List of Wi-Fi Chipset Vendors

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Companies that offer Wi-Fi chipsets (i.e. actual silicon): notable dates,
name of first Wi-Fi chipset, merger and acquisitions, current status.

Active

Chipset Vendor First
Release
Date 		Active a b g n ac ad ax
Atmel
1984: Founded
1999: First Wi-Fi chip (AT76C501 802.11b MAC)
2012: Acquired Ozmo Devices (WiSoCs)
2014: Acquired Newport Media (WiSoCs)
Currently offers 802.11 abgn SoCs/IoT
 1999 yes a b g n - - -


Ozmo Devices
2004: Founded (as H-Stream Wireless)
2009: First chip (OZMO1000 802.11bg Wi-Fi Direct SOC)
2012: Acquired by Atmel
 2009 no a b g - - - -


Newport Media
2005: Founded (as TV/RFIC tuner/SoC company)
2012: First Wi-Fi chip (NMC1000 802.11bgn)
2014: Acquired by Atmel
 2012 no - b g n - - -


Broadcom
2002: First Wi-Fi chip (BCM4301 802.11b)
Currently offering USB/SDIO/PCIe/WiSoC chips
 2002 yes a b g n ac ad ax


Cypress
2015 - Cypress Semiconductor merged with Spansion
2016 - Cypress to acquire Broadcom's wireless Internet of Things business
 2016 yes - b g n ac - -


Blu Wireless
2009: Founded
2015: Demonstrated 802.11ad 60GHz chipset
 2015 yes - - - - - ad -


Beken Corporation
2005: Founded (as Cordless transceiver/SoC company)
2016: First Wi-Fi chip (BK7231 802.11bgn IoT SoC)
 2016 yes - b g n - - -


Celeno
2005: Founded
2009: "First" chip CL230 (rebranded Ralink chip)
Later WiFi chips using CEVA/RivieraWaves IP cores
 2009 yes a b g n ac - ax


Edgewater
2016 - Pivot to focus on high-density Wi-Fi applications
2019 - First to market with support Dual Channel Wi-Fi standard
 yes - b g n n/a - -


CEVA
2014 - Acquired RivieraWaves (802.11abgn+ac IP cores)
 2014 yes a b g n ac - -


RivieraWaves
2014 - First Wi-Fi chipset (802.11abgn+ac) IP cores
2014 - Acquired by CEVA
 2014 no a b g n ac - -


Espressif Systems
2008 - Founded
2010 - First Wi-Fi chip (offers IoT/LP WiSoCs)
 2010 yes - b g n - - -


GainSpan
2006 - Founded
2008 - First Wi-Fi chip (GC1010 IoT 802.11b WiSoC)
using Wipro-NewLogic WLAN IP core
currently offers bgn IoT low power WiSoC
 2008 yes - b g n - - -


Hitachi
2014 - Working on 802.11ad chip
 2014 yes - - - - - ad -


I&C Technology
2013 - Acquired XRONet (802.11bgn chip)
currently offering WF5000 (802.11bgn HT20-only SOC)
 2013 yes - b g n - - -


XRONet
2005 - Founded (Wimax chipset)
2010 - Worked on Wi-Fi chipset in cooperation with
I&C Technology using Cosmic Circuits Wi-Fi IP
2013 - Acquired by I&C Technology
 2010 no - b g n - - -


Imagination Technologies
2010: Acquired HelloSoft (Wi-Fi IP Cores)
 2010 yes a b g n ac - -


HelloSoft
1999: Founded
2003: First Wi-Fi Core (802.11abg)
2010: Acquired by Imagination Technologies
 2003 no a b g - - - -


Intel
2002: First Wi-Fi chip (82531ME 802.11b)
2004: Acquired Envara (802.11abg chipset)
currently offers 802.11abgn/ac/ad PCIe adapters
2015: Acquired Lantiq (CPE and Wi-Fi chipsets)
 2002 yes a b g n ac ad ax


Envara
2000 - Founded
2003 - First Wi-Fi chip (EN202 802.11abg)
2004 - Acquired by Intel
 2003 no a b g - - - -


Lantiq
2009 - Started as a spinoff from Infineon
2015 - Acquired by Intel
 2009 no a b g n - - -


Metalink
1999 - Founded (as DSL SoC company)
2005 - First Wi-Fi chip (MtW8170 802.11n draft)
2010 - Acquired by Lantiq
 2005 no a b g n - - -


