Qualcomm Atheros is a designer of wireless chipsets or semiconductor chips for network communications. These semiconductors are used by many manufacturers of wireless devices to enable wireless functionalities for their devices. These semiconductors are also used in developing a range of wireless devices and act as the central control panel of these devices. Wireless chipsets grant the devices they are installed on the ability to share or exchange information with other wireless devices. Wireless chipsets function by replying to a reception of a signal by sending out wireless signals of their own. 5GHz supporting wireless chipsets try to curb the oppositions that diminish the strength or slow down your wireless connection. They amplify your internet connectivity by cutting off all interferences that slow it down. so Does Qualcomm Atheros support 5ghz Wi-Fi ?
QUALCOMM ATHEROS
Qualcomm Atheros as said earlier is a major designer of wireless chipsets for network communications.
They provide wireless devices with internet connectivity and the capability to send out and receive wireless signals.
Qualcomm Atheros chipsets’ standard of wireless networking is adopted and used by over 30 manufacturers of wireless devices.
Qualcomm Atheros is a subsidiary of Qualcomm – A major American multinational corporation majoring in the invention and provision of services for wireless devices.
Qualcomm Atheros became a subsidiary of Qualcomm after being acquired by Qualcomm for a total of 3.7 billion US dollars, at a rate of $45 per share cash in May 2011.
Qualcomm Atheros was founded 24 years ago, in May 1998, by Teresa H. Meng and John L. Hennessey with the name T-Span systems.
Two years later, in 2000, it was renamed Atheros communications, it changed its name to Qualcomm Atheros after its Qualcomm acquisition.
In 2003, then Atheros communications had shipped 10 million wireless chipsets of its making all over the world.
Qualcomm Atheros provides hybrid networking technology, capable of deciphering the most favorable path for data transfer at every moment, optimizing the sending and reception of data between wireless-enabled devices and effectively flooring the time taken for sharing this data.
5GHz WiFi
WiFi in general is a collection of wireless network protocols, using the IEEE 802.11 standards that provide support for local area networking and internet connectivity for devices.
It employs the use of radio waves which provides digital devices near a platform for exchanging data.
WiFi (short for wireless fidelity as stated on the WiFi alliance website) is the most adopted and most used computer network globally.
It is commonly used in homes, and offices to link wireless-enabled devices (thanks to wireless chipsets) like laptops, smartphones, printers, etc. To a wireless router, providing them access to the internet.
It was introduced on the 21st of September 1997 and is (WiFi) a trademark of the nonprofit WiFi alliance.
In 2017, the WiFi alliance had over 800 companies worldwide in its makeup.
And, according to a report issued in 2019, over a whopping 3.05 billion wireless-enabled devices are shipped across countries per year.
WiFi makes use of different sections of the IEEE 802 protocol group. It is engineered to connect, communicate, and exchange data smoothly with its wired counterpart, Ethernet, a family of computer networking technology used in local area networks (LAN).
WiFi mostly makes use of the 2.4GHz (gigahertz) UHF (ultra-high frequency) and 5GHz SHF (super-high frequency) radio bands which are further divided into several channels.
While the 2.4GHz WiFi band transmits low-frequency signals, which can seamlessly penetrate solid objects, thereby distributing these signals across a more comprehensive range, providing a broad range of coverage.
Whilst its 5GHz counterpart offers a significantly low coverage range in comparison, it makes up for its low range of coverage with much faster network speed, beating the 2.4GHz band in quality and speed of internet connectivity.
QUALCOMM ATHEROS AND 5GHz WiFi
In 2000, after its rebrand to Atheros communications, the new Qualcomm Atheros publicly gave a practical exhibition and explanation of its first-ever chipset.
At the time, it was the world’s first WLAN (wireless local area network) implemented with CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor).
A type of technology used for building integrated circuit (IC) chips and other digital logic chips.
Its brand new CMOS compatible chipset was the first-ever high-speed 802.11a (a part of a set of standards designed to support wireless communication in the unlicensed national information infrastructure [U-NII] brand) and marked the inception of 5GHz technology.
Not only does Qualcomm Atheros support 5GHz WiFi, but it is also at the very heart of the inception of 5GHz technology, having patented the first-ever CMOS compatible, high-speed 5GHz wireless chipset.
Thanks to its hybrid networking technology, Qualcomm Atheros provides support for Ethernet technology, allowing wired internet connections access to its 5GHz technology.
Over the years Qualcomm Atheros have produced wireless chipsets targeting smartphones and tablets, aiming to bring 5GHz WiFi support to mobile devices.
It is arguably the pioneer of 5GHz technology and has managed to stay relevant ever since.
Though now only a subsidiary, it is early days under the guidance of its expert Stanford founders, Teresa (professor of engineering at Stanford) and John (then president of the Stanford University through 2016), were pivotal to its success in the semiconductor chips industry.
Conclusion
Now owned by Qualcomm, the Qualcomm Atheros remains a prominent stakeholder in the wireless chipsets industry and will remain so for the foreseeable future.
