Atheros 3-Stream 802.11n Router Solutions to Support Multimedia Applications in Home and Enterprise

Latest XSPAN Platform Optimized for the Leading Network Processors and

Offers Unique Features to Provide a Flawless Video Experience

 

TAIPEI, Taiwan – Computex – June 1, 2010 — Atheros Communications, Inc. , a global leader in technologies for wireless and wired communications, today debuted the world’s first 3-stream 802.11n router solutions that support reliable video-over-wireless and other bandwidth-intensive applications. Atheros has optimized its 3×3 wireless LAN (WLAN) solutions to deliver exceptional performance for a variety of bandwidth-hungry usage scenarios – enabling manufacturers to build premium Wi-Fi® products for the digital home and enterprise.  

Atheros’ latest XSPAN® router solutions (the AR938x and AR9390) combine a powerful 3×3 802.11n architecture with a unique set of range enhancements (known as Signal Sustain Technology-3, or SST3™) to boost throughput by 50 percent across the entire wireless link. Atheros has enhanced its XSPAN solutions with several innovative features to provide a flawless video-over-wireless experience. Its 3-stream WLAN solutions have also been optimized for use with the industry’s leading network processors, which streamlines the design of high-performance routers and access points that support enterprise security and management features, or multimedia and gaming applications in the home.

Highlights:

• Wi-Fi is evolving to meet the stringent requirements of media-based applications like IPTV and whole-home video distribution. Whereas traditional WLANs are designed to provide the highest possible throughput for data applications, today’s media-centric networks must provide more reliable connections that minimize the number of video and audio packets that are lost during transmission. Packet loss and latency can ruin the entertainment experience with video glitches, unsynchronized audio and delayed gaming responsiveness.  

• At Computex, Atheros is demonstrating the unique video capabilities of its 3-stream XSPAN router solutions. Instead of transmitting at the maximum speeds, Atheros throttles back the data rates to reduce packet loss and latency. Other standards-based algorithms are used to monitor the airwaves and transmit video over “clean” channels to minimize harmful interference. As a result, Atheros-based products can maintain sufficient throughput to support three simultaneous HD video streams and exceeds the requirements for service providers looking to deliver triple-play services.  

• Atheros has also optimized its 3-stream XSPAN solutions to work with network processors from the industry’s leading vendors, including AppliedMicro (formerly AMCC), Freescale Semiconductor and Ubicom. Combining best-in-class WLAN and processor solutions accelerates the design of high-performance enterprise access points and consumer routers. The combined solution is also the industry’s most cost-effective platform for building products with concurrent dual-band capabilities, since Atheros’ highly-integrated solutions require no additional memory and no external power amplifiers.  

• Concurrent dual-band is an important feature for high-end consumer routers and enterprise access points. Using both the 2.4 and 5 GHz frequency bands multiplies the available bandwidth and allows customers to get the most from their Wi-Fi networks. For example, a Wi-Fi user could dedicate the 2.4 GHz frequency band for email, Web browsing and data applications, while simultaneously using the cleaner 5 GHz band for latency-sensitive applications like video, voice and gaming.

 

Availability:

Atheros’ 3-stream 11n products are ramping to production in Q3, with samples and evaluation boards available now.

Supporting Quotes:

• “Performance is essential in both corporate and home networks, due to the proliferation of high-bandwidth applications like HD gaming, video distribution and Voice-over-IP,” said Gary Szilagyi, vice president and general manager of the Computing and Consumer Business Unit at Atheros Communications. “Atheros is pushing the envelope of Wi-Fi performance, and has invested heavily in efforts that improve the wireless video experience while meeting customers’ growing demands for bandwidth, quality and reliability.” 

• “Atheros 3-Stream 802.11n solutions propel the industry forward and meet the diverse needs of both consumer and enterprise applications,” said George Jones, associate vice president of North American sales at AppliedMicro. “Our Power Architecture®-based embedded processors deliver a powerful combination of performance and features that enable Atheros’ Wi-Fi platforms to achieve the high-throughput required for high-quality video streaming around the digital enterprise or home.”  

• “The combination of Freescale’s QorIQ P1020 processor and Atheros 3-stream 802.11n technology helps meet requirements for high performance and low power operation in Enterprise and SMB markets,” said Preet Virk, director of strategy for Freescale Semiconductor’s Networking Processor Division. ”Freescale and Atheros have collaborated to create a reference design leveraging these technologies to help speed time to market and reduce R&D expenses for our shared customers.”  

• “Streaming media is now hitting mainstream with all major TV OEMs, audio OEMs and service providers launching products and services in the market,” said RK Parthasarathy, vice president of marketing at Ubicom. “Ubicom is proud to work with Atheros to enable high performance and reliable Wi-Fi solutions with intelligent Quality of Service to move media around the home and from the cloud.”