Atheros Communications introduced the first 802.11g wireless access point on a chip. The new AR5006AP-G integrates the wireless network processor, media access controller (MAC), baseband and radio functions into a single silicon chip. Atheros has also integrated many of the discrete components required by previous 802.11g access point designs.
Atheros said the transition from a two-chip design to a single-chip implementation produces substantial cost benefits. In addition, Atheros has reduced the rest of BOM (bill-of-materials) by almost 20 %. Applications include 802.11g-based consumer residential gateways at mass-market price points. The chip’s design also enables it to be embedded into emerging wireless networking devices including media and print servers, external hard-drive storage devices, and home media gateways.
It includes full support for the IEEE 802.11i security standard using an AES encryption engine built into the hardware, and support for Atheros XR (eXtended Range) and Super G performance enhancements. Atheros also supports the draft 802.11e QoS specification, providing advanced features for delivering wired-quality video and audio content via a wireless connection.
List price for the AR5006AP-G is below $13 in 10,000-unit quantities. http://www.atheros.com
