Broadcom’s GbE Wi-Fi Processor Delivers Full 802.11n Performance

Although current generations of draft-IEEE 802.11n products deliver four times the throughput of 802.11g, performance is bottlenecked by the Fast Ethernet switch and network processor. By integrating a Gigabit Ethernet controller and increasing the processor’s clock speed, the BCM4705 GbE processor eliminates those bottlenecks, allowing the system to achieve the theoretical maximum wireless 802.11n performance, nearly eight time that of 802.11g. The processor incorporates a 300-MHz/500 DMIPS MIPS32 core. When implemented with the company’s Intensi-fi radio and media access controller/baseband chips, the BCM4705 can substantially enhance the throughput of devices connected to a Gigabit network—delivering greater than 160 Mb/s of TCP/IP throughput for wireless clients while also offering Gigabit Ethernet speeds for wired clients. The flexible processor platform provides several configuration and connectivity options that enable manufacturers to balance performance and cost in developing router/gateway products. The dual-band device supports 2.4- and/or 5-GHz radios and accommodates 2X2, 3X3 and 4X4 antenna configurations, enabling single-band, dual-band, or simultaneous dual-band Wi-Fi routers. The chip also integrates USB 2.0 host/device interfaces, allowing dynamic end products that permit end users to add several application-specific peripherals—such as printers, network attached storage, and digital cameras—to the Wi-Fi or wired network. BROADCOM CORP., Irvine, CA. (949) 450-8700.