Atheros First to Earn Microsoft Designed for Windows XP Certification for 5GHz Wireless LAN Products; Support for Windows XP Enhances 802.11a User Experience.

Business Editors/Technology Writers

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 7, 2001

Atheros Communications Inc. today announced it is the first company to receive the Microsoft Designed for Windows XP Logo Program certification for an 802.11a wireless networking solution. This endorsement indicates that Atheros has successfully met the rigorous Microsoft Corp. standards for compatibility with the Windows XP operating system.

The Atheros AR5000 CardBus Reference Board has earned the Designed for Windows XP certification, which is available for use by a variety of manufacturers for consumer products. The Designed for Windows XP Logo designation indicates that customers can expect a good experience with products bearing that logo when used on a PC running Microsoft Windows XP. Atheros' product was also certified for use on PCs running Windows 2000, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98 and Windows NT 4.0 operating systems.

"Atheros' release of higher bandwidth wireless LAN products continues the momentum in the build-out of Wireless LANs and helps move the bar in creating innovative wireless solutions for customers," said Jawad Khaki, vice president of Windows Networking and Communications at Microsoft. "Microsoft is committed to working with leading companies such as Atheros and industry associations such as the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Association (WECA), to plan and design long-term interoperability solutions between today's 802.11b (Wi-Fi) and 802.11a (Wi-Fi5) wireless technologies."

Windows XP includes many improved wireless features, such as built-in support for wireless networks and IEEE 802.1x wireless security standards, allowing users to easily and securely connect their computers to networks at home, at work, and on the road. The mobility and wireless experience in Windows XP offers easy-to-use wireless networking to home and business users, and provides a solid and easy-to-use platform upon which partners can deliver innovative, compelling mobile and wireless solutions.

"Microsoft's Windows logo program endorsement of Atheros certifies 802.11a as compatible with the advanced wireless networking features in Windows XP," said Navin Sabharwal, vice president of Residential & Networking Technologies at Allied Business Intelligence. "More than this, it marks an important step for laptop vendors looking to enhance their product differentiation by giving users the latest built-in technology for a level of wireless networking never before possible. Making 802.11a capability available within a standard Windows environment is vitally important if 5GHz wireless LANs are going to proliferate in the market."

"We're very pleased that our 802.11a WLAN solution has passed Microsoft's Windows logo compatibility test," said Rich Redelfs, president and chief executive officer at Atheros. "Atheros' customers will benefit from this certification as they bring quality 802.11a products to market."

The Atheros CardBus Reference Board is based on the AR5000 chipset, which provides full wireless LAN connectivity compliant with the IEEE 802.11a 5GHz standard. The AR5000, which consists of two highly integrated chips fabricated in standard digital CMOS, delivers cost-effective, robust connectivity at far higher data rates than were previously possible. The chipset supports all 802.11a data rates up to 54 megabits per second (Mbps), as well as higher Atheros Turbo Mode(TM) rates.

Atheros' reference design hardware and software ensures compatibility with Windows XP 802.11, which provides a set of features that makes using 802.11a or 802.11b wireless networks easy for users. Windows XP wireless networking enhancements include Auto Configuration support, allowing a laptop with a wireless network card to automatically detect and connect to available wireless networks, plus support for IEEE 802.1x for enhanced wireless security. Wireless network card installation and roaming across networks has been greatly simplified. For example, users no longer have to manually change their network ID settings and re-login each time they want to move between wireless LANs across the office, at home, or on the road.

About Atheros Communications, Inc.

Atheros Communications was founded in May 1998 by leading experts in radio and signal processing from Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley, and private industry. The Company's mission is to provide wireless networking technologies that drive transparent connections between all computing, communications, audio and video devices. Funded by August Capital, Fidelity Management & Research Company, Foundation Capital, New Enterprise Associates and others, Atheros has raised a total of $98.3 million in three rounds of funding. The Company currently employs over 140 people and has filed more than 45 wireless technology patents. For more information, visit www.atheros.com or send email to [e-mail].

Note to Editors: Atheros, Atheros Turbo Mode and the Atheros logo are trademarks of Atheros Communications, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.