Infineon
2002: Worked on unreleased 802.11abg chipset with Agere
2004: Acquired ADMtek (802.11b/abg chips)
2007: Acquired CPE business (DSL + Wi-Fi chipsets) from Texas Instruments
2009: Spinoff Wi-Fi assets to Lantiq
 2004 no a b g n - - -


ADMtek
2002 - First Wi-Fi chip (ADM8211 802.11b)
Worked on 802.11abg chipset
2004 - Acquired by Infineon
 2002 no - b - - - - -


Lattice
2015 - Acquired Silicon Image (802.11ad chipset)
 2015 yes - - - - - ad -


Silicon Image
2011 - Acquired SiBEAM
(UltraGig/WirelessHD chipset, proprietary 60GHz protocol)
2015 - Acquired by Lattice
 2011 no - - - - - ad -


SiBEAM Site Inc.
2004 - Founded
2008 - First UltraGig/WirelessHD chipset (proprietary 60GHz protocol)
2011 - Acquired by Silicon Image, remained semi-independent?
2015 - Re-launched as SiBEAM Inc. (a Silicon Image subsidiary)
2015 - First 802.11ad (WiGig) chipset (SB6501 + SB6510)
2015 - Acquired by Lattice
 2008 no - - - - - ad -


Marvell
2002 - First Wi-Fi chip (Libertas 88W8300 802.11b)
currently offers a range of USB/SDIO/PCIe/WiSoC chips
 2002 yes a b g n ac - ax


Maxscend
Wi-Fi IoT, apparently using CEVA Wi-Fi IP
(MXD2671 bgn, MXD2660 bgn)
 yes - b g n - - -


MediaTek
2005 - Acquired Inprocomm (802.11bg chipsets)
2011 - Acquired Ralink (802.11abgn chipsets)
currently offers a wide range of USB/SDIO/PCIe/WiSoC chips
 2005 yes a b g n ac - ax


Ralink
2001 - Founded
2004 - First Wi-Fi chipset (RT2400 802.11b)
2011 - Acquired by MediaTek
 2004 no a b g n - - -


Inprocomm
2002 - Founded
2003 - First Wi-Fi chip (IPN2101 802.11b)
2005 - Acquired by MediaTek
 2003 no a b g - - - -


Microchip
2010: Acquired ZeroG Wireless (WiFi 802.11 chip)
2012: Acquired Roving Networks (WiFi chipset)
2012: Acquired SMSC (WiFi chipset)
Currently offers Wi-Fi chips for embedded applications
 yes - b g - - - -


SMSC
2011: Acquired BridgeCo (DM870 802.11bg chip)
Relabeled DM870 WiSoC as "jukeblox"
2012 Acquired by Microchip
 2011 no - b g - - - -


BridgeCo
2000 Founded (ARM/Media processors)
2008 First chip with Wi-Fi MAC/BB (DM870 WiSoC)
with 802.11bg MAC/BB)
using Wipro-NewLogic WiLD Wi-Fi IP
2011 Acquired by SMSC
 2008 no - b g - - - -


Roving Networks
2010: Acquired G2 Microsystems (802.11bg chip)
2012: Acquired by Microchip
 2010 no - b g - - - -


G2 Microsystems
2004 Founded by a group from Radiata
(early Wi-Fi startup acquired by Cisco)
2006 First Wi-Fi chip (G2C501 802.11b WiSoC+RTLS/RFID)
2010 Acquired by Roving Networks
 2006 no - b g - - - -


ZeroG Wireless
2006: Founded
2009: First Wi-Fi chip (ZG2100 802.11b 2Mbps-only)
2010: Acquired by Microchip
 2009 no - b - - - - -


Newracom
2014 First Wi-Fi chip (NRC8501 802.11abgn+ac)
IoT (NRC8101 WiFi below-1GHz)
 2014 yes a b g n ac - -


Nitero
2011: Founded
2014: First Wi-Fi chip (NT4600 802.11ad 60GHz)
(manufactured with Samsung Foundries )
 2014 yes - - - - - ad -


Nufront • Nufront on Wikipedia
Wi-Fi SoCs and chipsets for mobile (NCP6541, NL6621)
 yes - b g n - - -


NXP
2006: Started as spin-off from Philips
currently offering 802.11abgn chips and more...
 2006 yes a b g n - - -


