Analog semiconductor maker Skyworks Solutions Inc of Woburn, MA, USA says that that several of its solutions are powering the Nighthawk X6 platform from networking product maker NETGEAR of San Jose, CA, USA. The device is reckoned to be the industry’s first tri-band WiFi 802.11ac router delivering speeds up to 3.2Gb/s and supporting the increasing number of wirelessly enabled devices in the home. Skyworks is powering the two 5GHz front-end modules (FEMs) and the 2.4GHz module in addition to the radio-frequency content across these bands.
“Today’s connected customers are using an increasing number of WiFi devices in the home,” says Sandeep Harpalani, NETGEAR’s director of product marketing for retail networking products. “By leveraging Skyworks’ leading-edge connectivity solutions within our Nighthawk X6 platform, we are able to provide customers with high-definition coverage throughout the home.”
“This analog-rich application is the industry’s first tri-band WiFi router solution capable of providing up to two times the total data rate of routers available in the market today, allowing consumers to stream simultaneous HD content wirelessly on several devices at once,” notes Bradley C. Byk, Skyworks’ senior VP of worldwide sales.
High-performance 802.11ac WiFi currently enables media applications for several hundred million residential gateways, service providers and over-the-top set top boxes, smart televisions and whole home audio systems. According to ABI Research, by the end of 2014, 802.11ac is expected to be included in more than 50% of total WiFi integrated circuits shipped. ABI also predicts that, as the technology continues to expand with new protocols, nearly 18 billion more chipsets will ship cumulatively from 2015–2019.
The Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Tri-Band WiFi Router (R8000) intelligently segments slower and faster devices into the most appropriate WiFi band. This network load balancing and segmentation enables the X6 to mitigate interference and more effectively support all WiFi devices. It also supports NETGEAR Beamforming+, a smart signal-focusing technology that improves WiFi connections by locking onto a wireless device on the network and pinpointing WiFi signals directly at the device. As consumers move, Beamforming+ adjusts for distance, delivering fast downloads, clearer voice over Internet calls, uninterrupted HD video and lag-free gaming. The boost in speed, reliability and range of WiFi connections is delivered on all three WiFi bands.
Skyworks’ WiFi connectivity solutions include integrated front-end modules as well as discrete power amplifiers (PA), low-noise amplifiers (LNA), SPDT, SP3T and DPDT switches, and power management devices. These enable Internet of Things applications including mobile devices, computing, networking and home entertainment. Skyworks’ 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and dual-band products cover WLAN 802.11a,b,g,n and the emerging high-throughput 802.11ac standards. The firm’s portfolio supports a wide range of end products from access point and routers to mobile/portable subscriber equipment.
The SKY85710-11 and SKY85712-21 are highly integrated 5GHz FEMs incorporating a single-pole double-throw transmit/receive switch, an LNA with bypass and a PA intended for fixed access points and mobile solutions supporting 4K ultra HD video and high-fidelity audio streaming in routers, gateways, set-top boxes, digital TVs and gaming platforms.
The SKY85309-11 is a highly integrated 2GHz FEM incorporating a single-pole double-throw transmit/receive (Tx/Rx) switch, an LNA with bypass and a PA intended for high-power 802.11ac applications and systems. The LNA and PA disable functions ensure low leakage current in off mode. An integrated power detector is included to provide closed-loop power control within the system.
Skyworks’ new WiFi connectivity solutions are currently available for both sampling and production.
