Atheros Communications to Deliver Next-Generation of
Interoperable, High-Performance Wireless LAN Products

Advanced Chipsets from Atheros to be Based on Widely Supported Enhanced Wireless Consortium Specification

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 10, 2005—Atheros Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHR), a leading developer of advanced wireless solutions, announced endorsement of the Enhanced Wireless Consortium  (EWC) and its efforts to accelerate resolution of the 802.11n wireless LAN (WLAN) standard. Atheros, a founding member of the EWC, plans to deliver chipsets based on the new WLAN specification introduced today by the EWC. The group’s proposal provides a blueprint for WLAN semiconductor manufacturers to develop chipsets for interoperable, high performance WLAN products. Other EWC members include Airoha, Apple, Azimuth, Broadcom, Buffalo, Cisco, Conexant, D-Link, Intel, Lenovo, Linksys, LitePoint, Marvell, Metalink, NETGEAR, Ralink, Realtek, SANYO, Sony, Symbol Technologies, Toshiba, USRobotics, WildPackets, Winbond and ZyDAS, with additional members expected to join the consortium.

In developing the specification, Atheros and other EWC members assembled leading technology components from the TGn Sync and WWiSE proposals currently before the IEEE 802.11n Task Group. The EWC specification merges features that have widespread support into a single proposal. Atheros, also a member of the TGn Sync group, worked closely with EWC members who participate in WWiSE to develop this unified specification. A goal of the EWC is to secure support from both TGn Sync and WWiSE to present a united proposal to the IEEE 802.11n Task Group that will accelerate the adoption of an interoperable, high-performance WLAN standard.

Atheros chipsets that meet the unified specification will initially provide physical layer data rates up to 300 megabits-per-second (Mbps) with unmatched coverage and wireless link reliability approaching wired Ethernet. These extraordinary performance capabilities will enable consumers to create wireless home networks that support simultaneous sharing of broadband Internet subscriptions among multiple users, transmission of bandwidth-intensive content and real-time applications such as Voice-over-IP (VoIP), gaming and streaming media. It is expected that Atheros-based end products offering these capabilities will be available to consumers as early as the first quarter of 2006. Atheros will also deliver chipsets supporting the higher EWC data rate (up to 600 Mbps) and optimized solutions for handheld mobile devices.

Many of the technical elements contained in the EWC specification have been implemented and refined in previous Atheros solutions: 20/40 MHz dynamic bandwidth operation, multiple 2.4 and 5 GHz dual-band radios, packet aggregation, packet bursting and MIMO techniques, including beamforming and maximal ratio combining (MRC). Given this depth of experience, Atheros is well-positioned to quickly deliver superior solutions for EWC-compliant WLAN devices.

“We endorse the EWC efforts and expect the merged specification to accelerate the 802.11n standards process. Atheros will enable our customers to achieve the fastest time to market with the next generation of interoperable, wireless networking products based on the unified specification,” said Craig Barratt, president and chief executive officer of Atheros Communications. “We are leveraging our market-leading technology and CMOS integration expertise to deliver reliable, high-bandwidth wireless connectivity throughout the home, enterprise and mobile environments.”

For more details about the Enhanced Wireless Consortium, please refer www.enhancedwirelessconsortium.org.

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, networking equipment and handset manufacturers. For more information, visit www.atheros.com or send email to info@atheros.com.

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT:

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including the expected features, performance and benefits of Atheros’ products and technology developed to the EWC’s proposed 802.11n specification; the anticipated effects and benefits of the adoption of the EWC specification in the WLAN industry and by the IEEE 802.11n Task Group; the ability of Atheros customers to achieve the fastest time to market with the next generation of interoperable, wireless networking products based on the unified EWC specification; Atheros’ successful development of solutions based on the EWC specification; and the availability of Atheros-based products with enhanced performance capabilities in the first quarter of 2006; and Atheros’ successful development of solutions based on the EWC specification, 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 impact of competitive products and technological advances; whether the EWC is successful in obtaining the support of the TGn Sync and WWiSE consortiums, and the IEEE, for the EWC specification; whether and in what form the EWC specification is adopted by the IEEE and the WLAN industry; whether elements of Atheros’ current solutions will be components of the 802.11n standard specification that is eventually adopted; the timing of industry and IEEE adoption of an 802.11n standard specification; whether 802.11n products will be successful in the market and will be adopted in new applications; unforeseen defects in the development of Atheros’ 802.11n products; manufacturing difficulties; difficulties in development of enhanced and new products; whether Atheros is successful in marketing its 802.11n products; and other risks detailed in Atheros’ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2005 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, 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.