Philips
2002: First Wi-Fi chip (offered 802.11b-only)
(MAC/BB partnership with Agere ?)
2003: Acquired Systemonic (802.11abg chipset)
2006: spin-off to NXP
 2002 no a b g - - - -


Systemonic
1999: Founded
2001: First Wi-Fi chipset (HiperSonic 1: 802.11a + HiperLAN/2)
2003: Acquired by Philips
 2001 no a b g - - - -


Panasonic
2014: Working on 802.11ad (60GHz) chipset
status TBD
 - - - - - ad -


Peraso
2009: Founded
2012: First Wi-Fi chip (PRS1021 802.11ad 60GHz)
 2012 yes - - - - - ad -


Qualcomm / Qualcomm Atheros
2006: Acquired Airgo (802.11abgn chipsets)
2011: Acquired/merged with Atheros into Qualcomm Atheros
2014: Acquired Wilocity (802.11ad chipset)
2014: Acquired CSR
Currently offers USB/SDIO/PCIe/WiSoC WiFi chips
 2006 yes a b g n ac ad ax


Atheros
1998: Founded
2000: First Wi-Fi chipset (AR5000 802.11a only)
2006: Acquired ZyDAS
2011: Acquired by Qualcomm
 2000 no a b g n - - -


ZyDAS
2000: Founded (as a subsidiary of ZyXEL)
2003: First Wi-Fi chipset (ZD1201 802.11b USB)
2006: Acquired by Atheros
 2003 no a b g - - - -


CSR
2008: First Wi-Fi chip (UF1050 802.11bg)
2012: Mobile Wi-Fi chips & IP was acquired by Samsung
2014: Remaining Auto/IoT Wi-Fi assets acquired by Qualcomm
 2008 no a b g n - - -


Airgo Networks
2001: Founded
2003: First Wi-Fi chipset (AGN100 802abg+TrueMIMO)
2006: acquired by Qualcomm
 2003 no a b g n - - -


Wilocity
2007: Founded
2011: First Wi-Fi chipset (Wil6100 802.11ad 60GHz)
2014: Acquired by Qualcomm
 2011 no - - - - - ad -


Quantenna
2006: Founded
2008: First Wi-Fi chipset (QHS450 802.11n 4x4 MIMO)
currently offers 802.11n+ac 4x4 MIMO chipsets
 2008 yes a b g n ac - ax


Radrix
First Wi-Fi chipset (802.11n+ac)
 yes - - - n ac - -


Realtek
2003 First Wi-Fi chip (RTL8180L 802.11b MAC/BB only)
currently offers a wide range of USB/SDIO/PCIe/WiSoC chips
 2003 yes a b g n ac - -


Redpine Signals
2001 Founded
2005 First Wi-Fi chipset (Pine1-LP 802.11bg)
currently offers a range of Wi-Fi chipsets
 2005 yes a b g n - - -


Rockchip
2001 Founded
2015 First Wi-Fi chip (RKi6000 802.11b)
 2015 yes - b - - - - -


SaberTek
First Wi-Fi chipset (802.11abgn+ac)
 2014 yes - - - n ac - -


Samsung
2012: Acquired Nanoradio (802.11abgn chips)
2012: Acquired CSR mobile Wi-Fi IP
Currently offering 802.11bgn WiSoC
 2012 yes - b g n - - -


Nanoradio
2004: Founded
2006: First Wi-Fi chipset (NRX700 802.11bg)
2012: Acquired by Samsung
 2006 no a b g n - - -


SmartChip Integration (SCI)
2012: Founded
 2012 yes a b g - - - -


STMicroelectronics (STMicro)
2003: Acquired Synad (802.11ab chipset)
2009: Spin-off Wi-Fi assets to ST-Ericsson
2013: Merged back ST-Ericsson assets into STMicro...
currently offering IoT CW1100/CW1200 WiFi chips
 2003 yes a b g n ac - -


Synad
2000 Founded
2002 First Wi-Fi chipset (SY8000 802.11ab)
2003 Acquired by STMicro
 2002 no a b - - - - -


TeleChips
2013 First Wi-Fi chipset (TCC3700 802.11abgn SOC)
 2013 yes a b g n - - -


Tensorcom • Tensorcom Inc.
2006 Founded
2014 First Wi-Fi chip (TC2522-Y 802.11ad 60GHz)
 2014 yes - - - - - ad -


