wi-Fi Alliance’s new program that’s based on a subset of the 802.11e standard, which provides Quality of Service (QoS) for wireless networks. The Wi-Fi Alliance began Wi-Fi certification for WMM on September 8.

“WMM is a core technology for interoperable Quality of Service and support for enhanced multimedia capabilities. Organizations like Atheros that support this initiative are clearly committed to standards that benefit the industry. We look forward to their support in further deploying WMM solutions,” said Wi-Fi Alliance Managing Director, Frank Hanzlik.

Atheros’ 802.11a/b/g client and access point reference designs will be used to test 802.11b, 802.11b/g, or 802.11a/b/g products that are submitted for certification of WMM. The Wi-Fi Alliance will indicate which products pass the interoperability tests. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED for WMM products ensure the ability to support high-bandwidth video, voice and data applications on the same wireless network. Additionally, these products transparently optimize the way shared network resources are allocated among two or more competing applications.

“We believe the Wi-Fi Alliance is laying an important foundation for the wireless industry to ensure QoS interoperability between different vendors’ products,” said Colin Macnab, vice president of marketing and business development of Atheros Communications. “By certifying products, the Wi-Fi Alliance will help people find wireless products that offer interoperable capabilities for audio and video delivery. Atheros fully supports the latest QoS features and the company will continue to innovate in areas that help us to deliver a better wireless user experience.”

Atheros already supports advanced video and audio features across its portfolio of high performance and low-power WLAN chipsets. The company has extended this capability with its recently introduced Atheros AR5005VA chipset, which includes MPEG support, hardware jitter control and quality-of-service capabilities that ensure high-quality video and audio delivery. 

For more information about WMM please visit www.wi-fi.org/opensection/wmm.asp.

About Atheros Communications, Inc.

Atheros Communications is a leading developer of semiconductor system solutions for wireless communications products. Atheros combines its wireless systems expertise with high-performance radio frequency (RF), mixed signal and digital semiconductor design skills to provide highly integrated chipsets that are manufacturable on low-cost, standard complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) processes. Atheros technology is being used by a broad base of leading customers, including personal computer and networking equipment manufacturers. For more information, www.atheros.com or send email to info@atheros.com.

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Atheros and the Atheros logo are trademarks of Atheros Communications, Inc. WMM™ and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the sole property of their respective owners.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements regarding the use of Atheros’ products in the WMM test bed; the effectiveness of the 802.11e standard and WMM in ensuring Quality of Service interoperability; and the features, performance and benefits of Atheros’ products, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, the results of WMM testing procedures using Atheros’ products; whether the 802.11e standard and WMM is effective in ensuring QoS interoperability and support for enhanced multimedia capabilities; our ability and the ability of our competitors to continue to develop products that are Wi-Fi CERTIFIED for WMM, and other risks detailed in Atheros’ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004 as filed with the SEC and in other reports filed with the SEC by Atheros from time to time. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Atheros disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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.