Microchip

This page covers the following companies:

ZeroG Wireless → G2 Microsystems → Roving Networks → BridgeCo → SMSC → Micrel → Atmel → Microchip

Microchip Technology Inc.

https://www.microchip.com/

• Microchip has multiple lineages of Wi-Fi chipsets, inherited from

acquisitions of multiple companies having existing Wi-Fi products.

Timeline

• 1998 - founded Microchip
• 2010 - acquired SST (802.11abgn Power Amplifiers)
• 2010 - acquired ZeroG Wireless (Wi-Fi 802.11 Chip)
• 2012 - acquired Roving Networks (Wi-Fi Chipset Vendor)
• 2012 - acquired SMSC (Wi-Fi SoC Media Processor)
• 2016 - acquired Atmel and Micrel (PR)

Wi-Fi chips

Currently it appears to offer several Wi-Fi chipsets:

• G2C543-1 - (inside RN171 WiFly module, FCC ID T9J-RN171) (originally designed by G2 Microsystems)
• MRF24WG0 (MAC/BB only) - 802.11bg (used with Airoha RFIC); FCC ID W7OMRF24WG0MAMB
• ZG2100 - 802.11b 2Mbps-only (obsolete)

Microchip also offers a range of 802.11abgn+ac RF Power Amplifiers,

used in many wireless routers: Microchip Power Amplifiers.

Processors

MCU

• Microchip PIC32MX Family

Atmel

See also: Atmel, Newport Media and Ozmo Devices

Micrel

See also: Micrel and Kendin

SMSC

• 2011 - acquired BridgeCo
• 2012 - acquired by Microchip

Wi-Fi chips

• Relabeled DM870 WiSoC as "jukeblox"

BridgeCo

bridgeco.com / bridgeco.net .

• 2011 - Acquired by SMSC which was subsequently acquired by Microchip

Wi-Fi chips

• DM870 (DM870A) - Media Processor (SoC) with 802.11bg MAC/BB jukeblox PBrief
• BridgeCo Eagle - WLAN RFIC (appears to be a rebadged Thomson 6201C)

Roving Networks

http://www.rovingnetworks.com/

• 2010 - Roving Networks acquired G2 Microsystems (Wi-Fi chipset vendor);
• 2012 - was acquired by Microchip

G2 Microsystems

g2microsystems.com (archived website)

• 2004 - Founded by a group from Radiata (early Wi-Fi startup acquired by Cisco);
• 2010 - acquired by Roving Networks which was subsequently acquired by Microchip.

Wi-Fi chips

• G2C501 (2006) 802.11b WiSoC + RTLS for tags/asset tracking
• G2C543 (2009) 802.11bg WiSoC for IoT, interface: SPI, SDIO, UART
• G2C547 (2008) 802.11bg WiSoC + RTLS/RFID; host interface: SPI, SDIO, UART

ZeroG Wireless

zerogwireless.com (archive.org)

• 2006 - Founded
• 2010 - acquired by Microchip

Wi-Fi chips

• ZG2100 - "802.11b" (only 1 and 2Mbps, not the full standard)