Texas Instruments
2000: Acquired Alantro (802.11b chipset)
2003: Acquired Radia Communications (802.11 RFIC)
2007: Sold CPE business (DSL + some Wi-Fi chipsets) to Infineon
currently offering IoT and mobile WiSOCs
 2000 yes a b g n - - -


Alantro Communications
1997: Founded
2000: First Wi-Fi chip (ACX100 802.11b baseband chip)
2000: Acquired by Texas Instruments
 2000 no - b - - - - -


Radia Communications
2000: Founded
Worked on 802.11 RFIC chip
2003: Acquired by Texas Instruments
 no - - - - - - -


RDA Microelectronics
2014: Ownership transferred to w:Tsinghua Holdings
Currently offering 802.11bgn chips
 2012 yes - b g n - - -


Spreadtrum Communications • Spreadtrum on Wikipedia
2013: Ownership transferred to w:Tsinghua Holdings
Currently offering mobile/tablet SoCs w/ embedded Wi-Fi
 2012 yes a b g n - - -


Toshiba
2009: First Wi-Fi chipset (TC90515XBG 802.11bgn)
Currently offering 802.11abgn+ac SOC chips
May be working on 802.11ad chip
 2009 yes a b g n ac - -


u-blox • site
2014 Acquired Antcor (Wi-Fi IP)
 2014 yes - - - - ac - -


Antcor
802.11ac implementation on reprogrammable DSP
802.11ah implementation (below 1GHz Wi-Fi)
 no - - - - ac - -


Winner Micro
2014: Founded
Currently offering IoT/WiSOC 802.11bgn chips
(W500, W510C1 etc)
 2014 yes - b g n - - -


Wipro aka Wipro-NewLogic
2005: Acquired NewLogic (802.11abg IP cores)
Currently offering Wi-Fi IP cores (TSMC 90nm)
 2005 yes a b g - - - -


NewLogic
1997: Founded
2002: First Wi-Fi core (802.11ab)
802.11abg WiLD WiFi IP Cores
2005: Acquired by Wipro
 2002 no a b g - - - -


Inactive

  • 3DSP [5] - Founded in 1997; first Wi-Fi 802.11bg IP core in 2002[1]; collaborated with Syntek since 1999; no activity after 2009
  • ALi / Acer Labs / Acer Laboratories Incorporated / ALinx (ALi WLAN Chip Business spinoff in 2002): (2000-2003) First chip M4301A (802.11b) [2] [3]
  • Agere Systems - spin off from Lucent in 2002; continued development on WaveLAN chipsets w/ Infineon assistance; quit Wi-Fi chipset business in late 2004
  • AMD - First Wi-Fi chipset 1997 (Am79C930 pre-802.11 DSSS); released an unpopular Alchemy-based 802.11b chipset (Am1770/1/2 802.11b); exited the Wi-Fi chipset business in ~2004
  • Beam Networks [6] - Founded in 2006; worked on 802.11ad 60GHz chipset; activity ceased in 2012
  • ComSilica [7] - worked on 802.11a chip. Failed.
  • Cirrus Logic - Acquired ShareWave in 2001, Bodega chipset (Whitecap2 + 802.11b), near zero adoption
    • ShareWave Founded in 1996; First chip in 1998 (SWS260A MAC, 4Mbps DSSS non-802.11); acquired by Cirrus in 2001[4]
  • Cisco Started Wi-Fi chipset activity by acquiring Aironet in 1999 (802.11b chipset); stopped offering/using own Wi-Fi silicon ~2001; formally got out the Wi-Fi chip business in January 2004[5]. The product name Aironet remained, but using 3rd-party chipsets.
  • Conexant (2003-...)
  • EdgeWater [8] - multichannel 802.11 chipset [9] still active?
  • IceFyre [11] - 802.11abg chipset[11]
  • Integrated System Solution Corp. (ISSC) (...) presumably acquired Winbond's WLAN assets, seems to be defunct
    • Winbond (...) released a number of ultimately unpopular chipsets (W89C3x)
  • Mobilian [12] - founded in 1999; 802.11b chipset [12]
  • National Semiconductor - worked on wireless LAN since at least 1994 (AirShare 900MHz etc); worked on Wi-Fi chip (not released); acquired innoCOMM (802.11a chipset) in 2001[13]; acquired Wireless Solutions Sweden a subsidiary of Allgon in 2001 (Wi-Fi/wireless products). No Wi-Fi chips were ever released...
  • OKI - 2000 - had a 802.11 legacy (FHSS) MAC/BB chip M7730B, used in SOHOware_CableFREE_NetBlaster_(NCF600) and InstantWave PC Card IOU0610S11
  • Proxim - first RangeLAN product in 1991, had 802.11 FHSS / HomeRF / HomeRF 2.0 products
  • Renesas - Acquired KeyStream in 2009 (802.11abg chipsets)
  • RDC - first WiSoC in 2004 (R2600 b/g); also responsible for AMRISC WiSoCs designed/manufactured for AMIT
  • Rivermark Technology - spin off from RFMD in 2005 for the purpose of licensing the Wi-Fi IP[16]
    • RF Micro Devices (RFMD)- Started Wi-Fi chipset activity by acquiring Resonext in 2002; first Wi-Fi chipset in 2003 (RFCS5420 802.11abg); cease Wi-Fi activity in 2005
  • Silicon Integrated Systems (SiS) (-2005) 16x series chipsets, low adoption for most (excepting the 163U)
  • Symbol Technologies - Offered WiFi products since 1990 (SpectrumOne 900MHz, Spectrum24), later has some 802.11b baseband chips; quit the Wi-Fi chipset business in 2001
  • Syntek - Founded in 1983; First and only Wi-Fi chipset (STK9100 802.11bg) in 2008 (with 3DSP [13]); company appears defunct.
  • Telewise Communications [14] - 2000-2003 worked on 802.11abg chips. failed.
  • VIA (~2004-2006)
  • WavePlus - Acquired Topdek semiconductor (802.11b chipset) in 2003, quit the Wi-Fi business in 2005

