Atheros Communications — 00:B0:52 (MA-L)
Summary
- // what this is
- Atheros Communications is registered to MAC prefix
00:B0:52in the IEEE OUI database. When a device's MAC address begins with00:B0:52, that block was registered by Atheros Communications — the OUI identifies the maker of the network hardware, which is not always the brand on the device. Atheros Communications was acquired; the registration remains on record with IEEE. - // analyst note
- 00:B0:52 identifies an Atheros Wi-Fi chipset embedded in third-party branded networking hardware, not a standalone Atheros product. The company was acquired by Qualcomm in 2011 and no longer operates independently.
About this vendor.
A MAC address starting with 00:B0:52 identifies hardware built around an Atheros Communications Wi-Fi chipset, typically embedded in wireless network cards, routers, or adapters sold under other companies' brand names rather than as a standalone Atheros-branded product.
Atheros Communications was founded in 1998 as T-Span Systems, a Stanford/UC Berkeley spinout, and renamed itself Atheros Communications in 2000. The company built the industry's first 802.11a Wi-Fi chipset and went public on NASDAQ (ATHR) in February 2004, establishing itself as a major supplier of wireless networking silicon.
Qualcomm acquired Atheros Communications on May 24, 2011, in a deal valued at $3.1 billion enterprise value, folding its Wi-Fi and networking chipset business into Qualcomm's portfolio. The 00:B0:52 block is registered under the bare name "Atheros Communications," distinct from "Atheros Communications, Inc.," which held two additional OUI blocks (00:03:7F and 00:13:74) already covered by this site's DONE vendor-qualcomm entry.
IEEE's public OUI registry lists no assignment date for 00:B0:52; a "2000-11-09" date shown by some third-party lookup tools is a database artifact, not an IEEE-published fact. The registered address on file, 5955 T.G. Lee Blvd, Ste. 600, Ocala FL 32822, is itself inconsistent — that street is in Orlando, not Ocala — a discrepancy in IEEE's own published data rather than a fact about Atheros's headquarters (which was 1700 Technology Drive, San Jose, CA).
- IEEE assignment
- 00:B0:52 → Atheros Communications, US [Confirmed] — IEEE MA-L (standards-oui.ieee.org/oui/oui.csv)
- Registry / block size
- MA-L (24-bit OUI) [Confirmed] — the IEEE MA-L registry
- HQ / registered address
- 5955 T.G. Lee Blvd, Ste. 600, Ocala FL 32822, US (IEEE-published; note address discrepancy — T.G. Lee Blvd is an Orlando, FL street, not Ocala); corporate HQ was 1700 Technology Drive, San Jose, CA [Confirmed] — IEEE MA-L; SEC 10-K
- Company status
- acquired — Qualcomm completed acquisition May 24, 2011, $3.1B enterprise value; no longer independent [Confirmed] — qualcomm.com press release, SEC filings
- Device types
- Wi-Fi wireless networking hardware (cards/routers/adapters) [Likely] — generic aggregators (cleancss.com, hwaddress.com); no specific device model confirmed for this exact prefix
- Notable products
- world's first 802.11a Wi-Fi chipset [Confirmed] — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheros
- Verified prefix (this vendor entry)
- 00:B0:52 [Confirmed] — IEEE MA-L / maclookup.app
- Related registrations
- "Atheros Communications, Inc." (distinct exact name) held 00:03:7F and 00:13:74, already covered under DONE vendor-qualcomm entry [Confirmed] — the IEEE MA-L registry; this site's own enrichment records (DONE)
- Special note
- IEEE publishes no assignment date for OUI registrations; a "2000-11-09" date shown by maclookup.app for 00:B0:52 is a third-party database artifact, not an IEEE fact [Confirmed] — standards-oui.ieee.org/oui/oui.csv (no date columns); maclookup.app/vendors/atheros-communications
- Analyst note
- Founded 1998 as T-Span Systems, renamed Atheros Communications 2000, IPO Feb 2004 (NASDAQ: ATHR); acquisition value is $3.1B per primary sources — a $3.7B figure seen in one secondary aggregator summary is uncorroborated and not used[Confirmed] — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheros; sec.gov 10-K; qualcomm.com press release