Super G (wireless networking)

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Super G is Atheros' proprietary frame-bursting, compression and channel bonding technology to improve IEEE 802.11g wireless LAN performance. The throughput transmission speed limit when using Super G is claimed to be up to 40Mbit/s-60Mbit/s at a 108Mbit/s signaling rate, which is achieved through the bonding of two 54Mbit/s 802.11g channels.

Other vendors have marketed Super G products as 108G Technology, 108Mbit/s 802.11g, and Xtreme G. Manufacturers that have licensed Super G technology from Atheros include Airlink 101, Clipsal, D-Link, Netgear, Nortel Networks, Planex, SMC, Sony, SparkLAN, and Toshiba. In general, Super G products from different vendors are all interoperable in Super G mode.

Non-standard channel bonding extensions to 802.11g, such as Super G, have been criticized for creating interference on all Wi-Fi channels, potentially causing issues with other wireless devices in the band such as neighboring wireless networks, cordless telephones, baby monitors, and Bluetooth devices. However, Atheros claims that in real-world scenarios with physical separation and walls, closely located networks will not experience any interference from a Super G network.

Super G is one of several competing proprietary approaches that were developed to increase performance of 802.11g wireless devices, such as 125 High Speed Mode from Broadcom, MIMO-based extensions from Airgo Networks, and Nitro from Conexant.

Atheros has also adopted this technology to their 802.11a/g chipsets, marketing it as Super AG.