Design of 802.11 access point chipsets for enterprise applications

Many 802.11 chipsets are designed for client applications and force-fit into access point (AP) applications. Unfortunately, this leaves system designers with very few tools to combat complicated deployment and management issues. As wireless LAN usage becomes more prevalent and new techniques are introduced (e.g. MIMO), the number of applications increase, further exacerbating these issues. This paper focuses on the unique needs of AP applications, with an emphasis on the needs of businesses (enterprises). It then be shown how these issues can be addressed through the careful design of an AP system-on-a-chip (SoC). Topics discussed include RF management, cognitive radio, interference, and 802.11n. Various features needed to address these areas are presented.