TODO

  • WiFi IP: Silvus Communication Systems 2004 silvuscom.com / Silvus Technologies silvustechnologies.com [17]
  • Comsis 802.11n core
  • nordic semi wlan core
  • chipidea microelectronics wlan core
  • wlan core: t-2-m.com
  • wlan core: Posedge
  • wlan core: www.asix.com.tw
  • wlan core: www.ittiam.com
  • wlan core? http://uurmi.com/property/11ac.html
  • Global Unichip: 802.11ad AFE (just AFE, not full wlan core) [18]
  • Imec: 802.11ad RFIC transceiver (just RFIC, not MAC/Baseband) [19]
  • Edgewater Wireless Systems Inc.: high-density focused fabless semiconductor company; industry's first wide-band WiFi silicon solution capable of delivering multiple, concurrent channels of transmit and receive from a single, WiFi standards complaint radio (2.4 GHz / 5 GHz) [20]


References

  1. ↑ 3DSP LAUNCHES MULTI-PROTOCOL WIRELESS LAN DESIGN BASED ON ITS POWERFUL UNIPHY DSP CORE
  2. ↑ Competition Heats Up for 802.11g Chip Market
  3. ↑ ALi completes spin-off of ALinx Technology
  4. ↑ acq. by Cirrus in 2001
  5. ↑ Cisco pulls plug on Radiata
  6. ↑ Cisco Systems to Acquire Radiata, Inc.; Pioneering High Performance Wireless Networks
  7. ↑ Intersil acquires No Wires Needed B.V.
  8. ↑ Harris Corporation aqcuires CHOICE Microsystems
  9. ↑ Digital Ocean -> CHOICE Microsystems
  10. ↑ Engim touts test results for its WLAN chips
  11. ↑ IceFyre to Demonstrate Industry's Only Cost-Effective Multimedia WLAN Systems at CONNECTIONS
  12. ↑ Mobilian chip set supports 802.11b, Bluetooth operation
  13. ↑ National Semiconductor to Acquire innoCOMM, A Leading Developer of Wireless Chipset Solutions
  14. ↑ InnoCOMM Wireless Targets First Production Ready 5GHz Wireless Network Solution
  15. ↑ Key Stream Wireless LAN Business to be Transferred to Renesas
  16. ↑ rivermarktech
  17. ↑ [1]
  18. ↑ Global Unichip utilizes Cadence analog IP to implement WiGig-enabled SoC on 28nm process
  19. ↑ [2]
  20. ↑ [3];[4]
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